1the angle towards the circumference ſomething acute. But wholly
to free this Authour from theſe unhappy lies, let him know, (in
gard it appears that he is not very skilful in the uſe of
call Inſtruments) that in the ſides of the Sextant or Quadrant
there are placed two ^{*} Sights, one in the centre, and the other at
the other at the oppoſite end, which are raiſed an inch or more
bove the plane of the Rule; and through the tops of thoſe ſights
the ray of the eye is made to paſſe, which eye likewiſe is held an
hands breadth or two, or it may be more, from the Inſtrument; ſo
that neither the pupil, nor any bone of the cheek, nor of the whole
body toucheth or ſtayeth it ſelf upon the Inſtrument, nor much
leſſe is the Inſtrument upheld or mounted in the armes, eſpecially
if it be one of thoſe great ones, as is uſual, which weighing tens,
hundreds, and alſo thouſands of pounds, are placed upon very
ſtrong feet or frames: ſo that the whole objection vaniſheth.
Theſe are the ſubterfuges of this Authour, which, though they were
all of ſteel, would not ſecure him the hundredth part of a minute;
and with theſe he conceits to make us believe, that he hath
penſated that difference, which importeth more than an hundred
minutes; I mean, that of the not obſerving a notable difference
in the diſtances between one of the fixed ſtars, and the new ſtar in
in any of their circulations; which, had it been neer to the Moon,
it ought to have been very conſpicuous to the meer ſight, without
any Inſtrument, eſpecially comparing it with the eleventh of
ſiopeia, its neighbour, within 1 gr. 30 m. which ought to have
ried from it more than two diameters of the moon, as the more
intelligent Aſtronomers of t' oſe times do well note.
to free this Authour from theſe unhappy lies, let him know, (in
gard it appears that he is not very skilful in the uſe of
call Inſtruments) that in the ſides of the Sextant or Quadrant
there are placed two ^{*} Sights, one in the centre, and the other at
the other at the oppoſite end, which are raiſed an inch or more
bove the plane of the Rule; and through the tops of thoſe ſights
the ray of the eye is made to paſſe, which eye likewiſe is held an
hands breadth or two, or it may be more, from the Inſtrument; ſo
that neither the pupil, nor any bone of the cheek, nor of the whole
body toucheth or ſtayeth it ſelf upon the Inſtrument, nor much
leſſe is the Inſtrument upheld or mounted in the armes, eſpecially
if it be one of thoſe great ones, as is uſual, which weighing tens,
hundreds, and alſo thouſands of pounds, are placed upon very
ſtrong feet or frames: ſo that the whole objection vaniſheth.
Theſe are the ſubterfuges of this Authour, which, though they were
all of ſteel, would not ſecure him the hundredth part of a minute;
and with theſe he conceits to make us believe, that he hath
penſated that difference, which importeth more than an hundred
minutes; I mean, that of the not obſerving a notable difference
in the diſtances between one of the fixed ſtars, and the new ſtar in
in any of their circulations; which, had it been neer to the Moon,
it ought to have been very conſpicuous to the meer ſight, without
any Inſtrument, eſpecially comparing it with the eleventh of
ſiopeia, its neighbour, within 1 gr. 30 m. which ought to have
ried from it more than two diameters of the moon, as the more
intelligent Aſtronomers of t' oſe times do well note.
* Traguardi.
SAGR. Methinks I ſee that unfortunate Husbandman, who
ter all his expected crops, have been beaten down and deſtroyed by
a ſtorm, goeth up and down with a languiſhing and down-caſt
look, gleaning up every ſmall ear that would not ſuffice to keep a
chicken alive one ſole day.
ter all his expected crops, have been beaten down and deſtroyed by
a ſtorm, goeth up and down with a languiſhing and down-caſt
look, gleaning up every ſmall ear that would not ſuffice to keep a
chicken alive one ſole day.
SALV. Truly, this Authour came out too ſlenderly provided
with armes againſt the aſſailants of the Heavens inalterability, and
with too brittle a chain attempted to pull down the new ſtar of
Caſſiopeia from the higheſt Regions, to theſe ſo low and
ry. And for that I think that we have ſufficiently demonſtrated
the vaſt difference that is between the arguments of thoſe
nomers, and of this their Antagoniſt, it will be convenient that we
leave this particular, and return to our principal matter; in which
there preſents it ſelf to our conſideration the annual motion
monly aſcribed to the Sun, but by Aristarchus Samius firſt of all,
and after by Copernicus taken from the Sun, and transferred upon
the Earth; againſt which Hypotheſis, methinks I ſee Simplicius to
come ſtrongly provided, and particularly with the ſword and
with armes againſt the aſſailants of the Heavens inalterability, and
with too brittle a chain attempted to pull down the new ſtar of
Caſſiopeia from the higheſt Regions, to theſe ſo low and
ry. And for that I think that we have ſufficiently demonſtrated
the vaſt difference that is between the arguments of thoſe
nomers, and of this their Antagoniſt, it will be convenient that we
leave this particular, and return to our principal matter; in which
there preſents it ſelf to our conſideration the annual motion
monly aſcribed to the Sun, but by Aristarchus Samius firſt of all,
and after by Copernicus taken from the Sun, and transferred upon
the Earth; againſt which Hypotheſis, methinks I ſee Simplicius to
come ſtrongly provided, and particularly with the ſword and