1applyed to the Sun, and to the Earth, ſo vaſt and famous bodies
of the Univerſe; and it being, moreover, impoſſible, that one of
two contradictory Propoſitions, ſhould not be true, and the other
falſe; and that for proof of the falſe one, any thing can be
duced but fallacies; but the true one being perſwadeable by all
kind of concluding and demonſtrative arguments, why ſhould
you think that he, of you two, who ſhall be ſo fortunate as to
maintain the true Propoſition ought not to perſwade me? You
muſt ſuppoſe me to be of a ſtupid wit, perverſe judgment, dull
mind and intellect, and of a blind reaſon, that I ſhould not be
able to diſtinguiſh light from darkneſſe, jewels from coals, or
truth from falſhood.
of the Univerſe; and it being, moreover, impoſſible, that one of
two contradictory Propoſitions, ſhould not be true, and the other
falſe; and that for proof of the falſe one, any thing can be
duced but fallacies; but the true one being perſwadeable by all
kind of concluding and demonſtrative arguments, why ſhould
you think that he, of you two, who ſhall be ſo fortunate as to
maintain the true Propoſition ought not to perſwade me? You
muſt ſuppoſe me to be of a ſtupid wit, perverſe judgment, dull
mind and intellect, and of a blind reaſon, that I ſhould not be
able to diſtinguiſh light from darkneſſe, jewels from coals, or
truth from falſhood.
SIMPL. I tell you now, and have told you upon other
occaſions, that the beſt Maſter to teach us how to diſcern
phiſmes, Paralogiſmes, and other fallacies, was Ariſtotle, who
in this particular can never be deceived.
occaſions, that the beſt Maſter to teach us how to diſcern
phiſmes, Paralogiſmes, and other fallacies, was Ariſtotle, who
in this particular can never be deceived.
SAGR. You inſiſt upon Aristotle, who cannot ſpeak. Yet I
tell you, that if Ariſtotle were here, he would either yield
ſelf to be perſwaded by us, or refuting our arguments, convince
us by better of his own. And you your ſelf, when you heard the
experiments of the Suns related, did you not acknowledg and
admire them, and confeſſe them more concludent than thoſe of
Ariſtotle? Yet nevertheleſſe I cannot perceive that Salviatus,
who hath produced them, examined them, and with exquiſite
care ſcan'd them, doth confeſſe himſelf perſwaded by them; no
nor by others of greater force, which he intimated that he was
about to give us an account of. And I know not on what grounds
you ſhould cenſure Nature, as one that for many Ages hath
been lazie, and forgetful to produce ſpeculative wits; and
that knoweth not how to make more ſuch, unleſſe they be ſuch
kind of men as ſlaviſhly giving up their judgments to Ariſtotle, do
underſtand with his brain, and reſent with his ſenſes. But let us
hear the reſidue of thoſe reaſons which favour his opinion, that
we may thereupon proceed to ſpeak to them; comparing and
weighing them in the ballance of impartiality.
tell you, that if Ariſtotle were here, he would either yield
ſelf to be perſwaded by us, or refuting our arguments, convince
us by better of his own. And you your ſelf, when you heard the
experiments of the Suns related, did you not acknowledg and
admire them, and confeſſe them more concludent than thoſe of
Ariſtotle? Yet nevertheleſſe I cannot perceive that Salviatus,
who hath produced them, examined them, and with exquiſite
care ſcan'd them, doth confeſſe himſelf perſwaded by them; no
nor by others of greater force, which he intimated that he was
about to give us an account of. And I know not on what grounds
you ſhould cenſure Nature, as one that for many Ages hath
been lazie, and forgetful to produce ſpeculative wits; and
that knoweth not how to make more ſuch, unleſſe they be ſuch
kind of men as ſlaviſhly giving up their judgments to Ariſtotle, do
underſtand with his brain, and reſent with his ſenſes. But let us
hear the reſidue of thoſe reaſons which favour his opinion, that
we may thereupon proceed to ſpeak to them; comparing and
weighing them in the ballance of impartiality.
Ariſtotle would
either refute his
adverſaries
ments, or would
alter his opinion.
either refute his
adverſaries
ments, or would
alter his opinion.
SALV. Before I proceed any farther, I muſt tell Sagredus, that
in theſe our Diſputations, I perſonate the Copernican,, and
tate him, as if I were his Zany; but what hath been effected in
my private thoughts by theſe arguments which I ſeem to alledg in
his favour, I would not have you to judg by what I ſay, whil'ſt
I am in the heat of acting my part in the Fable; but after I have
laid by my diſguiſe, for you may chance to find me different
from what you ſee me upon the Stage. Now let us go on.
in theſe our Diſputations, I perſonate the Copernican,, and
tate him, as if I were his Zany; but what hath been effected in
my private thoughts by theſe arguments which I ſeem to alledg in
his favour, I would not have you to judg by what I ſay, whil'ſt
I am in the heat of acting my part in the Fable; but after I have
laid by my diſguiſe, for you may chance to find me different
from what you ſee me upon the Stage. Now let us go on.
Ptolomy and his followers produce another experiment like to
that of the Projections, and it is of things that being ſeparated
that of the Projections, and it is of things that being ſeparated