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.

26585That the Earth may be a Planet. we fancy about it, FGHI the Orb of fixed
Stars, R the Centre of them. Now though
the Arch, G F I, be bigger than the other,
GHI, yet notwithſtanding, to the Eye on
the Earth A, one will appear a Semicircle as
well as the other; becauſe the Imagination
does transfer all thoſe Stars into the leſſer
Circle, BCDE, which it does fancy to be
deſcribed above that Centre. Nay, though
there were a habitable Earth, at a far grea-
ter diſtance from the Centre of the World,
even in the place of Jupiter; as ſuppoſe at
Q, yet then alſo would there be the ſame
appearance. For though the Arch, KFL,
in the ſtarry Heaven, were twice as big as
the other, KHL, yet notwithſtanding, at
the Earth Q, they would both appear but
as equal Hemiſpheres, being transferred in-
to that other Circle, MNOP, which is part
of the Sphere that the Eye deſcribes to it
ſelf about the Earth.

From whence we may plainly diſcern,
That though the Earth be never ſo far di-
ftant from the Centre of the World; yet
the Parts and Degrees of that imaginary
Sphere about it, will always be propor-
tional to the Parts and Degrees of the
Earth.

Arg. 2. Another Demonſtration like un-
to this former, frequently urged to the ſame
purpoſe, is this: If the Earth be out of the
Centre of the World, then muſt it be ſci-
tuated in one of theſe three Poſitions : ei-
11Vid. Cars.
Greg. l. x.
co 5. ther in the Equator, but out of the Axis;

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