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

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

115103That the Moon may be a World. the ſame Darkneſs from the Eclipſes, being
alſo ſeverally helped by one another in their
greateſt wants: For when the Moon is in
Conjunction with the Sun, and her upper part
receives all the Light, then her lower Hemi-
ſphere (which would otherwiſe be altogether
dark) is enlightned by the Reſlexion of the
Sun-Beams from the Earth. When theſe two
Planets are in Oppoſition, then that part of the
Earth which could not receive any Light from
the Sun-Beams, is moſt Enlightned by the
Moon, being then in the Full; and as ſhe doth
moſt Illuminate the Earth when the Sun-Beams
cannot, ſo the grateful Earth returns to her as
great (nay greater) Light when ſhe moſt wants
it; ſo that always that viſible part of the Moon
which receives nothing from the Sun, is en-
lightned by the Earth, as is prov’d by Galiæ-
us, with many more Arguments in that Trea-
tiſe which he calls Syſtema mundi. True in-
deed, when the Moon comes to a quartile,
then you can neither diſcern this Light, nor
yet the darker part of her Body, and that for
a double Reaſon.

1. Becauſe the nearer it comes to the Full,
the leſs Light does it receive from the Earth,
whoſe Illumination does always decreaſe in
the ſame Proportion as the Moon does In-
creaſe.

2. Becauſe of the Exuperancy of the Light
11Scal. exerc.
62. in the other parts. Quippe illuſtratum medium
ſpeciem recipit valentiorem, the clearer bright-
neſs involves the Sight, as it is with thoſe of
Sound; and as the greater Noiſe drowns the
leſs, ſo the brighter Objecthides that which

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