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.

4634That the Moon may be a World. other place then wherein it is. But now this
would be ſuch an Inconvenience, as would
quite ſubvert the grounds and whole Art of
Aſtronomy, and therefore is by no means to
be admitted.

Unto this it is commonly Anſwer'd, that
all thoſe Orbs are equally Diaphanus, though
not of a continued quantity. We reply, that
ſuppoſing they were, yet this cannot hinder
them from being the Cauſes of Refraction,
which is produc'd as well by the Diverſity of
Superſicies, as the different Perſpicuity of Bo-
dies. Two Glaſſes put together, will cauſe a
divers Refraction from another ſingle one,
that is but of Equal Thickneſs and Perſpicu-
ity.

3. From the different Height or the ſame
Planet at ſeveral times. For if according to
the uſual Hypotheſis, there ſhould be ſuch di-
ſtinct, Solid Orbs, then it would be impoſſi-
ble that the Planets ſhould intrench upon one
anothers Orbs, or that two of them at ſeveral
Times ſhould be above one another, which
notwithſtanding hath been prov'd to be ſo by
later Experience. Tycho hath obſerv'd, that
Venus is ſometimes nearer than the Sun or Mer-
cury, and ſometimes farther off than both;
which appearances Regiomontanus himſelf does
Acknowledge, and withal, does confeſs that
they cannot be reconciled to the common Hy-
potheſis.

But for your better Satisſaction herein, I
ſhall refer you to the above nam'd Scheiner,
in his Roſa Urſina, in whom you may ſee both
Authorities and Reaſon, very Largely

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