Wilkins, John, A discovery of a new world : or a discourse tending to prove, that 'tis probable there may be another Habitable World in the Moon ; with a discourse concerning the Probability of a Passage thither; unto which is added, a discourse concerning a New Planet, tending to prove, that 'tis probable our earth is one of the Planets

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295115That the Earth may be a Planet. a Loadſtone, in reſpect of its matter and
condenſity, naturally tends downward;
yet
this does not hinder, but that in reſpect of
ſome other qualities, as its deſire of union
and coition to another Loadſtone, it may
alſo naturally move upwards.
From
whence it will follow, that the ſame Ele-
mentary Body, may have divers natural
Motions.
5. The gravity and magnitude of this
Earthy Globe, do make it altogether unfit
for ſo ſwift a Motion.
I anſwer: Firſt, Heavineſs can only be
applied unto thoſe Bodies which are out of
their proper places, or unto ſuch parts as
are ſevered from the whole to which they
belong.
And therefore the Globe of Earth,
conſidered as whole, and in its right place,
cannot truly be called heavy.
I deny not,
but that there is in it, and ſo likewiſe in
the other Planets, an ineptitude to motion,
by reaſon of the matter and condenſity of
their Bodies:
And ſo likewiſe there is, as
truly, (though not according to the ſame
degrees) in the leaſt particle of a material
condenſed Subſtance:
ſo that this cannot
reaſonably be pretended as a juſt Impedi-
ment, why the Earth ſhould be incapable of
ſuch a Motion.
Secondly, And though this
Globe be of ſo vaſt a magnitude, yet, as
Nature beſtows upon other Creatures (for
inſtance, an Eagle and a Fly) Spirits, and
motive Powers, proportionable to their ſe-
veral Bodies:
ſo likewiſe may ſhe

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