1to be perpetually moved with an Equable Circular Motion, made
them, they departing from Reſt, to move along determinate Spaces
with that Natural Motion in a Right Line, according to which we
ſenſibly ſee our Moveables to move from the ſtate of Reſt ſucceſ
ſively Accelerating. And he addeth, that having made them to
acquire that degree in which it pleaſed him that they ſhould after
wards be perpetually conſerved, he converted their Right or direct
Motion into Circular; which only is apt to conſerve it ſelf Equa
ble, alwaies revolving without receding from, or approaching to
any prefixed term by them deſired. The Conceit is truly worthy
of Plato; and is the more to be eſteemed in that the grounds there
of paſſed over in ſilence by him, and diſcovered by our Author by
taking off the Mask or Poetick Repreſentation, do ſhew it to be
in its native aſpect a true Hiſtory. And I think it very credible that
we having by the Doctrine of Aſtronomy ſufficiently competent
Knowledge of the Magnitudes of the Orbes of the Planets, and of
their Diſtances from the Center about which they move, as alſo
of their Velocities, our Author (to whom Plato's Conjecture was
not unknown) may ſometime for his curioſity have had ſome
thought of attempting to inveſtigate whether one might aſſign a
determinate Sublimity from which the Bodies of the Planets depar
ting, as from a ſtate of Reſt, and moved for certain Spaces with a
Right and Naturally Accelerate Motion, afterwards converting
the Acquired Velocity into Equable Motions, they might be found
to correſpond with the greatneſs of their Orbes, and with the Times
of their Revolutions.
them, they departing from Reſt, to move along determinate Spaces
with that Natural Motion in a Right Line, according to which we
ſenſibly ſee our Moveables to move from the ſtate of Reſt ſucceſ
ſively Accelerating. And he addeth, that having made them to
acquire that degree in which it pleaſed him that they ſhould after
wards be perpetually conſerved, he converted their Right or direct
Motion into Circular; which only is apt to conſerve it ſelf Equa
ble, alwaies revolving without receding from, or approaching to
any prefixed term by them deſired. The Conceit is truly worthy
of Plato; and is the more to be eſteemed in that the grounds there
of paſſed over in ſilence by him, and diſcovered by our Author by
taking off the Mask or Poetick Repreſentation, do ſhew it to be
in its native aſpect a true Hiſtory. And I think it very credible that
we having by the Doctrine of Aſtronomy ſufficiently competent
Knowledge of the Magnitudes of the Orbes of the Planets, and of
their Diſtances from the Center about which they move, as alſo
of their Velocities, our Author (to whom Plato's Conjecture was
not unknown) may ſometime for his curioſity have had ſome
thought of attempting to inveſtigate whether one might aſſign a
determinate Sublimity from which the Bodies of the Planets depar
ting, as from a ſtate of Reſt, and moved for certain Spaces with a
Right and Naturally Accelerate Motion, afterwards converting
the Acquired Velocity into Equable Motions, they might be found
to correſpond with the greatneſs of their Orbes, and with the Times
of their Revolutions.
SALV. I think I do remember that he hath heretofore told me,
that he had once made the Computation, and alſo that he found
it exactly to anſwer the Obſervations; but that he had no mind to
ſpeak of them, doubting leſt the two many Novelties by him diſ
covered, which had provoked the diſpleaſure of many againſt him,
might blow up new ſparks. But if any one ſhall have the like de
ſire he may of himſelf by the Doctrine of the preſent Tract give
himſelf content. But let us purſue our buſineſs, which is to
ſhew;
that he had once made the Computation, and alſo that he found
it exactly to anſwer the Obſervations; but that he had no mind to
ſpeak of them, doubting leſt the two many Novelties by him diſ
covered, which had provoked the diſpleaſure of many againſt him,
might blow up new ſparks. But if any one ſhall have the like de
ſire he may of himſelf by the Doctrine of the preſent Tract give
himſelf content. But let us purſue our buſineſs, which is to
ſhew;