356176That the Earth may be a Planet.
1.
As it is in it ſelf.
The excellency of
any Science may be judged of (ſaith the Phi-
loſopher) firſt, by the excellency of the
Object. Secondly, By the certainty of its
Demonſtrations.
any Science may be judged of (ſaith the Phi-
loſopher) firſt, by the excellency of the
Object. Secondly, By the certainty of its
Demonſtrations.
(1.)
For the Object.
It is no leſs than the
whole World (ſince our Earth alſo is one
of the Planets) more eſpecially thoſe vaſt
and glorious Bodies of the Heavens. So
that in this reſpect, it far exceeds all thoſe
barren, empty Speculations, about Materia
Prima, or Univerſale, and ſuch-like Cob-
webs of Learning; in the ſtudy of which,
ſo many do miſplace their younger Years.
And for the ſame reaſon likewiſe is it to be
preferr’d before all thoſe other Sciences,
whoſe Subjects are not either oſ ſo wide an
extent, or ſo excellent a Nature.
whole World (ſince our Earth alſo is one
of the Planets) more eſpecially thoſe vaſt
and glorious Bodies of the Heavens. So
that in this reſpect, it far exceeds all thoſe
barren, empty Speculations, about Materia
Prima, or Univerſale, and ſuch-like Cob-
webs of Learning; in the ſtudy of which,
ſo many do miſplace their younger Years.
And for the ſame reaſon likewiſe is it to be
preferr’d before all thoſe other Sciences,
whoſe Subjects are not either oſ ſo wide an
extent, or ſo excellent a Nature.
(2.)
From the Demonſtrations of Aſtrono-
my, they are as infallible as Truth it ſelf,
and for this reaſon alſo does it excel all
other Knowledg, which does more depend
upon conjectures and Uncertainty. They
are only thoſe who want skill in the Princi-
ples of this Science, that miſtruſt the Con-
cluſions of it. Since therefore in theſe re-
ſpects, it is one of the moſt excellent Scien-
ces in Nature, it may beſt deſerve the indu-
ſtry of Man, who is one of the beſt Works
of Nature. Other Creatures were made
with their Heads and Eyes turned down-
wards: Would you know why Man was not
created ſo too? Why it was, that he might
be an Aſtronomer.
my, they are as infallible as Truth it ſelf,
and for this reaſon alſo does it excel all
other Knowledg, which does more depend
upon conjectures and Uncertainty. They
are only thoſe who want skill in the Princi-
ples of this Science, that miſtruſt the Con-
cluſions of it. Since therefore in theſe re-
ſpects, it is one of the moſt excellent Scien-
ces in Nature, it may beſt deſerve the indu-
ſtry of Man, who is one of the beſt Works
of Nature. Other Creatures were made
with their Heads and Eyes turned down-
wards: Would you know why Man was not
created ſo too? Why it was, that he might
be an Aſtronomer.