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

4432That the Moon may be a World. mets which have been ſeen above the Moon.
As alſo thoſe Spots or Clouds that Encompaſs
the Body of the Sun, amongſt which, there
is a frequent Succeſſion by a Corruption of
the Old, and a Generation of New. So that
though Ariſtotle's Conſequence were ſufficient,
when he prov'd that the Heavens were not
Corruptible, becauſe there have not any
Changes been diſcover'd in them: yet this
by the ſame Reaſon muſt be as prevalent, that
the Heavens are Corruptible, becauſe there
have been ſo many Alterations obſerv'd there;
But of theſe, together with a farther Confir-
mation of this Propoſition, I ſhall have occa-
ſion to ſpeak afterwards; In the mean Space,
I will refer the Reader to that Work of Shei-
nar, a late Jeſuit, which he Titles his Roſa
Urſina, where he may ſee this Point concern-
11Lib. 4. par.
2. cap. 24.
35. ing the Coruptibility of the Heavens, largely
Handled, and ſufficiently conſirm'd.

There are ſome other things, on which I
might here take an occaſion to enlarge my
ſelf; but becauſe they are directly Handled
by many others, and do not immediately be-
long to the chief matter in hand; I ſhall there-
fore reſer the Reader to their Authors, and
Omit any large Proof of them my ſelf, as
deſiring all poſſible Brevity.

1. The firſt is this: That there are no ſolid
Orbs. If there be a Habitable World in the
Moon (which I now affirm) it muſt follow,
that her Orb is not Solid as Ariſtotle ſuppos'd;
and if not hers, why any of the other. I ra-
ther think that they are all of a Fluid (per-
haps Aerous) Subſtance. Saint Ambroſe,

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