1of the Sun capable to penetrate the ſubſtance of the Moon, he
makes her in part diaphanous, as is v. g. the tranſparence of a cloud,
or cryſtal: but I know not what he would think of ſuch a
ſparency, in caſe the ſolar rayes were to paſſe a depth of clouds
of above two thouſand miles; but let it be ſuppoſed that he
ſhould boldly anſwer, that might well be in the Cœleſtial, which
are quite other things from theſe our Elementary, impure, and
feculent bodies; and let us convict his error by ſuch wayes, as
admit him no reply, or (to ſay better) ſubter-fuge. If he will
maintain, that the ſubſtance of the Moon is diaphanous, he
muſt ſay that it is ſo, whileſt that the rayes of the Sun are to
netrate its whole profundity, that is, more than two thouſand
miles; but that if you oppoſe unto them onely one mile, or
leſſe, they ſhould no more penetrate that, than they penetrate
one of our mountains.
makes her in part diaphanous, as is v. g. the tranſparence of a cloud,
or cryſtal: but I know not what he would think of ſuch a
ſparency, in caſe the ſolar rayes were to paſſe a depth of clouds
of above two thouſand miles; but let it be ſuppoſed that he
ſhould boldly anſwer, that might well be in the Cœleſtial, which
are quite other things from theſe our Elementary, impure, and
feculent bodies; and let us convict his error by ſuch wayes, as
admit him no reply, or (to ſay better) ſubter-fuge. If he will
maintain, that the ſubſtance of the Moon is diaphanous, he
muſt ſay that it is ſo, whileſt that the rayes of the Sun are to
netrate its whole profundity, that is, more than two thouſand
miles; but that if you oppoſe unto them onely one mile, or
leſſe, they ſhould no more penetrate that, than they penetrate
one of our mountains.
The Moons
cus in a ſolar
clipſe can be ſeen
onely by privation.
cus in a ſolar
clipſe can be ſeen
onely by privation.
The Author of the
Book of
ons, accommodates
the things to his
purpoſes, and not
his purpoſes to the
things.
Book of
ons, accommodates
the things to his
purpoſes, and not
his purpoſes to the
things.
SAGR. You put me in mind of a man, who would have ſold
me a ſecret how to correſpond, by means of a certain ſympathy of
magnetick needles, with one, that ſhould be two or three
ſand miles diſtant; and I telling him, that I would willingly buy
the ſame, but that I deſired firſt to ſee the experiment thereof,
and that it did ſuffice me to make it, I being in one Chamber, and
he in the next, he anſwered me, that in ſo ſmall a diſtance one
could not ſo well perceive the operation; whereupon I turn'd him
going, telling him, that I had no mind, at that time, to take a
journey unto Grand Cairo, or to Muſcovy, to make the
ment; but that, if he would go himſelf, I would perform the
other part, ſtaying in Venice. But let us hear whither the
ction of our Author tendeth, and what neceſſity there is, that he
muſt grant the matter of the Moon to be moſt perforable by the
rayes of the Sun, in a depth of two thouſand miles, but more
opacous than one of our mountains, in a thickneſſe of one mile
onely.
me a ſecret how to correſpond, by means of a certain ſympathy of
magnetick needles, with one, that ſhould be two or three
ſand miles diſtant; and I telling him, that I would willingly buy
the ſame, but that I deſired firſt to ſee the experiment thereof,
and that it did ſuffice me to make it, I being in one Chamber, and
he in the next, he anſwered me, that in ſo ſmall a diſtance one
could not ſo well perceive the operation; whereupon I turn'd him
going, telling him, that I had no mind, at that time, to take a
journey unto Grand Cairo, or to Muſcovy, to make the
ment; but that, if he would go himſelf, I would perform the
other part, ſtaying in Venice. But let us hear whither the
ction of our Author tendeth, and what neceſſity there is, that he
muſt grant the matter of the Moon to be moſt perforable by the
rayes of the Sun, in a depth of two thouſand miles, but more
opacous than one of our mountains, in a thickneſſe of one mile
onely.
A jeſt put upon one
that would ſell a
certain ſecret for
holding
dency with a perſon
a thouſand miles
off
that would ſell a
certain ſecret for
holding
dency with a perſon
a thouſand miles
off
SALV. The very mountains of the Moon themſelves are a
proof thereof, which percuſſed on one ſide of the Sun, do caſt
on the contrary ſide very dark ſhadows, terminate, and more
ſtinct by much, than the ſhadows of ours; but had theſe
tains been diaphanous, we could never have come to the
ledg of any unevenneſſe in the ſuperficies of the Moon, nor have
ſeen thoſe luminous montuoſities diſtinguiſhed by the terms which
ſeparate the lucid parts from the dark: much leſſe, ſhould we ſee
this ſame term ſo diſtinct, if it were true, that the Suns light did
penetrate the whole thickneſſe of the Moon; yea rather,
ing to the Authors own words, we ſhould of neceſſity diſcern the
paſſage, and confine, between the part of the Sun ſeen, and the
part not ſeen, to be very confuſed, and mixt with light and
proof thereof, which percuſſed on one ſide of the Sun, do caſt
on the contrary ſide very dark ſhadows, terminate, and more
ſtinct by much, than the ſhadows of ours; but had theſe
tains been diaphanous, we could never have come to the
ledg of any unevenneſſe in the ſuperficies of the Moon, nor have
ſeen thoſe luminous montuoſities diſtinguiſhed by the terms which
ſeparate the lucid parts from the dark: much leſſe, ſhould we ſee
this ſame term ſo diſtinct, if it were true, that the Suns light did
penetrate the whole thickneſſe of the Moon; yea rather,
ing to the Authors own words, we ſhould of neceſſity diſcern the
paſſage, and confine, between the part of the Sun ſeen, and the
part not ſeen, to be very confuſed, and mixt with light and