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

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

Table of contents

[Item 1.]

[2.] Ex Libris James S. Dearden Rampside

[3.] A DISCOVERY OF A New , OR,

[4.] In Two Parts.

[5.] The Fifth Edition Corrected and Amended. LONDON,

[6.] The Epiſtle to the READER.

[7.] The Propoſitions that are proved in this Diſcourſe. PROPOSITION I.

[8.] PROP. II.

[9.] PROP. III.

[10.] PROP. IV.

[11.] PROP. V.

[12.] PROP. VI.

[13.] PROP. VII.

[14.] PROP. VIII.

[15.] PROP. IX.

[16.] PROP. X.

[17.] PROP. XI.

[18.] PROP. XII.

[19.] PROP. XIII.

[20.] PROP. XIV.

[21.] The Firſt Book. That the MOON May be a WORLD. The Firſt Propoſition, by way of Preface.

[22.] Sed vanus ſtolidis hæc omnia finxerit Error.

[23.] Solis lunæq; labores.

[24.] Cum fruſtra reſonant æra auxiliaria Lunæ.

[25.] Una laboranti poterit ſuccerrere Lunæ.

[26.] Gantus & è cælo poſſunt deducere Lunam.

[27.] Cantus & ſi curru lunam deducere tentant, Et facerent, ſi non æra repulſa ſonant.

[28.] PROP. II. That a Plurality of Worlds doth not contradict any Principle of Reaſon or Faith.

[29.] Æſtuas infelix auguſto limite mundi.

[30.] PROP. III. That the Heavens do not conſiſt of any ſuch pure Matter, which can priviledge them from the like Change and Corruption, as theſe Inferiour, Bodies are liable unto.

6149That the Moon may be a World. he is near to the Moon? or why cannot her
greater Brightneſs make him appear White as
the other Planets? nor can there be any reaſon
given why that greater Light would repreſent
her Body under a falſe Colour.

2. ’Tis not ſuch a duskiſh leaden light as we
ſee in the darker part of her Body, when ſhe
is about a Sextile Aſpect diſtant from the Sun,
for then why does ſhe appear red in the Eclip-
ſes, ſince meer ſhade cannot cauſe ſuch Variety?
for ’tis the nature of Darkneſs by its Oppoſiti-
on, rather to make things appear of a more
White and clear Brightneſs than they are in
themſelves; Or if it be the ſhade, yet thoſe
parts of the Moon are then in the ſhade of her
Body, and therefore in Reaſon ſhould have the
like Redneſs. Since then neither of theſe
Lights are hers, it follows that ſhe hath none
of her own. Nor is this a ſingular Opinion,
11Somn. Scip.
l. 1. c. 20.
Lect. antiq.
l. 1. c. 15.
In lib. de
natur. re-
rum. but it hath had many Learned Patrons; ſuch
as Macrobius, who being for this Quoted of
Rhodiginus, he calls him vir reconditiſſimœ ſci-
entiœ, a Man who knew more than ordinary
Philoſophers, thus commending the Opinion
in Credit of the Author. To him aſſents the
Venerable Bede, upon whom the Gloſs hath
22De 4
Coœvis Q.
4 Art. 21. this Compariſon. As the Looking Glaſs re-
preſents not any Image within it ſelf unleſs it
receive ſome from without; ſo the Moon hath
33Exercit.
62. not any Lighr but what is beſtowed by the
44Epitom.
Aſtron.
l. 4. p. 2. Sun. To theſe agr@ed Albertus Magnus, Scaliger, Mœſtin, Keplar, and more55Epit. A-ſtro.Cop.l.6.
part. 5. ſect.
2. eſpecially Malapertius, whoſe Words are more pat to the purpoſe than others, and there-
fore I ſhall ſet them down as you may find

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