1their right hand therein till that the Water by reaſon of the heat
do riſe but one ſole inch, and then let them take it out, and
write off the tumefaction of the Sea. Or at leaſt deſire them to
ſhew you how the Moon doth to rarefie a certain part of the
Waters, and not the remainder; as for inſtance, theſe here of
Venice, and not thoſe of Ancona, Naples, Genova: the truth is
Poetick Wits are of two kinds, ſome are ready and apt to
invent Fables, and others diſpoſed and inclined to believe them.
do riſe but one ſole inch, and then let them take it out, and
write off the tumefaction of the Sea. Or at leaſt deſire them to
ſhew you how the Moon doth to rarefie a certain part of the
Waters, and not the remainder; as for inſtance, theſe here of
Venice, and not thoſe of Ancona, Naples, Genova: the truth is
Poetick Wits are of two kinds, ſome are ready and apt to
invent Fables, and others diſpoſed and inclined to believe them.
Anſwers to the
vanities alledged
as cauſes of the
bing and flowing.
vanities alledged
as cauſes of the
bing and flowing.
+ Or rather
ſmooth.
ſmooth.
The Iſles are
kens of the
venneſſe of the
bottomes of Seas.
kens of the
venneſſe of the
bottomes of Seas.
Poetick wits of
two kinds.
two kinds.
SIMP. I believe that no man believeth Fables, ſo long as he
knows them to be ſo; and of the opinions concerning the cauſes
of ebbing and flowing, which are many, becauſe I know that of
one ſingle effect there is but one ſingle cauſe that is true and
mary, I underſtand very well, and am certain that but one alone
at the moſt can be true, and for all the reſt I am ſure that they are
fabulous, and falſe; and its poſſible that the true one may not be
among thoſe that have been hitherto produced; nay I verily
lieve that it is not, for it would be very ſtrange that the truth
ſhould have ſo little light, as that it ſhould not be viſible amongſt
the umbrages of ſo many falſhoods. But this I ſhall ſay with the
liberty that is permitted amongſt us, that the introduction of the
Earths motion, and the making it the cauſe of the ebbing and
flowing of Tides, ſeemeth to me as yet a conjecture no leſſe
bulous than the reſt of thoſe that I have heard; and if there
ſhould not be propoſed to me reaſons more conformable to
ral matters, I would without any more ado proceed to believe
this to be a ſupernatural effect, and therefore miraculous, and
unſearchable to the underſtandings of men, as infinite others there
are, that immediately depend on the Omnipotent hand of
knows them to be ſo; and of the opinions concerning the cauſes
of ebbing and flowing, which are many, becauſe I know that of
one ſingle effect there is but one ſingle cauſe that is true and
mary, I underſtand very well, and am certain that but one alone
at the moſt can be true, and for all the reſt I am ſure that they are
fabulous, and falſe; and its poſſible that the true one may not be
among thoſe that have been hitherto produced; nay I verily
lieve that it is not, for it would be very ſtrange that the truth
ſhould have ſo little light, as that it ſhould not be viſible amongſt
the umbrages of ſo many falſhoods. But this I ſhall ſay with the
liberty that is permitted amongſt us, that the introduction of the
Earths motion, and the making it the cauſe of the ebbing and
flowing of Tides, ſeemeth to me as yet a conjecture no leſſe
bulous than the reſt of thoſe that I have heard; and if there
ſhould not be propoſed to me reaſons more conformable to
ral matters, I would without any more ado proceed to believe
this to be a ſupernatural effect, and therefore miraculous, and
unſearchable to the underſtandings of men, as infinite others there
are, that immediately depend on the Omnipotent hand of
Truth hath not
ſo little light as
not to be
ed amidſt the
brages of
ſhoods.
ſo little light as
not to be
ed amidſt the
brages of
ſhoods.
Ariſtotle holdeth
thoſe effects to be
miraculous, of
which the cauſes
are unknown.
thoſe effects to be
miraculous, of
which the cauſes
are unknown.
SAGR. You argue very prudently, and according to the
Doctrine of Ariſtotle, who you know in the beginning of his
mechanical queſtions referreth thoſe things to a Miracle, the
cauſes whereof are occult. But that the cauſe of the ebbing and
flowing is one of thoſe that are not to be found out, I believe
you have no greater proof than onely that you ſee, that amongſt
all thoſe that have hitherto been produced for true cauſes
of, there is not one wherewith, working by what artifice you
will, we are able to repreſent ſuch an effect; in regard that
ther with the light of the Moon nor of the Sun, nor with
temperate heats, nor with different profundities, ſhall one ever
artificially make the Water conteined in an immoveable Veſſel
to run one way or another, and to ebbe and flow in one place,
and not in another. But if without any other artifice, but with
the onely moving of the Veſſel, I am able punctually to
ſent all thoſe mutations that are obſerved in the Sea Water, why
will you refuſe this reaſon and run to a Miracle?
Doctrine of Ariſtotle, who you know in the beginning of his
mechanical queſtions referreth thoſe things to a Miracle, the
cauſes whereof are occult. But that the cauſe of the ebbing and
flowing is one of thoſe that are not to be found out, I believe
you have no greater proof than onely that you ſee, that amongſt
all thoſe that have hitherto been produced for true cauſes
of, there is not one wherewith, working by what artifice you
will, we are able to repreſent ſuch an effect; in regard that
ther with the light of the Moon nor of the Sun, nor with
temperate heats, nor with different profundities, ſhall one ever
artificially make the Water conteined in an immoveable Veſſel
to run one way or another, and to ebbe and flow in one place,
and not in another. But if without any other artifice, but with
the onely moving of the Veſſel, I am able punctually to
ſent all thoſe mutations that are obſerved in the Sea Water, why
will you refuſe this reaſon and run to a Miracle?