1And firſt, I ask you, whether the Aſtronomers, in obſerving with
their Inſtruments, and ſeeking v. gr. how great the elevation of a
Star is above the Horizon, may deviate from the truth, aſwell in
making it too great, as too little; that is, may erroneouſly
pute, that it is ſometime higher than the truth, and ſometimes
er; or elſe whether the errour muſt needs be alwayes of one
kinde, to wit, that erring they alwayes make it too much, and
ver too little, or alwayes too little, and never too much?
their Inſtruments, and ſeeking v. gr. how great the elevation of a
Star is above the Horizon, may deviate from the truth, aſwell in
making it too great, as too little; that is, may erroneouſly
pute, that it is ſometime higher than the truth, and ſometimes
er; or elſe whether the errour muſt needs be alwayes of one
kinde, to wit, that erring they alwayes make it too much, and
ver too little, or alwayes too little, and never too much?
SIMP. I doubt not, but that it is as eaſie to commit an errour
the one way, as the other.
the one way, as the other.
SALV. I believe the Author would anſwer the ſame. Now of
theſe two kinds of errours, which are contraries, and into which the
obſervators of the new ſtar may equally have fallen, applied to
calculations, one ſort will make the ſtar higher, and the other lower
than really it is. And becauſe we have already agreed, that all
the obſervations are falſe; upon what ground would this
thor have us to accept thoſe for moſt congruous with the truth,
that ſhew the ſtar to have been near at hand, than the others that
ſhew it exceſſively remote?
theſe two kinds of errours, which are contraries, and into which the
obſervators of the new ſtar may equally have fallen, applied to
calculations, one ſort will make the ſtar higher, and the other lower
than really it is. And becauſe we have already agreed, that all
the obſervations are falſe; upon what ground would this
thor have us to accept thoſe for moſt congruous with the truth,
that ſhew the ſtar to have been near at hand, than the others that
ſhew it exceſſively remote?
SIMP. By what I have, as yet, collected of the Authors mind,
I ſee not that he doth refuſe thoſe obſervations, and indagations
that might make the ſtar more remote than the Moon, and alſo
than the Sun, but only thoſe that make it remote (as you your ſelf
have ſaid) more than an infinite diſtance; the which diſtance,
cauſe you alſo do refuſe it as impoſſible, he alſo paſſeth over, as
being convicted of infinite falſhood; as alſo thoſe obſervations
are of impoſſibility. Methinks, therefore, that if you would
vince the Author, you ought to produce ſupputations, more exact,
or more in number, or of more diligent obſervers, which conſtitute
the ſtar in ſuch and ſuch a diſtance above the Moon, or above the
Sun, and to be brief, in a place poſſible for it to be in, like as he
produceth theſe twelve, which all place the ſtar beneath the Moon
in places that have a being in the world, and where it is poſſible for
it to be.
I ſee not that he doth refuſe thoſe obſervations, and indagations
that might make the ſtar more remote than the Moon, and alſo
than the Sun, but only thoſe that make it remote (as you your ſelf
have ſaid) more than an infinite diſtance; the which diſtance,
cauſe you alſo do refuſe it as impoſſible, he alſo paſſeth over, as
being convicted of infinite falſhood; as alſo thoſe obſervations
are of impoſſibility. Methinks, therefore, that if you would
vince the Author, you ought to produce ſupputations, more exact,
or more in number, or of more diligent obſervers, which conſtitute
the ſtar in ſuch and ſuch a diſtance above the Moon, or above the
Sun, and to be brief, in a place poſſible for it to be in, like as he
produceth theſe twelve, which all place the ſtar beneath the Moon
in places that have a being in the world, and where it is poſſible for
it to be.
SALV. But Simplicius yours and the Authors Equivocation
lyeth in this, yours in one reſpect, and the Authors in another; I
diſcover by your ſpeech that you have formed a conceit to your
ſelf, that the exorbitancies that are commited in the eſtabliſhing
the diſtance of the Star do encreaſe ſucceſſively, according to the
proportion of the errors that are made by the Inſtrument, in
ing the obſervations, and that by converſion, from the greatneſs
of the exorbitancies, may be argued the greatneſſe of the error;
and that thereforefore hearing it to be infered from ſuch an
vation, that the diſtance of the ſtar is infinite, it is neceſſary, that
the errour in obſerving was infinite, and therefore not to be
lyeth in this, yours in one reſpect, and the Authors in another; I
diſcover by your ſpeech that you have formed a conceit to your
ſelf, that the exorbitancies that are commited in the eſtabliſhing
the diſtance of the Star do encreaſe ſucceſſively, according to the
proportion of the errors that are made by the Inſtrument, in
ing the obſervations, and that by converſion, from the greatneſs
of the exorbitancies, may be argued the greatneſſe of the error;
and that thereforefore hearing it to be infered from ſuch an
vation, that the diſtance of the ſtar is infinite, it is neceſſary, that
the errour in obſerving was infinite, and therefore not to be