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
page |< < (56) of 370 > >|
6856That the Moon may be a World. the name of Volva à volvendo, becauſe it does
by reaſon of its Diurnal Revolution appear
unto them conſtantly to turn round, and there-
fore he ſtyles thoſe who live in that Hemi-
ſphere which is towards us, by the Title of
Subvolvani, becauſe they enjoy the ſight of
this Earth;
and the others Privolvani, quia
ſunt privati conſpectu volvæ, becauſe they
are depriv’d oſ this priviledge.
But Fulius
Cæſar, whom I have above Quoted, ſpea-
king oſ their Teſtimony whom I cite for this
Opinion, viz.
Keplar and Galilæus, Aſſirms
that to his Knowledge they did but jeſt in thoſe
things which they Write concerning this, and
11De phæ-
nom. Lunæ.
6. 4.
as for any ſuch World, he aſſuredly knows
they never ſo much as dreamt oſ it.
But I had
rather believe their own Words, than his pre-
tended Knowledge.
’Tis true indeed, in ſome things they do but
triſle, but for the main Scope oſ thoſe Diſ-
courſes, ’tis as manifeſtly they ſeriouſly meant
it, as any indifferent Reader may eaſily diſ-
cern;
As for Galilæus, ’tis evident he did ſet
down his own Judgement and Opinion in theſe
things;
otherwiſe, ſure Campanella ( a Man
as well acquainted with his Opinion, and per-
haps his Perſon, as Cæſar was) would never
have writ an Apology for him.
And beſides,
’tis very likely iſ it had beeen but a Jeſt, Ga-
lilæus would never have ſuffer’d ſo much for it,
as Report ſaith, afterwards he did.
And as for Keplar, I will only refer the
Reader to his own words as they are ſet down
in the Preface to the Fourth Book oſ his Epi-
tome, where his purpoſe is to make an

Text layer

  • Dictionary

Text normalization

  • Original

Search


  • Exact
  • All forms
  • Fulltext index
  • Morphological index