Wilkins, John, A discovery of a new world : or a discourse tending to prove, that 'tis probable there may be another Habitable World in the Moon ; with a discourse concerning the Probability of a Passage thither; unto which is added, a discourse concerning a New Planet, tending to prove, that 'tis probable our earth is one of the Planets

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          <pb o="11" file="0023" n="23" rhead="That the Moon may be a World."/>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s226" xml:space="preserve">1. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s227" xml:space="preserve">That a new Truth may ſeem abſurd and
              <lb/>
            impoſſible, not only to the Vulgar, but to
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            thoſe alſo who are otherwiſe Wiſe Men and
              <lb/>
            excellent Schollars; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s228" xml:space="preserve">and hence it will follow,
              <lb/>
            that every new thing which ſeems to oppoſe
              <lb/>
            common Principles, is not preſently to be re-
              <lb/>
            jected, but rather to be pry'd into by a dili-
              <lb/>
            gent enquiry, ſince there are many things which
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            are yet hid from us, and reſerv’d for future
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            Diſcovery.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s229" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s230" xml:space="preserve">2. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s231" xml:space="preserve">That it is not the commonneſs of an Opi-
              <lb/>
            nion that can priviledge it for a Truth; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s232" xml:space="preserve">the
              <lb/>
            wrong way is ſometime a well beaten Path,
              <lb/>
            whereas the right way (eſpecially to hidden
              <lb/>
            Truths) may be leſs trodden, and more ob-
              <lb/>
            ſcure.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s233" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s234" xml:space="preserve">True indeed, the ſtrangeneſs of this Opi-
              <lb/>
            nion will detract much from its Credit; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s235" xml:space="preserve">but
              <lb/>
            yet we ſhould know that nothing is in it ſelf
              <lb/>
            ſtrange, ſince every Natural Effect has an equal
              <lb/>
            dependance upon its Cauſe, and with the like
              <lb/>
            neceſſity doth follow from it; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s236" xml:space="preserve">ſo that ’tis our
              <lb/>
            Ignorance which makes things appear ſo; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s237" xml:space="preserve">and
              <lb/>
            hence it comes to paſs, that many more Evi-
              <lb/>
            dent Truths ſeem incredible to ſuch who know
              <lb/>
            not the cauſes of things: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s238" xml:space="preserve">you may as ſoon
              <lb/>
            perſwade ſome Country Peaſants, that the
              <lb/>
            Moon is made of Green-Cheeſe (as we ſay)
              <lb/>
            as that ’tis bigger than his Cart-Wheel, ſince
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            both ſeem equally to contradict his ſight, and
              <lb/>
            he has not reaſon enough to lead him far-
              <lb/>
            ther than his Senſes. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s239" xml:space="preserve">Nay, ſuppoſe (ſaith Plu-
              <lb/>
            tarch) a Philoſopher ſhould be Educated in
              <lb/>
            ſuch a ſecret place, where he might not ſee
              <lb/>
            either Sea or River, and afterwards ſhould </s>
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