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.

6351That the Moon may be a World. Waters afar off, miſtook them for Blood. Et
cauſa hujus eſt quia radius ſolaris in Aurora con-
112 Queſt. in
hoc cap. traiht quondam rubedinem, propter vapores cam-
buſtos manentes circa ſuperficiem terrœ, per quos
raàii tranſeunt, & ideo cum repercutiantur in
aqua ad oculos noſtros, trahunt ſecum eundem rubo-
borem, & faciunt apparere locum aquarum, in quo
eſt repercuſſio, eſſe rubrum, ſaith Toſtatus. The
Reaſon is, becauſe of his Rays, which being
in the lower Vapours, thoſe do convey an im-
perfect mixed Light upon the Waters. Thus
the Moon being in the Earth's Shadow, and
the Sun Beams which are round about it, not
being able to come directly unto her Body, yet
ſome ſecond Rays there are, which paſſing
through the ſhadow, make her appear in that
ruddy colour: So that ſhe muſt appear bright-
eſt when ſhe is Eclipſed, being in her Apoge,
or greateſt diſtance from us, becauſe then the
cone of the Earths ſhadow is leſs, and the
Refraction is made through a narrower
Medium. So on the contrary, ſhe muſt be
repreſented under a more Dark and Obſcure
form when ſhe is Eclipſed, being in her Peri-
ge or neareſt to the Earth, becauſe then ſhe is
Involv'd in a greater ſhadow, or bigger part
of the cone, and ſo the Refraction paſſing
through a greater Medium, the Light muſt
needs be Weaker which doth proceed from it.
If you ask now, what the Reaſon may be of
that Light which we Diſcern in the Darker
part of the New Moon? I anſwer, ’tis Re-
flected from our Earth, which returns as great
a Brightneſs to that Planet, as it receives from
it. This I ſhall have occaſion to Prove after-
ward.

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