Salusbury, Thomas, Mathematical collections and translations (Tome I), 1667
page |< < of 701 > >|
    <archimedes>
      <text>
        <body>
          <chap>
            <pb xlink:href="040/01/322.jpg" pagenum="302"/>
            <p type="main">
              <s>SALV. </s>
              <s>I am ready to ſerve you. </s>
              <s>You have already ſeen me
                <lb/>
              draw the form of the
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Copernican
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              Syſteme; againſt the truth of
                <lb/>
                <arrow.to.target n="marg543"/>
                <lb/>
              which
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Mars
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              himſelf, in the firſt place, makes an hot charge; who, in
                <lb/>
              caſe it were true, that its diſtances from the earth ſhould ſo much
                <lb/>
              vary, as that from the leaſt diſtance to the greateſt, there were
                <lb/>
              twice as much difference, as from the earth to the Sun; it would be
                <lb/>
              neceſſary, that when it is neareſt unto us, its
                <emph type="italics"/>
              diſcus
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              would ſhew
                <lb/>
              more than 60. times bigger than it ſeems, when it is fartheſt from
                <lb/>
              us; nevertheleſs that diverſity of apparent magnitude is not to be
                <lb/>
              ſeen, nay in its oppoſition with the Sun, when its neareſt to the
                <lb/>
              Earth, it doth not ſhew ſo much as quadruple and quintuple in
                <lb/>
              bigneſs, to what it is, when towards the conjunction it cometh to
                <lb/>
              be occulted under the Suns rayes. </s>
              <s>Another and greater difficulty
                <lb/>
              doth
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Venus
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              exhibit; For if revolving about the Sun, as
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Copernicus
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
                <lb/>
                <arrow.to.target n="marg544"/>
                <lb/>
              affirmeth, it were one while above, & another while below the ſame,
                <lb/>
              receding and approaching to us ſo much as the Diameter of the
                <lb/>
              cle deſcribed would be, at ſuch time as it ſhould be below the Sun,
                <lb/>
              and neareſt to us, its
                <emph type="italics"/>
              diſcus
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              would ſhew little leſs than 40 times
                <lb/>
              ger than when it is above the Sun, near to its other conjunction; yet
                <lb/>
              nevertheleſſe, the difference is almoſt imperceptible Let us add
                <lb/>
                <arrow.to.target n="marg545"/>
                <lb/>
              other difficulty, that in caſe the body of
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Venus
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              be of it ſelf dark, and
                <lb/>
              onely ſhineth as the Moon, by the illumination of the Sun, which
                <lb/>
              ſeemeth moſt reaſonable; it would ſhew forked or horned at ſuch
                <lb/>
              time as it is under the Sun, as the Moon doth when ſhe is in like
                <lb/>
              manner near the Sun; an accident that is not to be diſcovered in
                <lb/>
              her. </s>
              <s>Whereupon
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Copernicus
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              affirmeth, that either ſhe is light of
                <lb/>
                <arrow.to.target n="marg546"/>
                <lb/>
              her ſelf, or elſe that her ſubſtance is of ſuch a nature, that it can
                <lb/>
              imbue the Solar light, and tranſmit the ſame through all its whole
                <lb/>
              depth, ſo as to be able to appear to us alwayes ſhining; and in this
                <lb/>
              manner
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Copernicus
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              excuſeth the not changing figure in
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Venus
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              : but
                <lb/>
              of her ſmall variation of Magnitude, he maketh no mention at all;
                <lb/>
                <arrow.to.target n="marg547"/>
                <lb/>
              and much leſs of
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Mars
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              than was needful; I believe as being
                <lb/>
              ble ſo well as he deſired to ſalve a
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Phænomenon
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              ſo contrary to his
                <lb/>
              Hypotheſis, and yet being convinced by ſo many other occurrences
                <lb/>
              and reaſons he maintained, and held the ſame Hypotheſis to be true.
                <lb/>
              </s>
              <s>Beſides theſe things, to make the Planets, together with the Earth,
                <lb/>
              to move above the Sun as the Centre of their converſions, and the
                <lb/>
                <arrow.to.target n="marg548"/>
                <lb/>
              Moon onely to break that order, and to have a motion by it ſelf
                <lb/>
              about the earth; and to make both her, the Earth, and the whole
                <lb/>
              Elementary
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Sphere,
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              to move all together about the Sun in a year,
                <lb/>
              this ſeemeth to pervert the order of this Syſteme, which rendreth
                <lb/>
              it unlikely and falſe. </s>
              <s>Theſe are thoſe difficulties that make me
                <lb/>
              wonder how
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Aristarchus
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              and
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Copernicus,
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              who muſt needs have
                <lb/>
              ſerved them, not having been able for all that to ſalve them, have
                <lb/>
              yet notwithſtanding by other admirable occurrences been induced </s>
            </p>
          </chap>
        </body>
      </text>
    </archimedes>