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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        <div xml:id="echoid-div155" type="section" level="1" n="43">
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1977" xml:space="preserve">
              <pb o="137" file="0149" n="149" rhead="That the Moon may be a World."/>
            wonder at the Blindneſs of our Anceſtors, who
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            were not able to Diſcern ſuch things, as ſeem
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            Plain and Obvious unto us, ſo will our Poſte-
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            rity, Admire our Ignorance in as Perſpicuous
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            matters.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1978" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1979" xml:space="preserve">In the firſt Ages of the World the Iſlanders
              <lb/>
            thought themſelves either to be the only dwel-
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            lers upon Earth, or elſe if there were any
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            other, they could not poſſibly conceive how
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            they might have any Commerce with them,
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            being ſever’d by the deep and broad Sea.
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            </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1980" xml:space="preserve">But after times found out the Invention of
              <lb/>
            Ships, in which notwithſtanding, none but
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            ſome bold, daring Men durſt venture, accor-
              <lb/>
            ding to that of the Tragœdian.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1981" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <note position="right" xml:space="preserve">Sen. Med.
            <lb/>
          act. 1.
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          Vide hora
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          Od. 3.
            <lb/>
          Fuvenal.
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          ſat. 12.
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          Claud.
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          præf. ad 1.
            <lb/>
          lib. de rap.
            <lb/>
          Preſer.</note>
          <p style="it">
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1982" xml:space="preserve">Audax nimium qui freta primus</s>
          </p>
          <p style="it">
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1983" xml:space="preserve">Rate tam fragili perfida rupit.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1984" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1985" xml:space="preserve">Too bold was he, who in a Ship ſo frail,
              <lb/>
            Firſt ventur’d on the treacherous Waves to ſail.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1986" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1987" xml:space="preserve">And yet now, how eaſie a thing is this even
              <lb/>
            to a timorous and cowardly Nature? </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1988" xml:space="preserve">And
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            queſtionleſs, the Invention of ſome other
              <lb/>
            means for our Conveyance to the Moon, can-
              <lb/>
            not ſeem more incredible to us, than this did
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            at firſt to them, and therefore we have no juſt
              <lb/>
            reaſon to be diſcouraged in our hopes of the
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            like ſucceſs.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1989" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1990" xml:space="preserve">Yea, but (you will ſay) th@re can be no ſai-
              <lb/>
            ling thither, unleſs that were true which the
              <lb/>
            Poets do but feign, that ſhe made her Bed in
              <lb/>
            the Sea. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1991" xml:space="preserve">We have not now any Drake, or
              <lb/>
            Columbus to Undertake this Voyage, or any
              <lb/>
            Dædalus to Invent a Conveyance through the
              <lb/>
            Air.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1992" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s1993" xml:space="preserve">I Anſwer, Though we have not, yet </s>
          </p>
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