1it ſhould run above an hundred yards, he would let the ball
merge into the water, & freely deſcend, & diligently obſerve its
tion. If he would but do thus, he ſhould ſee, firſt, that it would go in a
direct line towards that point of the bottom of the veſſel, whither it
would tend, if the boat ſhould ſtand ſtill; & to his eye, and in
tion to the veſſel, that motion would appear moſt ſtraight and
pendicular, and yet he could not ſay, but that it would be compoſed
of the right motion downwards, and of the circular about the
ment of water. And if theſe things befall in matters not natural,
and in things that we may experiment in their ſtate of reſt; & then
again in the contrary ſtate of motion, and yet as to appearance no
diverſity at all is diſcovered, & that they ſeem to deceive our ſenſe
what can we diſtinguiſh touching the Earth, which hath been
petually in the ſame conſtitution, as to motion and reſt? And in
what time can we experiment whether any difference is diſcernable
amongſt theſe accidents of local motion, in its diverſe ſtates of
tion and reſt, if it eternally indureth in but one onely of them?
merge into the water, & freely deſcend, & diligently obſerve its
tion. If he would but do thus, he ſhould ſee, firſt, that it would go in a
direct line towards that point of the bottom of the veſſel, whither it
would tend, if the boat ſhould ſtand ſtill; & to his eye, and in
tion to the veſſel, that motion would appear moſt ſtraight and
pendicular, and yet he could not ſay, but that it would be compoſed
of the right motion downwards, and of the circular about the
ment of water. And if theſe things befall in matters not natural,
and in things that we may experiment in their ſtate of reſt; & then
again in the contrary ſtate of motion, and yet as to appearance no
diverſity at all is diſcovered, & that they ſeem to deceive our ſenſe
what can we diſtinguiſh touching the Earth, which hath been
petually in the ſame conſtitution, as to motion and reſt? And in
what time can we experiment whether any difference is diſcernable
amongſt theſe accidents of local motion, in its diverſe ſtates of
tion and reſt, if it eternally indureth in but one onely of them?
An experiment
that ſheweth how
the common motion
is imperceptible.
that ſheweth how
the common motion
is imperceptible.
SAGR. Theſe Diſcourſes have ſomewhat whetted my ſtomack,
which thoſe fiſhes, and ſnails had in part nauſeated; and the former
made me call to minde the correction of an errour, that hath ſo
much appearance of truth, that I know not whether one of a
thouſand would refuſe to admit it as unqueſtionable. And it was
this, that ſailing into Syria, and carrying with me a very good
Teleſcope, that had been beſtowed on me by our Common Friend,
who not many dayes before had invented, I propoſed to the
riners, that it would be of great benefit in Navigation to make uſe
of it upon the round top of a ſhip, to diſcover and kenne Veſſels
afar off. The benefit was approved, but there was objected the
difficulty of uſing it, by reaſon of the Ships continual fluctuation;
and eſpecially on the round top, where the agitation is ſo much
greater, and that it would be better for any one that would make
uſe thereof to ſtand at the Partners upon the upper Deck, where
the toſſing is leſſe than in any other place of the Ship. I (for I
will not conceal my errour) concurred in the ſame opinion, and
for that time ſaid no more: nor can I tell you by what hints I was
moved to return to ruminate with my ſelf upon this buſineſſe, and
in the end came to diſcover my ſimplicity (although excuſable) in
admitting that for true, which is moſt falſe; falſe I ſay, that the
great agitation of the basket or round top, in compariſon of the
ſmall one below, at the partners of the Maſt, ſhould render the
uſe of the Teleſcope more difficult in finding out the object.
which thoſe fiſhes, and ſnails had in part nauſeated; and the former
made me call to minde the correction of an errour, that hath ſo
much appearance of truth, that I know not whether one of a
thouſand would refuſe to admit it as unqueſtionable. And it was
this, that ſailing into Syria, and carrying with me a very good
Teleſcope, that had been beſtowed on me by our Common Friend,
who not many dayes before had invented, I propoſed to the
riners, that it would be of great benefit in Navigation to make uſe
of it upon the round top of a ſhip, to diſcover and kenne Veſſels
afar off. The benefit was approved, but there was objected the
difficulty of uſing it, by reaſon of the Ships continual fluctuation;
and eſpecially on the round top, where the agitation is ſo much
greater, and that it would be better for any one that would make
uſe thereof to ſtand at the Partners upon the upper Deck, where
the toſſing is leſſe than in any other place of the Ship. I (for I
will not conceal my errour) concurred in the ſame opinion, and
for that time ſaid no more: nor can I tell you by what hints I was
moved to return to ruminate with my ſelf upon this buſineſſe, and
in the end came to diſcover my ſimplicity (although excuſable) in
admitting that for true, which is moſt falſe; falſe I ſay, that the
great agitation of the basket or round top, in compariſon of the
ſmall one below, at the partners of the Maſt, ſhould render the
uſe of the Teleſcope more difficult in finding out the object.