Now to ſee my whole proceeding, we may begin from theſe
calculations, which are four, omitted by the Author, perhaps
cauſe they make againſt him, in regard they place the ſtar above
the moon by many ſemidiameters of the Earth. The firſt of
which is this, computed upon the obſervations of the Landgrave of
Haſſia, and Tycho; which are, even by the Authors conceſſion,
two of the moſt exact obſervers: and in this firſt, I will declare
the order that I hold in the working; which ſhall ſerve for all the
reſt, in that they are all made by the ſame rule, not varying in any
thing, ſave in the quantity of the given ſummes, that is, in the
number of the degrees of the Poles altitude, and of the new Stars
elevation above the Horizon, the diſtance of which from the
tre of the Earth, in proportion to the ſemidiameter of the terre
ſtrial Globe is ſought, touching which it nothing imports in this
caſe, to know how many miles that ſemidiameter conteineth;
whereupon the reſolving that, and the diſtance of places where
the obſervations were made, as this Author doth, is but time and
labour loſt; nor do I know why he hath made the ſame, and
cially why at the laſt he goeth about to reduce the miles found,
to ſemidiameters of the Terreſtrial Globe.
calculations, which are four, omitted by the Author, perhaps
cauſe they make againſt him, in regard they place the ſtar above
the moon by many ſemidiameters of the Earth. The firſt of
which is this, computed upon the obſervations of the Landgrave of
Haſſia, and Tycho; which are, even by the Authors conceſſion,
two of the moſt exact obſervers: and in this firſt, I will declare
the order that I hold in the working; which ſhall ſerve for all the
reſt, in that they are all made by the ſame rule, not varying in any
thing, ſave in the quantity of the given ſummes, that is, in the
number of the degrees of the Poles altitude, and of the new Stars
elevation above the Horizon, the diſtance of which from the
tre of the Earth, in proportion to the ſemidiameter of the terre
ſtrial Globe is ſought, touching which it nothing imports in this
caſe, to know how many miles that ſemidiameter conteineth;
whereupon the reſolving that, and the diſtance of places where
the obſervations were made, as this Author doth, is but time and
labour loſt; nor do I know why he hath made the ſame, and
cially why at the laſt he goeth about to reduce the miles found,
to ſemidiameters of the Terreſtrial Globe.
SIMP. Perhaps he doth this to finde with ſuch ſmall meaſures,
and with their fractions the diſtance of the Star terminated to three
or four inches; for we that do not underſtand your rules of
metick, are ſtupified in hearing your concluſions; as for inſtance,
whilſt we read; Therefore the new Star or Comet was diſtant
from the Earths centre three hundred ſeventy and three thouſand
eight hundred and ſeven miles; and moreover, two hundred and
eleven, four chouſand ninety ſevenths 373807 211/4097, and upon theſe
preciſe punctualities, wherein you take notice of ſuch ſmall
ters, we do conceive it to be impoſſible, that you, who in our
culations keep an account of an inch, can at the cloſe deceive us ſo
much as an hundred miles.
and with their fractions the diſtance of the Star terminated to three
or four inches; for we that do not underſtand your rules of
metick, are ſtupified in hearing your concluſions; as for inſtance,
whilſt we read; Therefore the new Star or Comet was diſtant
from the Earths centre three hundred ſeventy and three thouſand
eight hundred and ſeven miles; and moreover, two hundred and
eleven, four chouſand ninety ſevenths 373807 211/4097, and upon theſe
preciſe punctualities, wherein you take notice of ſuch ſmall
ters, we do conceive it to be impoſſible, that you, who in our
culations keep an account of an inch, can at the cloſe deceive us ſo
much as an hundred miles.
SALV. This your reaſon and excuſe would paſſe for currant,
if in a diſtance of thouſands of miles, a yard over or under were
of any great moment, and if the ſuppoſitions that we take for
true, were ſo certain, as that they could aſſure us of producing an
indubitable truth in the concluſion; but here you ſee in the twelve
workings of the Author, the diſtances of the Star, which from
them one may conclude to have been different from each other,
(and therefore wide of the truth) for many hundreds and
ſands of miles: now whilſt that I am more than certain, that that
which I ſeek muſt needs differ from the truth by hundreds of miles,
to what purppſe is it to be ſo curious in our calculations, for fear
of miſſing the quantity of an inch? But let us proceed, at laſt,
to the working, which I reſolve in this manner. Tycho, as may be
if in a diſtance of thouſands of miles, a yard over or under were
of any great moment, and if the ſuppoſitions that we take for
true, were ſo certain, as that they could aſſure us of producing an
indubitable truth in the concluſion; but here you ſee in the twelve
workings of the Author, the diſtances of the Star, which from
them one may conclude to have been different from each other,
(and therefore wide of the truth) for many hundreds and
ſands of miles: now whilſt that I am more than certain, that that
which I ſeek muſt needs differ from the truth by hundreds of miles,
to what purppſe is it to be ſo curious in our calculations, for fear
of miſſing the quantity of an inch? But let us proceed, at laſt,
to the working, which I reſolve in this manner. Tycho, as may be
zoom in
zoom out
zoom area
full page
page width
set mark
remove mark
get reference
digilib