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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158146That the Moon may be a World. wards, being once ſevered from its proper
place.
And this were reaſon enough, why
the quality of heavineſs ſhould have an abſo-
lute being.
I anſwer, This diſtinction is only appliable
to ſuch natural Powers as can ſuſpend their
Acts;
and will not hold in Elementary Qua-
lities, whoſe very Eſſence does neceſſarily re-
quire an exerciſe of the ſecond Act, as you
may eaſily diſcern by an Induction of all the
reſt.
I cannot ſay, that Body has in it the qua-
lity of Heat, Coldneſs, Drineſs, Moiſture,
Hardneſs, Softneſs, &
c. Which for the preſent
has not the ſecond Act of theſe qualities.
And
if you mean by the eſſence of them, a Power
unto them:
why, there is not any natural bo-
dy but has a Power to them all.
From that which hath been ſaid concerning
the Nature of Gravity, it will follow, That if a
man were above the Sphere of this Magnetical
Virtue, which proceeds from the Earth, he
might there ſtand as firmly as in the open Air,
as he can now upon the ground:
And not on-
ly ſo, but he may alſo move with far greater
ſwiftneſs, than any living Creatures here be-
low, becauſe then he is without all Gravity,
being not attracted any way, and ſo conſequent-
ly will not be liable to ſuch impediments, as
may in the leaſt manner reſiſt that kind of Mo-
tion which he ſhall apply himſelf unto.
If you yet enquire, how we may conceive
it poſſible, that a condenſed Body ſhould not
be heavy in ſuch a place.
I anſwer, by the ſame reaſon, as a Body is
not heavy in its proper place.
Of this I will
ſet down two Inſtances.

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