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

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[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.
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            <s xml:id="echoid-s266" xml:space="preserve">
              <pb o="15" file="0027" n="27" rhead="That the Moon may be a World."/>
            Light Body upwards, what a hudling and con-
              <lb/>
            fuſion muſt there be, if there were two pla-
              <lb/>
            ces for Gravity, and two places for Lightneſs:
              <lb/>
            </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s267" xml:space="preserve">for it is probable that the Earth of that other
              <lb/>
            World would fall down to this Centre, and ſo
              <lb/>
            mutually the Air and Fire here aſcend to thoſe
              <lb/>
            Regions in the other, which muſt needs much
              <lb/>
            derogate from the Providence of Nature, and
              <lb/>
            cauſe a great diſorder in his Works. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s268" xml:space="preserve">But ratio
              <lb/>
            bæc eſt minimè firma, (ſaith Zancby.) </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s269" xml:space="preserve">And if
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0027-01" xlink:href="note-0027-01a" xml:space="preserve">De operibus
                <lb/>
              Dei. part 2.
                <lb/>
              lib 2. cap. 2</note>
            you well confider the nature of Gravity, you
              <lb/>
            will plainly ſee there is no ground to fear any
              <lb/>
            ſuch Confuſion; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s270" xml:space="preserve">for Heavineſs is nothing elſe
              <lb/>
            but ſuch a quality as cauſes a Propenſion in its
              <lb/>
            Subject to tend downwards towards its own
              <lb/>
            Centre; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s271" xml:space="preserve">ſo that for ſome of that Earth to
              <lb/>
            come hither, would not be ſaid a Fall, but
              <lb/>
            an Aſcenſion, ſince it moved from its own
              <lb/>
            place; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s272" xml:space="preserve">and this would be impoſſible (ſaith Ru-
              <lb/>
            vio) becauſe againſt Nature, and therefore
              <lb/>
            no more to be feared, than the falling of the
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0027-02" xlink:href="note-0027-02a" xml:space="preserve">De Cœle. 1.
                <lb/>
              I. c. 9. 9.1.</note>
            Heavens.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s273" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s274" xml:space="preserve">If you reply, that then according to this
              <lb/>
            there muſt be more Centres of Gravity than
              <lb/>
            one; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s275" xml:space="preserve">I anſwer, ’Tis very probable there are,
              <lb/>
            nor can we well Conceive what any piece of
              <lb/>
            the Moon would do, being ſever'd from the
              <lb/>
            reſt in the free and open Air, but only return
              <lb/>
            unto it again.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s276" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s277" xml:space="preserve">Another Argument he had from his Maſter
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0027-03" xlink:href="note-0027-03a" xml:space="preserve">Metaphyſ.
                <lb/>
              l. 12. c. 1.
                <lb/>
              Diog. Laer.
                <lb/>
              lib. 2.</note>
            Plato, that there is but one World, becauſe
              <lb/>
            there is but one firſt Mover, God.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s278" xml:space="preserve"/>
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          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s279" xml:space="preserve">Infirma etiam eſt bæc ratio (ſaith Zancby) and
              <lb/>
            we muſt juſtly deny the Conſequence, ſince a
              <lb/>
            Plurality of Worlds doth not take away </s>
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