151139That the Moon may be a World.
Motion.
’Tis uſually Obſerved, that amongſt
the Variety of Birds, thoſe which do moſt
Converſe upon the Earth, and are Swifteſt in
their running, as a Pheaſant, Partridge, & c. to-
gether with all Domeſtical Fowl, are leſs able
for Flight, than others, which are for the moſt
part upon the Wing, as a Swallow, Swift, & c.
and therefore we may well think, that Man
being not naturally endowed with any ſuch
Condition as may enable him for this Motion,
and being neceſſarily tyed to a more eſpecial
Reſidence on the Earth, muſt needs be ſlower
than any Fowl, and leſs able to hold out. Thus
it is alſo in Swimming; which Art, though it
be grown to a good Eminence, yet he that is
beſt skilled in it, is not able, either for conti-
nuance, or ſwiftneſs, to equal a Fiſh; becauſe
he is not naturally appointed to it. So that
though a Man could Fly, yet he would be ſo
ſlow in it, and ſo quickly weary, that he could
never think to reach ſo great a Journey as it is
to the Moon.
the Variety of Birds, thoſe which do moſt
Converſe upon the Earth, and are Swifteſt in
their running, as a Pheaſant, Partridge, & c. to-
gether with all Domeſtical Fowl, are leſs able
for Flight, than others, which are for the moſt
part upon the Wing, as a Swallow, Swift, & c.
and therefore we may well think, that Man
being not naturally endowed with any ſuch
Condition as may enable him for this Motion,
and being neceſſarily tyed to a more eſpecial
Reſidence on the Earth, muſt needs be ſlower
than any Fowl, and leſs able to hold out. Thus
it is alſo in Swimming; which Art, though it
be grown to a good Eminence, yet he that is
beſt skilled in it, is not able, either for conti-
nuance, or ſwiftneſs, to equal a Fiſh; becauſe
he is not naturally appointed to it. So that
though a Man could Fly, yet he would be ſo
ſlow in it, and ſo quickly weary, that he could
never think to reach ſo great a Journey as it is
to the Moon.
But Suppoſe with all, that he could Fly as
Faſt, and Long, as the Swifteſt Bird: yet it
cannot Poſſibly be Conceived, how he ſhould
ever be able to paſs through ſo vaſt a Diſtance
as there is betwixt the Moon\and our Earth.
For this Planet, according to the common
Grounds, is uſually Granted to be at the Leaſt,
52 Semidiameters of the Earth from us. Reck-
oning for each Semidiameter 3456 Engliſh
Miles, of which the whole ſpace will be about
179712.
Faſt, and Long, as the Swifteſt Bird: yet it
cannot Poſſibly be Conceived, how he ſhould
ever be able to paſs through ſo vaſt a Diſtance
as there is betwixt the Moon\and our Earth.
For this Planet, according to the common
Grounds, is uſually Granted to be at the Leaſt,
52 Semidiameters of the Earth from us. Reck-
oning for each Semidiameter 3456 Engliſh
Miles, of which the whole ſpace will be about
179712.
So that though a Man could Conſtantly keep
on in his Journey thither by a Strait
on in his Journey thither by a Strait