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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8169That the Moon may be a World. ſo much of the Beſpotted, as there is of the En-
lightned parts, wherefore ’tis Probable, that
there is no ſuch thing at all, or elſe, that the
Brighter parts are the Sea.

2. The Water, by Reaſon of the Smoothneſs
of its Superficies, ſeems better able to Reflect
the Sun-Beams than the Earth, which in moſt
Places is ſo full of Ruggedneſs of Graſs and
Trees, and ſuch like Impediments of Reflexion;
and beſides, common Experience ſhews, that the
Water Shines with a greater and more Glori-
ous Brightneſs than the Earth; therefore it
ſhould ſeem that the Spots are the Earth, and
the Brighter parts the Water. But to the Firſt
it may be Anſwered.

1. There is no great Probability in this
Conſequence, that becauſe ’tis ſo with us, there-
fore it muſt be ſo with the parts of the Moon,
for ſince there is ſuch a Difference betwixt
them in Divers other Reſpects, they may not
perhaps Agree in this.

2. That Aſſertion of Scaliger is not by all
11De Meteo.
ris. l. s. c. 1.
Art. 1. granted for a Truth. Fromundus, with others,
think, that the Superficies of the Sea and Land,
in ſo much of the World as is already Diſcover-
ed, is equal, and of the ſame Extenſion.

3. The Orb of Thick and Vaporous Air
which incompaſſes theMoon, makes the Bright-
er parts of that Planet appear bigger than in
themſelves they are; as I ſhall ſhew after-
wards.

To the Second it may be Anſwered, that
though the Water be of a ſmooth Superficies,
and ſo may ſeem moſt fit to Reverberate the
Light, yet becauſe ’tis of a Perſpicuous

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