SIMPL. I am very apprehenſive of your diſcourſe; yet
thinks I am able to reſolve the ſame with very little trouble; and
eaſily to maintain, that the Moon is rotund and polite, and that it
reflects the Suns light unto us in manner of a glaſs; nor
fore ought the image of the Sun to be ſeen in the middle of it,
aſmuch as the ſpecies of the Sun it ſelf admits not its ſmall figure
to be ſeen at ſo great a diſtance, but the light produced by the
Sun may help us to conceive that it illuminateth the whole
nar Body: a like effect we may ſee in a plate gilded and well
polliſh'd, which touch't by a luminous body, appeareth to him
that beholds it at ſome diſtance to be all ſhining; and onely near
at hand one may diſcover in the middle of it the ſmall image of
the luminous body.”
thinks I am able to reſolve the ſame with very little trouble; and
eaſily to maintain, that the Moon is rotund and polite, and that it
reflects the Suns light unto us in manner of a glaſs; nor
fore ought the image of the Sun to be ſeen in the middle of it,
aſmuch as the ſpecies of the Sun it ſelf admits not its ſmall figure
to be ſeen at ſo great a diſtance, but the light produced by the
Sun may help us to conceive that it illuminateth the whole
nar Body: a like effect we may ſee in a plate gilded and well
polliſh'd, which touch't by a luminous body, appeareth to him
that beholds it at ſome diſtance to be all ſhining; and onely near
at hand one may diſcover in the middle of it the ſmall image of
the luminous body.”
SALV. Ingenuouſly confeſſing my dullneſs of apprehenſion,
I muſt tell you, that I underſtand not any thing of this your
courſe, ſave onely what concerns the gilt plate: and if you permit
me to ſpeak freely, I have a great conceit that you alſo underſtand
not the ſame, but have learnt by heart thoſe words written by ſome
one out of a deſire of contradiction, and to ſhew himſelf more
ligent than his adverſary; but it muſt be to thoſe, which to appear
alſo more wiſe, applaud that which they do not underſtand, and
entertain a greater conceit of perſons, the leſs they are by them
underſtood: and the writer himſelf may be one of thoſe (of which
there are many) who write what they do not underſtand, and
conſequently underſtand not what they write. Therefore,
mitting the reſt, I reply, as to the gilt plate, that if it be flat and
not very big, it may appear at a diſtance very bright, whilſt a great
light beameth upon it, but yet it muſt be when the eye is in a
terminate line, namely in that of the reflex rays: and it will
pear the more ſhining, if it were v. g. of ſilver, by means of its
being burniſhed, and apt through the great denſity of the metal,
to receive a perfect poliſh. And though its ſuperficies, being very
well brightned, were not exactly plain, but ſhould have various
clinations, yet then alſo would its ſplendor be ſeen many ways;
namely, from as many places as the various reflections, made by
the ſeveral ſuperficies, do reach: for therefore are Diamonds
ground to many ſides, that ſo their pleaſing luſtre might be beheld
from many places. But if the Plate were very big, though it ſhould
be all plain, yet would it not at a diſtance appear all over ſhining:
and the better to expreſs my ſelf, Let us ſuppoſe a very large gilt
plate expoſed to the Sun, it will ſhew to an eye far diſtant, the
image of the Sun, to occupy no more but a certain part of the ſaid
plate; to wit, that from whence the reflection of the incident
I muſt tell you, that I underſtand not any thing of this your
courſe, ſave onely what concerns the gilt plate: and if you permit
me to ſpeak freely, I have a great conceit that you alſo underſtand
not the ſame, but have learnt by heart thoſe words written by ſome
one out of a deſire of contradiction, and to ſhew himſelf more
ligent than his adverſary; but it muſt be to thoſe, which to appear
alſo more wiſe, applaud that which they do not underſtand, and
entertain a greater conceit of perſons, the leſs they are by them
underſtood: and the writer himſelf may be one of thoſe (of which
there are many) who write what they do not underſtand, and
conſequently underſtand not what they write. Therefore,
mitting the reſt, I reply, as to the gilt plate, that if it be flat and
not very big, it may appear at a diſtance very bright, whilſt a great
light beameth upon it, but yet it muſt be when the eye is in a
terminate line, namely in that of the reflex rays: and it will
pear the more ſhining, if it were v. g. of ſilver, by means of its
being burniſhed, and apt through the great denſity of the metal,
to receive a perfect poliſh. And though its ſuperficies, being very
well brightned, were not exactly plain, but ſhould have various
clinations, yet then alſo would its ſplendor be ſeen many ways;
namely, from as many places as the various reflections, made by
the ſeveral ſuperficies, do reach: for therefore are Diamonds
ground to many ſides, that ſo their pleaſing luſtre might be beheld
from many places. But if the Plate were very big, though it ſhould
be all plain, yet would it not at a diſtance appear all over ſhining:
and the better to expreſs my ſelf, Let us ſuppoſe a very large gilt
plate expoſed to the Sun, it will ſhew to an eye far diſtant, the
image of the Sun, to occupy no more but a certain part of the ſaid
plate; to wit, that from whence the reflection of the incident