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

< >
< >
page |< < (147) of 370 > >|
    <echo version="1.0RC">
      <text xml:lang="en" type="free">
        <div xml:id="echoid-div155" type="section" level="1" n="43">
          <pb o="147" file="0159" n="159" rhead="That the Moon may be a World."/>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2153" xml:space="preserve">1. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2154" xml:space="preserve">When a Man is in the bottom of a deep
              <lb/>
            River, tho’ he have over him a multitude of
              <lb/>
            heavy Waters, yet he is not burdened with
              <lb/>
            the weight of them. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2155" xml:space="preserve">And though another Bo-
              <lb/>
            dy, that ſhould be but of an equal Gravity,
              <lb/>
            with theſe Waters, when they are taken out,
              <lb/>
            would be heavy enough to preſs him to death;
              <lb/>
            </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2156" xml:space="preserve">yet notwithſtanding whilſt they are in the
              <lb/>
            Channel, they do not in the leaſt manner cruſh
              <lb/>
            him with their Load. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2157" xml:space="preserve">The reaſon is, becauſe
              <lb/>
            they are both in their right places; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2158" xml:space="preserve">and ’tis
              <lb/>
            proper for the Man being the more condenſed
              <lb/>
            Body, to be lower than the Waters. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2159" xml:space="preserve">or ra-
              <lb/>
            ther thus, becauſe the body of the Man does
              <lb/>
            more nearly agree with the Earth, in this affe-
              <lb/>
            ction, which is the ground of its attraction,
              <lb/>
            and therefore doth more ſtrongly attract it,
              <lb/>
            than the waters that are over it. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2160" xml:space="preserve">Now, as in
              <lb/>
            ſuch a caſe, a body may loſe the Operation
              <lb/>
            of its Gravity, which is, to move, or to preſs
              <lb/>
            downwards: </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2161" xml:space="preserve">So may it likewiſe, when it is
              <lb/>
            ſo far out of its place, that this attractive
              <lb/>
            Power cannot reach unto it.</s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2162" xml:space="preserve"/>
          </p>
          <p>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2163" xml:space="preserve">’Tis a pretty Notion to this purpoſe, menti-
              <lb/>
            oned by Albertus de Saxonia, and out of him
              <lb/>
              <note symbol="*" position="right" xlink:label="note-0159-01" xlink:href="note-0159-01a" xml:space="preserve">Phyſ. l. 3.
                <lb/>
              Q. 6. art. 2.</note>
            by Francis Mendoca; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2164" xml:space="preserve">that the Air is in ſome
              <lb/>
              <note symbol="*" position="right" xlink:label="note-0159-02" xlink:href="note-0159-02a" xml:space="preserve">Viridar.
                <lb/>
              l. 4. Prob.
                <lb/>
              47.</note>
            part of it Navigable. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2165" xml:space="preserve">And that upon this Sta-
              <lb/>
            tick Principle; </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2166" xml:space="preserve">any Braſs or Iron Veſſel (ſup-
              <lb/>
            poſe a Kettle) whoſe ſubſtance is much hea-
              <lb/>
            vier than that of the Water, yet being filled
              <lb/>
              <note position="right" xlink:label="note-0159-03" xlink:href="note-0159-03a" xml:space="preserve">Vide Arch.
                <lb/>
              l. de inſi-
                <lb/>
              dentibus.
                <lb/>
              bumido.</note>
            with the lighter Air, it will ſwim upon it, and
              <lb/>
            not ſink. </s>
            <s xml:id="echoid-s2167" xml:space="preserve">So ſuppoſe a Cup, or Wooden Veſ-
              <lb/>
            ſel, upon the outward borders of this Elemen-
              <lb/>
            tary Air, the Cavity of it being filled with
              <lb/>
            Fire, or rather Æthereal Air, it muſt </s>
          </p>
        </div>
      </text>
    </echo>