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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[Item 1.]
[2.] Ex Libris James S. Dearden Rampside
[3.] A DISCOVERY OF A New , OR,
[4.] In Two Parts.
[5.] The Fifth Edition Corrected and Amended. LONDON,
[6.] The Epiſtle to the READER.
[7.] The Propoſitions that are proved in this Diſcourſe. PROPOSITION I.
[8.] PROP. II.
[9.] PROP. III.
[10.] PROP. IV.
[11.] PROP. V.
[12.] PROP. VI.
[13.] PROP. VII.
[14.] PROP. VIII.
[15.] PROP. IX.
[16.] PROP. X.
[17.] PROP. XI.
[18.] PROP. XII.
[19.] PROP. XIII.
[20.] PROP. XIV.
[21.] The Firſt Book. That the MOON May be a WORLD. The Firſt Propoſition, by way of Preface.
[22.] Sed vanus ſtolidis hæc omnia finxerit Error.
[23.] Solis lunæq; labores.
[24.] Cum fruſtra reſonant æra auxiliaria Lunæ.
[25.] Una laboranti poterit ſuccerrere Lunæ.
[26.] Gantus & è cælo poſſunt deducere Lunam.
[27.] Cantus & ſi curru lunam deducere tentant, Et facerent, ſi non æra repulſa ſonant.
[28.] PROP. II. That a Plurality of Worlds doth not contradict any Principle of Reaſon or Faith.
[29.] Æſtuas infelix auguſto limite mundi.
[30.] PROP. III. That the Heavens do not conſiſt of any ſuch pure Matter, which can priviledge them from the like Change and Corruption, as theſe Inferiour, Bodies are liable unto.
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            <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
              <lb/>
            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
              <lb/>
            are yet hid from us, and reſerv’d for future
              <lb/>
            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
              <lb/>
            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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