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.

4937That the Moon may be a World. one Medium, and thereſore between thoſe
two Oppoſite Elements of Earth and Water,
it may ſeem more convenient to place only
the Air, which ſhall partake of Middle Qua-
lities different from both.

5. Fire does not ſeem ſo properly and di-
115 rectly to be oppos'd to any thing as Ice; and
if the one be not an Element, why ſhould the
other?

If you object that the Fire which we com-
monly uſe, does always tend upwards. I an-
ſwer, This cannot prove that there is a natu-
ral place for ſuch an Element, ſince our Ad-
verſaries do grant, that culinary and elementary
Fire are of different kinds. The one does
Burn, Shine, and Corrupt its Subjects; the
other diſagrees from it in all theſe reſpects:
And therefore from the Aſcent of the one, we
cannot properly infer the Being or Scituation
of the other.

But for your further Satisfaction herein,
you may peruſe Gardan; Foannes Pena that
Learned Frenchman, the Noble Tycho, with
divers others, who have purpoſely Handled
this Propoſition.

3. I might add a Third, viz. that there is no
223 Muſick of the Spheres; for if they be not
Solid, how can their Motion cauſe any ſuch
Sound as is Conceiv'd? I do the rather meddle
with this, becauſe Plutarch ſpeaks as if a Man
might very conveniently hear that Harmony,
if he were an Inhabitant in the Moon. But I
gueſs that he ſaid this out of Incogitancy, and
did not well conſider theſe neceſſary Conſe-
quences which depend upon his Opinion.

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