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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19212That the Earth may be a Planet. the World. Secondly, the Earth’s annual
motion about it, as being one of the Planets:
Thirdly, its diurnal revolution, whereby it
cauſed day and night.
To his ſecond reaſon I anſwer: Firſt, that
Pythagor as thought the Earth to be one of
the Planets (as appears by Ariſtotle’s Teſti-
mony concerning him) and to move amongſt
the reſt.
So that his Opinion concerning
the motion of the Heavens, is not inconſiſt-
ent with that of the Earth.
Secondly,
but as for the Coeleſtial Harmony, he might
perhaps under this myſtical expreſſion,
according to his uſual Cuſtom, ſhadow forth
unto us that mutual proportion and Har-
monical conſent, which he did conceive in
the ſeveral bigneſs, diſtance, motions of
the Orbs.
So that notwithſtanding theſe ob-
jections, it is evident that Pythagor as was of
this Opinion, and that his Authority may add
ſomewhat for the confirmation of it.
Unto
him aſlented Ariſtarchus Samius, who 11† Archi-
uredes de
arena nu-
mero.
ſhed about 280 years before the Birth of our
Saviour, and was by reaſon of this Opinion,
arraigned for Prophanefs and Sacriledge by
the Areopagites, becauſe he had blaſphemed
the Deity of Veſta, affitming the Earth to
move.
To them agreed Philolaus, Her aclides,
Pontius, Nicetas, Syracuſanus, Ecphantus, Lu-
cippus, and Plato himſelf (as ſome think.)
o
likewiſe Numa Pompilius, as Plut arch relates
it in his Life;
who in reference to this Opini-
on, built the Temple of Veſta round, like the
Univerſe:
In the middle of it was placed

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