130118That the Moon may be a World.
But enough of this.
You may commonly ſee
11Clavius in
ſphæram.
cap. 1. it confuted by many other Arguments. Others
there are, who affirm theſe to be ſome new
created Stars, produc’d by an extraordinary
ſupernatural Power. I anſwer, true indeed,
’tis poſſible they might be ſo, but however,
’tis not likely they were ſo, ſince ſuch appea-
rances may be ſalved ſome other way; where-
fore to fly unto a miracle for ſuch things, were
a great Injury to Nature, and to derogate
from her skill; an Indignity miſ-becoming
a Man who profeſſes himſelf to be a Philoſo-
pher. Miraculum (ſays one) eſt ignorantiæ Aſy-
lum, a Miracle often ſerves for the Recepta-
cle of a lazy Ignorance; which any induſtrious
Spirit would be aſham’d of, it being but an
idle way to ſhift off the Labour of any further
ſearch. But here’s the miſery of it, we firſt
tye our ſelves unto Ariſtotle’s Principles, and
then conclude that nothing can contradict ’em,
but a Miracle; whereas ’twould be much bet-
ter for the Commonwealth of Learning, if
we would ground our Principles rather upon
the frequent experiences of our own, than the
bare Authority of others.
11Clavius in
ſphæram.
cap. 1. it confuted by many other Arguments. Others
there are, who affirm theſe to be ſome new
created Stars, produc’d by an extraordinary
ſupernatural Power. I anſwer, true indeed,
’tis poſſible they might be ſo, but however,
’tis not likely they were ſo, ſince ſuch appea-
rances may be ſalved ſome other way; where-
fore to fly unto a miracle for ſuch things, were
a great Injury to Nature, and to derogate
from her skill; an Indignity miſ-becoming
a Man who profeſſes himſelf to be a Philoſo-
pher. Miraculum (ſays one) eſt ignorantiæ Aſy-
lum, a Miracle often ſerves for the Recepta-
cle of a lazy Ignorance; which any induſtrious
Spirit would be aſham’d of, it being but an
idle way to ſhift off the Labour of any further
ſearch. But here’s the miſery of it, we firſt
tye our ſelves unto Ariſtotle’s Principles, and
then conclude that nothing can contradict ’em,
but a Miracle; whereas ’twould be much bet-
ter for the Commonwealth of Learning, if
we would ground our Principles rather upon
the frequent experiences of our own, than the
bare Authority of others.
Some there are who think, that theſe Co-
mets are nothing elſe, but Exhalations from
our Earth, carryed up into the higher parts of
the Heaven. So Peno, Rothmannus & Galilæus.
But this is not poſſible, ſince by Computation
22Tycho Pro-
gym. l. 1.
c. 9. ’tis found, that one of them is above 300 times
bigger than the wholeGlobe of Land & water.
Others therefore have thought that they did
proceed from the Body of the Sun, and that
Planet only is Gometarum officina, unde
mets are nothing elſe, but Exhalations from
our Earth, carryed up into the higher parts of
the Heaven. So Peno, Rothmannus & Galilæus.
But this is not poſſible, ſince by Computation
22Tycho Pro-
gym. l. 1.
c. 9. ’tis found, that one of them is above 300 times
bigger than the wholeGlobe of Land & water.
Others therefore have thought that they did
proceed from the Body of the Sun, and that
Planet only is Gometarum officina, unde