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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172160That the Moon may be a World. later Chapter did unwittingly agree with it) there is de-
liver’d a pleaſant and well contriv’d Fancy concerning a
Voyage to this other World.
He ſuppoſeth that there is a natural and uſual paſſage
for many creatures betwixt our Earth and this Planet.
Thus
he ſays;
thoſe great multitudes of Locuſts wherewith
divers Countries have been deſtroyed, do proceed from
thence.
And if we peruſe the Authors who treat of them,
we ſhall find that many times they fly in numberleſs
Troops, or Swarms, and for ſundry days together before
they fall, are ſeen over thoſe places in great high Clouds,
fuch as coming nearer, are of extenſion enough to obſcure
the day, and hinder the light of the Sun.
From which,
together with divers other ſuch Relations, he concludes, that
’tis not altogether improbable, they ſhould proceed from
the Moon.
Thus likewiſe he ſuppoſes the Swallows,
Cuckoes, Nightingales, with divers other Fowl, which are
with us only half a year, to fly up thither, when they go
from us.
Amongſt which kind, there is a wild Swan in
the Eaſt Indies, which at certain Seaſons of the year do
conſtantly take their flight thither.
Now this Bird being
of a great Strength, able to continue for a long Flight;
as alſo going uſually in Flocks, like our Wild Geeſe; he
ſuppoſeth that many of them together, might be thought
to carry the weight of a Man;
eſpecially, if an Engine
were ſo contriv’d (as he thinks it might) that each of them
ſhould bear an equal ſhare in the burden.
So that by this
means, ’tis eaſily conceivable, how once a year a man might
finiſh ſuch Voyage;
going along with theſe Birds at the
beginning of Winter, and again returning with them at
the Spring.
And here, one that had a ſtrong Fancy, were better able
to ſet forth the great benefit and Pleaſure to be had by ſuch
a Journey.
And that whether you conſider the ſtrangeneſs
of the Perſons, Language, Art, Policy, Religion of thoſe
Inhabitants, together with the new Traffick that might be
brought thence, In brief, do but conſider the pleaſure
and profit of thoſe later Diſcoveries in America, and we
muſt needs conclude this to be inconceiveably beyond it.
But ſuch Imaginations as theſc, I ſhall leave to the Fancy
of the Reader.
----------- Sic itur ad aſtra.
Reptet humi quicunque velit -------------
Cœlo reſtat iter, cœlo tentabimus ire.
FINIS.

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