Galilei, Galileo, Discourse concerning the natation of bodies, 1663

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      <text>
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            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <pb pagenum="466"/>
              which would be indecent in a Child, much more in
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Ariſtotle
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              ; For
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              where is the occaſion of doubting? </s>
              <s>And who ſees not, that if
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Ariſtotle
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              had held, that Figure was in ſome ſort a Cauſe of Natation, he
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              would without the leaſt Heſitation have writ; That Figure is in a
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              certain ſort the Cauſe of Natation, and therefore the Plate of Lead
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              in reſpect of its large and expatiated Figure ſwims; but if we take
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              the propoſition of
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Ariſtotle
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              as I ſay, and as it is writte n, and as
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              deed it is true, the enſuing words come in very oppoſitely, as well in
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              the introduction of ſwift and ſlow, as in the queſtion, which very
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              pertinently offers it ſelf, and would ſay thus much.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>Figures are not the Cauſe of moving or not moving ſimply
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              wards or downwards, but of moving more quickly or ſlowly: But if
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              it be ſo, the Cauſe is doubtfull, whence it proceeds, that a Plate of
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              Lead or of Iron broad and thin doth ſwim, &c. </s>
              <s>And the occaſion of
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              the doubt is obvious, becauſe it ſeems at the firſt glance, that the
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              Figure is the Cauſe of this Natation, ſince the ſame Lead, or a leſs
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              quantity, but in another Figure, goes to the bottom, and we have
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              already affirmed, that the Figure hath no ſhare in this effect.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>Laſtly, if the intent of
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Ariſtotle
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              in this place had been to ſay,
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              that Figures, although not abſolutely, are at leaſt in ſome meaſure
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              the Cauſe of moving or not moving: I would have it conſidered,
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              that he names no leſs the Motion upwards, than the other
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              wards: and becauſe in exemplifying it afterwards, he produceth
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              no other Experiments than of a Plate of Lead, and Board of Ebony,
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              Matters that of their own Nature go to the bottom, but by vertue
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              (as our Adverſaries ſay) of their Figure, reſt afloat; it is ſit that
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              they ſhould produce ſome other Experiment of thoſe Matters, which
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              by their Nature ſwims, but retained by their Figure reſt at the
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              bottom. </s>
              <s>But ſince this is impoſſible to be done, we conclude, that
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              Ariſtotle
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              in this place, hath not attributed any action to the Figure
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              of ſimply moving or not moving.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>But though he hath exquiſitely Philoſophiz'd, in inveſtigating
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              the ſolution of the doubts he propoſeth, yet will I not undertake
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              to maintain, rather various difficulties, that preſent themſelves
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              unto me, give me occaſion of ſuſpecting that he hath not entirely
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              diſplaid unto us, the true Cauſe of the preſent Concluſion: which
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              difficulties I will propound one by one, ready to change opinion,
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              when ever I am ſhewed, that the Truth is different from what I ſay;
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              to the confeſſion whereof I am much more inclinable than to
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                <arrow.to.target n="marg1532"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="margin">
              <s>
                <margin.target id="marg1532"/>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Ariſtotle
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              erred
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              in affirming a
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              Needle dimitted
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              long wayes to
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              ſink.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Ariſtotle
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              having propounded the Queſtion, whence it proceeds,
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              that broad Plates of Iron or Lead, float or ſwim; he addeth (as
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              it were ſtrengthening the occaſion of doubting) foraſmuch as other
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              things, leſs, and leſs grave, be they round or long, as for inſtance a </s>
            </p>
          </chap>
        </body>
      </text>
    </archimedes>
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