1
tick, but is inclined upon the ſame, as its crooked courſe, but
ven now obſerved, makes me believe, we ſhall be able to make
ſuch conjectures of the ſtates of the Sun and Earth, as neither ſo
ſolid or ſo rational have been hitherto deduced from any other
cident whatſoever. I being awakened at ſo great a promiſe,
portun'd him to make a free diſcovery of his conceit unto me.
And he continued his diſcourſe to this purpoſe. If the Earths
motion were along the Ecliptique about the Sun; and the Sun
were conſtituted in the centre of the ſaid Ecliptick, and therein
revolved in its ſelf, not about the Axis of the ſaid Ecliptique
(which would be the Axis of the Earths annual motion) but
on one inclined, it muſt needs follow, that ſtrange changes will
repreſent themſelves to us in the apparent motions of the Solar
ſpots, although the ſaid Axis of the Sun ſhould be ſuppoſed to
perſiſt perpetually and immutably in the ſame inclination, and in
one and the ſame direction towards the ſelf-ſame point of the
Univerſe. Therefore the Terreſtrial Globe in the annual motion
moving round it, it will firſt follow, that to us, carried about by
the ſame, the courſes of the ſpots ſhall ſometimes ſeem to be
made in right lines, but this only twice a year, and at all other
times ſhall appear to be made by arches inſenſibly incurvated.
Secondly, the curvity of thoſe arches for one half of the year,
will ſhew inclined the contrary way to what they will appear in
the other half; that is, for ſix moneths the convexity of the
ches ſhall be towards the upper part of the Solar Diſcus, and for
the other ſix moneths towards the inferiour. Thirdly, the ſpots
ginning to appear, and (if I may ſo ſpeak) to riſe to our eye from
the left ſide of the Solar Diſcus, and going to hide themſelves
and to ſet in the right ſide, the Oriental termes, that is, of their
firſt appearings for ſix moneths, ſhall be lower than the oppoſite
termes of their occultations; and for other ſix moneths it ſhall
happen contrarily, to wit, that the ſaid ſpots riſing from more
levated points, and from them deſcending, they ſhall, in their
courſes, go and hide themſelves in lower points; and onely for
two dayes in all the year ſhall thoſe termes of riſings and
tings be equilibrated: after which freely beginning by ſmall
grees the inclination of the courſes of the ſpots, and day by day
growing bigger, in three moneths, it ſhall arrive at its greateſt
obliquity, and from thence beginning to diminiſh, in ſuch another
time it ſhall reduce it ſelf to the other Æquilibrium. It ſhall
pen, for a fourth wonder, that the courſe of the greateſt
quity ſhall be the ſame with the courſe made by the right line,
and in the day of the Libration the arch of the courſe ſhall ſeem
more than ever incurvated. Again, in the other times,
ing as the pendency ſhall ſucceſſively diminiſh, and make its
tick, but is inclined upon the ſame, as its crooked courſe, but
ven now obſerved, makes me believe, we ſhall be able to make
ſuch conjectures of the ſtates of the Sun and Earth, as neither ſo
ſolid or ſo rational have been hitherto deduced from any other
cident whatſoever. I being awakened at ſo great a promiſe,
portun'd him to make a free diſcovery of his conceit unto me.
And he continued his diſcourſe to this purpoſe. If the Earths
motion were along the Ecliptique about the Sun; and the Sun
were conſtituted in the centre of the ſaid Ecliptick, and therein
revolved in its ſelf, not about the Axis of the ſaid Ecliptique
(which would be the Axis of the Earths annual motion) but
on one inclined, it muſt needs follow, that ſtrange changes will
repreſent themſelves to us in the apparent motions of the Solar
ſpots, although the ſaid Axis of the Sun ſhould be ſuppoſed to
perſiſt perpetually and immutably in the ſame inclination, and in
one and the ſame direction towards the ſelf-ſame point of the
Univerſe. Therefore the Terreſtrial Globe in the annual motion
moving round it, it will firſt follow, that to us, carried about by
the ſame, the courſes of the ſpots ſhall ſometimes ſeem to be
made in right lines, but this only twice a year, and at all other
times ſhall appear to be made by arches inſenſibly incurvated.
Secondly, the curvity of thoſe arches for one half of the year,
will ſhew inclined the contrary way to what they will appear in
the other half; that is, for ſix moneths the convexity of the
ches ſhall be towards the upper part of the Solar Diſcus, and for
the other ſix moneths towards the inferiour. Thirdly, the ſpots
ginning to appear, and (if I may ſo ſpeak) to riſe to our eye from
the left ſide of the Solar Diſcus, and going to hide themſelves
and to ſet in the right ſide, the Oriental termes, that is, of their
firſt appearings for ſix moneths, ſhall be lower than the oppoſite
termes of their occultations; and for other ſix moneths it ſhall
happen contrarily, to wit, that the ſaid ſpots riſing from more
levated points, and from them deſcending, they ſhall, in their
courſes, go and hide themſelves in lower points; and onely for
two dayes in all the year ſhall thoſe termes of riſings and
tings be equilibrated: after which freely beginning by ſmall
grees the inclination of the courſes of the ſpots, and day by day
growing bigger, in three moneths, it ſhall arrive at its greateſt
obliquity, and from thence beginning to diminiſh, in ſuch another
time it ſhall reduce it ſelf to the other Æquilibrium. It ſhall
pen, for a fourth wonder, that the courſe of the greateſt
quity ſhall be the ſame with the courſe made by the right line,
and in the day of the Libration the arch of the courſe ſhall ſeem
more than ever incurvated. Again, in the other times,
ing as the pendency ſhall ſucceſſively diminiſh, and make its