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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[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.
[31.] Necnon Oceano paſci phæbumque polumq; Gredimus.
[32.] PROP. IV. That the Moon is a Solid, Compacted, Opacous Body.
[33.] PROP. V. That the Moon hath not any Light of her own.
[34.] PROP. VI. That there is a World in the Moon, bath been the direct Opinion of many Ancient, with ſome Modern Mathematicians, and may probably de deduc’d from the Tenents of others.
[35.] PROP. VII. That thoſe Spots and brighter parts, which by our ſight may be diſtinguiſhed in the Moon, do ſhew the difference betwixt the Sea and Land, in that other World.
[36.] PROP. VIII. The Spots repeſent the Sea, and the brighter parts the Land.
[37.] PROP. IX. That there are high Mountains, deep Vallies, and ſpacious Plains in the Body of the Moon.
[38.] PROP. X. That there is an Atmo-ſphæra, or an Orb of groſs, Vaporous Air, immediately encompaſſing the body of the Moon.
[39.] PROP. XI. That as their World is our Moon, ſo our World is their Moon.
[40.] Provehimur portu, terræque urbeſque recedunt.
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153That the Moon may be a World. Truth, which they themſelves were not the
firſt Inventors of.
So that I may juſtly expect
to be accuſed of a Pragmatical Ignorance, and
bold Oſtentation;
eſpecially ſince for this O-
pinion, Xenophanes, a Man whoſe Authority
was able to add ſome Credit to his Aſſertion,
could not eſcape the like Cenſure from others.
For Natales Comes ſpeaking of that Philoſo-
pher, and this his Opinion, ſaith thus, Nonnulli
11Mytholog.
lib. 3. c. 17
ne nihil ſciſſe videantur, aliqua nova monſtr a in
Philoſophiam introducunt, ut alicujus rei inven-
tores fuiſſe apparent.
‘Some there are, who leſt
‘ they might ſeem to know nothing, will bring
‘ up monſtrous abſurdities in Philoſophy, that
‘ ſo afterward they may be famed for the In-
‘ vention of ſomewhat.
The ſame Author
doth alſo in another place accuſe Anaxagoras
of Folly for the ſame Opinion.
Eſt enim non
22Lib. 7. c. 1 ignobilis gradus ſtultitiæ, vel ſineſcias quid dicas,
tamen velle de rebus propoſitis hanc vell illam par-
tem ſtabilire.
’Tis none of the worſt kinds of
Folly, boldly to affirm one ſide or other when
a Man knows not what to ſay.
If theſe Men were thus cenſur’d, I may juſt-
ly expect to be derided of moſt, and to be be-
lieved by few or none;
eſpecially ſince this
Opinion ſeems to carry in it ſo much ſtrange-
neſs, and contradiction to the general conſent
of others.
But however, I am reſolved that
this ſhall not be any diſcouragement, ſince I
know that it is not common Opinion that can
either add or detract from the Truth.
For,
1. Other Truths have been formerly eſtee-
med altogether as ridiculous as this can be.

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