1now deny their operation upon the the Earth; or elſe that (ſtill
contradicting your ſelf) you grant that their appearing very ſmall
doth not in the leaſt leſſen their influence; or elſe that (and this
ſhall be a more ſincere and modeſt conceſſion) you acknowledg
and freely confeſſe, that our paſſing judgment upon their
nitudes and diſtances is a vanity, not to ſay preſumption or
raſhneſſe.
contradicting your ſelf) you grant that their appearing very ſmall
doth not in the leaſt leſſen their influence; or elſe that (and this
ſhall be a more ſincere and modeſt conceſſion) you acknowledg
and freely confeſſe, that our paſſing judgment upon their
nitudes and diſtances is a vanity, not to ſay preſumption or
raſhneſſe.
Anſwers to the
interrogatories of
the ſaid Authour.
interrogatories of
the ſaid Authour.
The Auihour
of the
ons confound and
contradicts
ſelfin his
gations.
of the
ons confound and
contradicts
ſelfin his
gations.
Inter ogatories
put to the
thour of the
cluſions, by which
the weakneſſe of
his is made appear.
put to the
thour of the
cluſions, by which
the weakneſſe of
his is made appear.
SIMP. Truth is, I my ſelf did alſo, in reading this paſſage
perceive the manifeſt contradiction, in ſaying, that the Stars. (if
one may ſo ſpeak) of Copernicus appearing ſo very ſmall, could
not operate on the Earth, and not perceiving that he had granted
an influence upon the Earth to thoſe of Ptolomy, and his
tors, which appear not only very ſmall, but are, for the moſt
part, very inviſible.
perceive the manifeſt contradiction, in ſaying, that the Stars. (if
one may ſo ſpeak) of Copernicus appearing ſo very ſmall, could
not operate on the Earth, and not perceiving that he had granted
an influence upon the Earth to thoſe of Ptolomy, and his
tors, which appear not only very ſmall, but are, for the moſt
part, very inviſible.
SALV. But I proceed to another conſideration: What is the
reaſon, doth he ſay, why the ſtars appear ſo little? Is it haply,
becauſe they ſeem ſo to us? Doth not he know, that this
meth from the Inſtrument that we imploy in beholding them, to
wit, from our eye? And that this is true, by changing
ment, we ſhall ſee them bigger and bigger, as much as we will.
And who knows but that to the Earth, which beholdeth them
without eyes, they may not ſhew very great, and ſuch as in
ty they are? But it's time that, omitting theſe trifles, we come
to things of more moment; and therefore I having already
monſtrated theſe two things: Firſt, how far off the Firmament
ought to be placed to make, that the grand Orb cauſeth no
ter difference than that which the Terreſtrial Orb occaſioneth in
the remoteneſſe of the Sun; And next, how likewiſe to make
that a ſtar of the Firmament appear to us of the ſame bigneſſe,
as now we ſee it, it is not neceſſary to ſuppoſe it bigger than the
Sun; I would know whether Tycho, or any of his adherents hath
ever attempted to find out, by any means, whether any
rance be to be diſcovered in the ſtarry Sphere, upon which one
may the more reſolutely deny or admit the annual motion of
the Earth.
reaſon, doth he ſay, why the ſtars appear ſo little? Is it haply,
becauſe they ſeem ſo to us? Doth not he know, that this
meth from the Inſtrument that we imploy in beholding them, to
wit, from our eye? And that this is true, by changing
ment, we ſhall ſee them bigger and bigger, as much as we will.
And who knows but that to the Earth, which beholdeth them
without eyes, they may not ſhew very great, and ſuch as in
ty they are? But it's time that, omitting theſe trifles, we come
to things of more moment; and therefore I having already
monſtrated theſe two things: Firſt, how far off the Firmament
ought to be placed to make, that the grand Orb cauſeth no
ter difference than that which the Terreſtrial Orb occaſioneth in
the remoteneſſe of the Sun; And next, how likewiſe to make
that a ſtar of the Firmament appear to us of the ſame bigneſſe,
as now we ſee it, it is not neceſſary to ſuppoſe it bigger than the
Sun; I would know whether Tycho, or any of his adherents hath
ever attempted to find out, by any means, whether any
rance be to be diſcovered in the ſtarry Sphere, upon which one
may the more reſolutely deny or admit the annual motion of
the Earth.
That remote
jects appeare ſo
ſmall, is the defect
of the eye, as
demonſtrated.
jects appeare ſo
ſmall, is the defect
of the eye, as
demonſtrated.
SAGR. I would anſwer for them, that there is not, no nor is
there any need there ſhould; ſeeing that it is Copernicus himſelf
that ſaith, that no ſuch diverſity is there: and they, arguing ad
hominem, admit him the ſame; and upon this aſſumption they
demonſtrate the improbability that followeth thereupon,
ly, that it would be neceſſary to make the Sphere ſo immenſe,
that a fixed ſtar, to appear unto us as great as it now ſeems, ought
of neceſſity to be of ſo immenſe a magnitude, as that it would
exceed the bigneſſe of the whole grand Orb, a thing, which
withſtanding, as they ſay, is altogether incredible.
there any need there ſhould; ſeeing that it is Copernicus himſelf
that ſaith, that no ſuch diverſity is there: and they, arguing ad
hominem, admit him the ſame; and upon this aſſumption they
demonſtrate the improbability that followeth thereupon,
ly, that it would be neceſſary to make the Sphere ſo immenſe,
that a fixed ſtar, to appear unto us as great as it now ſeems, ought
of neceſſity to be of ſo immenſe a magnitude, as that it would
exceed the bigneſſe of the whole grand Orb, a thing, which
withſtanding, as they ſay, is altogether incredible.
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