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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6452That the Moon may be a World.

I have now done with theſe Propoſitions
which are ſet down to clear the paſſage, and
conſirm the Suppoſitions implyed in the Opi-
nion; I ſhall in the next place proceed to a
more direct Treating of the chief matter in
Hand.

PROP. VI.

That there is a World in the Moon, bath been
the direct Opinion of many Ancient, with ſome
Modern Mathematicians, and may probably
de deduc’d from the Tenents of others.

SInce this Opinion may be ſuſpected of Sin-
gularity, I ſhall firſt confirm it by ſuffici-
ent Authority oſ divers Authors, both Anci-
ent and Modern, that to I may the better clear
it from the prejudice either of an Upſtart Fan-
cy, or an obſelute Error. This is by ſome at-
tributed to Orpheus, one of the moſt Ancient
Greek Poets. Who ſpeaking of the Moon,
ſays thus, τί πσλλ αςεα, πολλα μίλα ορα
11Plut. de
place. phil.
l. 2. c. 13. That it hath many Mountains, and Cities, and
Houſes in it. To him aſſented Anaxagoras,
Democritus, and Heraclides, all who, thought
22Ibid. c. 23. it to have ſirm ſolid Ground, like to our Earth,
33Diog.
Laert. l- 2.
& l. 9. containing in it many large Fields, Champion
Grounds, and divers Inhabitants.

Of this Opinion likewiſe was Xenophanes,
as he is cited for it by Lactantius; though that
Father, perhaps, did miſtake his meaning
44Divin. Inſt.
lib. 3. c. 23. whilſt he relates it thus, Dixit Xenophanes, in-
tra concavum Lunæ eſſe aliam terram, & ibi ali-
ud genus hominum ſimili modo vivere ſicut

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