Salusbury, Thomas
,
Mathematical collections and translations (Tome I)
,
1667
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ſtar from the centre of the Earth 4 ſemidiameters, which are theſe,
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the fifth and ſixth, therefore it is more probable that the new ſtar
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was elementary, than celeſtial.</
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<
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>SALV. </
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>You miſtake the point; for if you note well it was not
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written, that the diſtance was exactly 4 ſemidiameters, but about
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4 ſemidiameters; and yet you ſhall ſee that thoſe two diſtances
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differed from each other many hundreds of miles. </
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<
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>Here they are;
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you ſee that this fifth, which is 13389
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Italian
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miles, exceeds the
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ſixth, which is 13100 miles, by almoſt 300 miles.</
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<
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>SAGR. </
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>Which then are thoſe few that agree in placing the ſtar
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in the ſame ſituation?</
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<
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>SALV. </
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>They are, to the diſgrace of this Author five workings,
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which all place it in the firmament, as you ſhall ſee in this note,
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where I have ſet down many other combinations. </
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>But I will grant
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the Author more than peradventure he would demand of me, which
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is in ſum, that in each combination of the obſervations there is
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ſome error; which I believe to be abſolutely neceſſary; for the
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obſervations being four in number that ſerve for one working,
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that is, two different altitudes of the Pole, and two different
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tions of the ſtar, made by different obſervers, in different
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ces, with different inſtruments, who ever hath any ſmall know</
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ledg of this art, will ſay, that amongſt all the four, it is impoſſible
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but there will be ſome error; and eſpecially ſince we ſee that in
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taking but one onely altitude of the Pole, with the ſame
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ment, in the ſame place, by the ſame obſerver, that hath
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peated the obſervation a thouſand times, there will ſtill be a
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bation of one, or ſometimes of many minutes, as in this ſame
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book you may ſee in ſeveral places. </
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<
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>Theſe things preſuppoſed,
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I ask you
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Simplicius
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whether you believe that this Authour held
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theſe thirteen obſervators for wiſe, underſtanding and expert men
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in uſing thoſe inſtruments, or elſe for inexpert, and bunglers?</
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Aſtronomical
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struments are very
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ſubject to errour.
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<
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>SIMP. </
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>It muſt needs be that he eſteemed them very acute and
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intelligent; for if he had thought them unskilful in the buſineſſe,
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he might have omitted his ſixth book as inconcluſive, as being
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founded upon ſuppoſitions very erroneous; and might take us for
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exceſſively ſimple, if he ſhould think he could with their
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pertneſſe perſwade us to believe a falſe poſition of his for truth.</
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<
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>SALV. </
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<
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>Therefore theſe obſervators being ſuch, and that yet
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notwithſtanding they did erre, and ſo conſequently needed
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rection, that ſo one might from their obſervations infer the
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beſt hints that may be; it is convenient that we apply unto them
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the leaſt and neereſt emendations and corrections that may be;
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ſo that they do but ſuffice to reduce the obſervations from
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ſibility to poſſibility; ſo as
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v. </
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<
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>gr.
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if one may but correct a
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feſt errour, and an apparent impoſſibility of one of their </
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