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

Table of contents

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[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.
[31.] Necnon Oceano paſci phæbumque polumq; Gredimus.
[32.] PROP. IV. That the Moon is a Solid, Compacted, Opacous Body.
[33.] PROP. V. That the Moon hath not any Light of her own.
[34.] PROP. VI. That there is a World in the Moon, bath been the direct Opinion of many Ancient, with ſome Modern Mathematicians, and may probably de deduc’d from the Tenents of others.
[35.] PROP. VII. That thoſe Spots and brighter parts, which by our ſight may be diſtinguiſhed in the Moon, do ſhew the difference betwixt the Sea and Land, in that other World.
[36.] PROP. VIII. The Spots repeſent the Sea, and the brighter parts the Land.
[37.] PROP. IX. That there are high Mountains, deep Vallies, and ſpacious Plains in the Body of the Moon.
[38.] PROP. X. That there is an Atmo-ſphæra, or an Orb of groſs, Vaporous Air, immediately encompaſſing the body of the Moon.
[39.] PROP. XI. That as their World is our Moon, ſo our World is their Moon.
[40.] Provehimur portu, terræque urbeſque recedunt.
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            queſtion here is, not what can be done, but
              <lb/>
            what is moſt likely to be done, according to
              <lb/>
            the uſual courſe of Nature. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4894" xml:space="preserve">’Tis the part
              <lb/>
            of a Philoſopher, in the reſolution of natural
              <lb/>
            Events, not to fly unto the abſolute Power
              <lb/>
            of God, and tell us what he can do, but
              <lb/>
            what, according to the uſual way of Provi-
              <lb/>
            dence, is moſt likely to be done, to find out
              <lb/>
            ſuch cauſes of things, as may ſeem moſt eaſy
              <lb/>
            and probable to our reaſon.</s>
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          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4896" xml:space="preserve">If you ask, What repugnancy there is in
              <lb/>
            the Heavens, unto ſo great a ſwiftneſs? </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4897" xml:space="preserve">We
              <lb/>
            anſwer; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4898" xml:space="preserve">Their being ſuch vaſt, material
              <lb/>
            condenſed Subſtances, with which this in-
              <lb/>
            conceivable Motion cannot agree.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4899" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4900" xml:space="preserve">Since Motion and Magnitude are two ſuch
              <lb/>
            Geometrical things, as bear a mutual pro-
              <lb/>
            portion to one another; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4901" xml:space="preserve">therefore it may
              <lb/>
            ſeem convenient, that ſlowneſs ſhould be
              <lb/>
            more agreeable to a great Body, and ſwift-
              <lb/>
            neſs to a leſſer : </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4902" xml:space="preserve">and ſo it would be more
              <lb/>
            conſonant to the Principles of Nature, that
              <lb/>
            the Earth, which is of a leſſer quantity,
              <lb/>
            ſhould be appointed to ſuch a Motion, as is
              <lb/>
            ſomewhat proportionable to its bigneſs,
              <lb/>
            than that the Heavens, that are of ſuch a
              <lb/>
            vaſt magnitude, ſhould be whirled about
              <lb/>
            with ſuch an incredible ſwiftneſs, which
              <lb/>
            does ſo far exceed the proportion of their
              <lb/>
            bigneſs, as their bigneſs does exceed this
              <lb/>
            Earth, that is but as a Point or Centre to
              <lb/>
            them. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4903" xml:space="preserve">’Tis not likely that Nature, in theſe
              <lb/>
            conſtant and great Works, ſhould ſo much
              <lb/>
            deviate from that uſual Harmony and </s>
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