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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[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.
[41.] PROP. XII.
[42.] PROP. XIII.
[43.] PROP. XIV.
[44.] FINIS.
[45.] A DISCOURSE Concerning a Rem Planet. Tending to prove That ’tis probable our EARTH is one of the PLANETS. The Second Book. By John Wilkins, late L. Biſhop of Cheſter.
[46.] LONDON: Printed by J. D. for John Gellibrand, at the Golden Ball in St. Paul’s Church-Yard. M.DC.LXXXIV.
[47.] To the Reader.
[48.] PROP. I.
[49.] PROP. II.
[50.] PROP. III.
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5240That the Moon may be a World.
For the better Illuſtration oſ this, we may
conſider ſeveral ways whereby divers Bodies
are enlightned.
Either as Water, by admit-
ting the Beams into its Subſtance;
or as Air
and thin Clouds, by Tranſmitting their Rays
quite thorow their Bodies;
or as thoſe things
which are of an Opacous Nature, and ſmooth
Superficies, which reflect the Light only in
one place;
or elſe, as thoſe things which are
of an Opacous Nature, and Rugged Superſi-
cies, which by a kind of Circumfluous Re-
flexion, are at the ſame time Diſcernable in
many places, as our Earth, and the Moon.
2. It is Compact, and not a Spungey and
112 Porous Subſtance.
But this is denyed by (a)
Diogenes, (b) Vitellio, (c) Reinoldus, and ſome
22a Plut. de
pla. phil.
l. 2. c. 13.
b Opt.lib.4.
c Com. Pur-
bac. Theo.p.
164.
other, who held the Moon to be of the ſame
kind of Nature as a Pumice-Sone;
and this,
ſay they, is the reaſon why in the Suns Eclipſes
there appears within her a duskiſh ruddy Co-
lour, becauſe the Sun Beams being Refracted
in paſſing through the Pores of her Body, muſt
neceſſarily be Repreſented under ſuch a Co-
lour.
But I Reply, if this be the Cauſe of her
Redneſs, then why doth ſhe not appear under
the ſame Form when ſhe is about a Sextile Aſ-
pect, and the Darkned part of her Body is
Diſcernable?
for then alſo do the ſame Rays
paſs through Her, and therefore in all likely-
hood ſhould produce the ſame Effect;
and
notwithſtanding thoſeBeams are then diverted
from us, that they cannot enter into our Eyes
by a ſtraight Line, yet muſt the Colour ſtill
remain Viſible in her Body.
And beſides,

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