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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              <pb o="144" file="0324" n="324" rhead="That the Earth may be a Planet."/>
            queſtion here is, not what can be done, but
              <lb/>
            what is moſt likely to be done, according to
              <lb/>
            the uſual courſe of Nature. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4894" xml:space="preserve">’Tis the part
              <lb/>
            of a Philoſopher, in the reſolution of natural
              <lb/>
            Events, not to fly unto the abſolute Power
              <lb/>
            of God, and tell us what he can do, but
              <lb/>
            what, according to the uſual way of Provi-
              <lb/>
            dence, is moſt likely to be done, to find out
              <lb/>
            ſuch cauſes of things, as may ſeem moſt eaſy
              <lb/>
            and probable to our reaſon.</s>
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          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4896" xml:space="preserve">If you ask, What repugnancy there is in
              <lb/>
            the Heavens, unto ſo great a ſwiftneſs? </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4897" xml:space="preserve">We
              <lb/>
            anſwer; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4898" xml:space="preserve">Their being ſuch vaſt, material
              <lb/>
            condenſed Subſtances, with which this in-
              <lb/>
            conceivable Motion cannot agree.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4899" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4900" xml:space="preserve">Since Motion and Magnitude are two ſuch
              <lb/>
            Geometrical things, as bear a mutual pro-
              <lb/>
            portion to one another; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4901" xml:space="preserve">therefore it may
              <lb/>
            ſeem convenient, that ſlowneſs ſhould be
              <lb/>
            more agreeable to a great Body, and ſwift-
              <lb/>
            neſs to a leſſer : </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4902" xml:space="preserve">and ſo it would be more
              <lb/>
            conſonant to the Principles of Nature, that
              <lb/>
            the Earth, which is of a leſſer quantity,
              <lb/>
            ſhould be appointed to ſuch a Motion, as is
              <lb/>
            ſomewhat proportionable to its bigneſs,
              <lb/>
            than that the Heavens, that are of ſuch a
              <lb/>
            vaſt magnitude, ſhould be whirled about
              <lb/>
            with ſuch an incredible ſwiftneſs, which
              <lb/>
            does ſo far exceed the proportion of their
              <lb/>
            bigneſs, as their bigneſs does exceed this
              <lb/>
            Earth, that is but as a Point or Centre to
              <lb/>
            them. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4903" xml:space="preserve">’Tis not likely that Nature, in theſe
              <lb/>
            conſtant and great Works, ſhould ſo much
              <lb/>
            deviate from that uſual Harmony and </s>
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