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

Page concordance

< >
Scan Original
341 161
342 162
343 163
344 164
345 165
346 166
347 167
348 168
349 169
350 170
351 171
352 172
353 173
354 174
355 175
356 176
357 177
358 178
359 179
360 180
361 181
362 182
363 183
364 184
365
366
367
368
369
< >
page |< < (144) of 370 > >|
    <echo version="1.0RC">
      <text xml:lang="en" type="free">
        <div xml:id="echoid-div315" type="section" level="1" n="64">
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4893" xml:space="preserve">
              <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>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s4895" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </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>
          </p>
        </div>
      </text>
    </echo>
Impressum