123111That the Moon may be a World.
neſs, whereas then he could only ſee ſome
ſmall parts of it; but how much Brighter
would it have appeared if he might in a direct
Line behold the whole Globe of Earth, and
theſe Rays gathered together? So that if we
Conſider that great Light which the Earth re-
ceives from the Sun in the Summer, and then
Supoſe we were in the Moon, where we might
ſee the whole Earth hanging in thoſe vaſt
Spaces, where there is nothing to Terminate
the Sight, but thoſe Beams which are there
Contracted into a little Compaſs; I ſay, if we
do well Conſider this, we may eaſily Conceive
that our Earth appears as Bright to thoſe
other Inhabitants in the Moon, as their doth
to us.
ſmall parts of it; but how much Brighter
would it have appeared if he might in a direct
Line behold the whole Globe of Earth, and
theſe Rays gathered together? So that if we
Conſider that great Light which the Earth re-
ceives from the Sun in the Summer, and then
Supoſe we were in the Moon, where we might
ſee the whole Earth hanging in thoſe vaſt
Spaces, where there is nothing to Terminate
the Sight, but thoſe Beams which are there
Contracted into a little Compaſs; I ſay, if we
do well Conſider this, we may eaſily Conceive
that our Earth appears as Bright to thoſe
other Inhabitants in the Moon, as their doth
to us.
But here it may be Objected, that with us,
for many Days in the Year, the Heavens are ſo
overclouded, that we cannot ſee the Sun at
all, and for the moſt part, in our brighteſt
Days, there are many ſcattered Clouds, which
ſhade the Earth in ſundry Places; ſo that in
this Reſpect, it muſt needs be unlike the
Moon and will not be able to yeild ſo clear,
unintermited a Light, as it Receives from that
Planet;
for many Days in the Year, the Heavens are ſo
overclouded, that we cannot ſee the Sun at
all, and for the moſt part, in our brighteſt
Days, there are many ſcattered Clouds, which
ſhade the Earth in ſundry Places; ſo that in
this Reſpect, it muſt needs be unlike the
Moon and will not be able to yeild ſo clear,
unintermited a Light, as it Receives from that
Planet;
To this I Anſwer.
1.
As for thoſe leſſer brighter Clouds
which for the moſt part are Scattered up and
down in the cleareſt Days, theſe can be no
Reaſon why our Earth ſhould be of a Darker
appearance, becauſe theſeClouds being near un-
to the Earth, and ſo not Diſtinguiſhable at ſo
great a Diſtance from it, and likewiſe being
Illuminated on their back Parts by the
which for the moſt part are Scattered up and
down in the cleareſt Days, theſe can be no
Reaſon why our Earth ſhould be of a Darker
appearance, becauſe theſeClouds being near un-
to the Earth, and ſo not Diſtinguiſhable at ſo
great a Diſtance from it, and likewiſe being
Illuminated on their back Parts by the