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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            <s xml:id="echoid-s226" xml:space="preserve">1. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s227" xml:space="preserve">That a new Truth may ſeem abſurd and
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            impoſſible, not only to the Vulgar, but to
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            thoſe alſo who are otherwiſe Wiſe Men and
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            excellent Schollars; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s228" xml:space="preserve">and hence it will follow,
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            that every new thing which ſeems to oppoſe
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            common Principles, is not preſently to be re-
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            jected, but rather to be pry'd into by a dili-
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            gent enquiry, ſince there are many things which
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            are yet hid from us, and reſerv’d for future
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            Diſcovery.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s229" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s230" xml:space="preserve">2. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s231" xml:space="preserve">That it is not the commonneſs of an Opi-
              <lb/>
            nion that can priviledge it for a Truth; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s232" xml:space="preserve">the
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            wrong way is ſometime a well beaten Path,
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            whereas the right way (eſpecially to hidden
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            Truths) may be leſs trodden, and more ob-
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            ſcure.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s233" xml:space="preserve"/>
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          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s234" xml:space="preserve">True indeed, the ſtrangeneſs of this Opi-
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            nion will detract much from its Credit; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s235" xml:space="preserve">but
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            yet we ſhould know that nothing is in it ſelf
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            ſtrange, ſince every Natural Effect has an equal
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            dependance upon its Cauſe, and with the like
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            neceſſity doth follow from it; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s236" xml:space="preserve">ſo that ’tis our
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            Ignorance which makes things appear ſo; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s237" xml:space="preserve">and
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            hence it comes to paſs, that many more Evi-
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            dent Truths ſeem incredible to ſuch who know
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            not the cauſes of things: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s238" xml:space="preserve">you may as ſoon
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            perſwade ſome Country Peaſants, that the
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            Moon is made of Green-Cheeſe (as we ſay)
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            as that ’tis bigger than his Cart-Wheel, ſince
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            both ſeem equally to contradict his ſight, and
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            he has not reaſon enough to lead him far-
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            ther than his Senſes. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s239" xml:space="preserve">Nay, ſuppoſe (ſaith Plu-
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            tarch) a Philoſopher ſhould be Educated in
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            ſuch a ſecret place, where he might not ſee
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            either Sea or River, and afterwards ſhould </s>
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