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.

288108That the Earth may be a Planet.

The reaſon of ſuch deceit may be this:
Motion being not a proper Object of the
Sight, nor belonging to any other peculiar
Senſe, muſt therefore be judged of by the
ſenſus communis, which is liable to miſtake
in this reſpect; becauſe it apprehends the
Eye it ſelf to reſt immovable, whilſt it does
not feel any Effects of this Motion in the
Body: As it is when a Man is carried in a
Ship; ſo that Senſe is but an ill Judg of Na-
tural Secrets. ’Tis a good Rule of Plato,
EIS Τ ν{ου}ν ἀφορᾶνδ{εῖ} ΦιλόοοΦον {καὶ}μὴεις τ{ὴυ}
ὅψν A Philoſopher muſt not be carried
away by the bare appearance of things to
ſight, but muſt examine them by reaſon. If
this were a good Conſequence, The Earth
does not move, becauſe it does not appear
ſo to us; we might then as well argue, that
it does move when we go upon the Water;
according to the Verſe:

Provebimur portu, terræque, verbeſq; recedunt.

Or if ſuch Arguments would hold, it were
an eaſy matter to prove the Sun and Moon
not ſo big as a Hat, or the fixed Stars as a
Candle.

Yea, but if the Motions of the Heavens
11Al. Roſſ.
be only apparent, and not real, then the
l. 1. ſect.1.
cap.1. Motion of the Clouds will be ſo too, ſince
the Eye may be as well deceived in the one
as the other.

I anſwer: ’Tis all one, as if he ſhould in-
fer, that the ſenſe was miſtaken in

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