SIMP. I muſt confeſſe that all that which Salviatus hath
ken is new unto me, for truth is, I never have had the curioſity to
read thoſe Books, nor have I hitherto given any great credit to
the Teleſcope newly introduced; rather treading in the ſteps of
ther Peripatetick Philoſophers my companions, I have thought
thoſe things to be fallacies and deluſions of the Chryſtals, which
others have ſo much admired for ſtupendious operations: and
therefore if I have hitherto been in an errour, I ſhall be glad to be
freed from it, and allured by theſe novelties already heard from
you, I ſhall the more attentively hearken to the reſt.
ken is new unto me, for truth is, I never have had the curioſity to
read thoſe Books, nor have I hitherto given any great credit to
the Teleſcope newly introduced; rather treading in the ſteps of
ther Peripatetick Philoſophers my companions, I have thought
thoſe things to be fallacies and deluſions of the Chryſtals, which
others have ſo much admired for ſtupendious operations: and
therefore if I have hitherto been in an errour, I ſhall be glad to be
freed from it, and allured by theſe novelties already heard from
you, I ſhall the more attentively hearken to the reſt.
The operations of
the Teleſcope
counted fallacies by
the Peripateticks.
the Teleſcope
counted fallacies by
the Peripateticks.
SALV. The confidence that theſe men have in their own
prehenſiveneſſe, is no leſs unreaſonable than the ſmall eſteem they
have of the judgment of others: yet its much that they ſhould
ſteem themſelves able to judge better of ſuch an inſtrument,
out ever having made trial of it, than thoſe who have made, and
daily do make a thouſand experiments of the ſame: But I pray
you, let us leave this kind of pertinacious men, whom we
not ſo much as tax without doing them too great honour. And
turning to our purpoſe, I ſay, that reſplendent objects, whether
it is that their light doth refract on the humidity that is upon the
pupils, or that it doth reflect on the edges of the eye-browes,
fuſing its reflex rayes upon the ſaid pupils, or whether it is for ſome
other reaſon, they do appear to our eye, as if they were environ'd
with new rayes, and therefore much bigger than their bodies
would repreſent themſelves to us, were they diveſted of thoſe
radiations. And this aggrandizement is made with a greater and
greater proportion, by how much thoſe lucid objects are leſſer and
leſſer; in the ſame manner for all the world, as if we ſhould
poſe that the augmentation of ſhining locks were v.g. four inches,
which addition being made about a circle that hath four inches
ameter would increaſe its appearance to nine times its former
neſſe: but---------
prehenſiveneſſe, is no leſs unreaſonable than the ſmall eſteem they
have of the judgment of others: yet its much that they ſhould
ſteem themſelves able to judge better of ſuch an inſtrument,
out ever having made trial of it, than thoſe who have made, and
daily do make a thouſand experiments of the ſame: But I pray
you, let us leave this kind of pertinacious men, whom we
not ſo much as tax without doing them too great honour. And
turning to our purpoſe, I ſay, that reſplendent objects, whether
it is that their light doth refract on the humidity that is upon the
pupils, or that it doth reflect on the edges of the eye-browes,
fuſing its reflex rayes upon the ſaid pupils, or whether it is for ſome
other reaſon, they do appear to our eye, as if they were environ'd
with new rayes, and therefore much bigger than their bodies
would repreſent themſelves to us, were they diveſted of thoſe
radiations. And this aggrandizement is made with a greater and
greater proportion, by how much thoſe lucid objects are leſſer and
leſſer; in the ſame manner for all the world, as if we ſhould
poſe that the augmentation of ſhining locks were v.g. four inches,
which addition being made about a circle that hath four inches
ameter would increaſe its appearance to nine times its former
neſſe: but---------
Shining objects
ſeem environed
with adventitious
rayes.
ſeem environed
with adventitious
rayes.
The reaſon why
luminous bodies
pear enlarged
much the more, by
how much they are
leſſer.
luminous bodies
pear enlarged
much the more, by
how much they are
leſſer.
SIMP. I believe you would have ſaid three times; for adding
four inches to this ſide, and four inches to that ſide of the
ter of a circle, which is like wiſe four inches, its quantity is
by tripled, and not made nine times bigger.
four inches to this ſide, and four inches to that ſide of the
ter of a circle, which is like wiſe four inches, its quantity is
by tripled, and not made nine times bigger.
SALV. A little more Geometry would do well, Simplicius.
True it is, that the diameter is tripled, but the ſuperficies, which is
that of which we ſpeak, increaſeth nine times: for you muſt know,
Simplicius, that the ſuperficies of circles are to one another, as
the ſquares of their diameters; and a circle that hath four inches
diameter is to another that hath twelve, as the ſquare of four to
the ſquare of twelve; that is, as 16. is to 144 and therefore it ſhall
be increaſed nine times, and not three; this, by way of
ment to Simplicius. And proceeding forwards, if we ſhould add
True it is, that the diameter is tripled, but the ſuperficies, which is
that of which we ſpeak, increaſeth nine times: for you muſt know,
Simplicius, that the ſuperficies of circles are to one another, as
the ſquares of their diameters; and a circle that hath four inches
diameter is to another that hath twelve, as the ſquare of four to
the ſquare of twelve; that is, as 16. is to 144 and therefore it ſhall
be increaſed nine times, and not three; this, by way of
ment to Simplicius. And proceeding forwards, if we ſhould add