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

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

[41.] PROP. XII.

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[42.] PROP. XIII.

Page: 136 (124)

[43.] PROP. XIV.

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[44.] FINIS.

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[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.

[51.] PROP. IV.

[52.] PROP. V.

[53.] PROP. VI.

[54.] PROP. VII. PROP. VIII. PROP. IX. PROP. X.

[55.] That the EARTH May be a PLANET. PROP. I.

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[56.] PROP. II.

[57.] PROP. III.

[58.] PROP. IV.

[59.] PROP. V. That the Scripture, in its proper conſtru-ction, does not any where affirm the Immobility of the Earth.

[60.] PROP. VI. That there is not any Argument from the Words of Scripture, Principles of Na-ture, or Obſervations in Aſtronomy, which can ſuſſiciently evidence the Earth to be in the Gentre of the Uni-verſe.

[61.] PROP. VII. Tis probable that the Sun is in the Gentre of the World.

[62.] PROP. VIII. That there is not any ſufficient reaſon to prove the Earth incapable of thoſe mo-tions which Copernicus aſcribes un-to it.

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[63.] Provebimur portu, terræque, verbeſq; recedunt.

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[64.] PROP. IX. That it is more probable the Earth does move, than the Sun or Heavens.

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[65.] PROP. X. That this Hypotheſis is exactly agreeable to common appearances.

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[66.] Quicunq; ſolam mente præcipiti petit

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[67.] Brevem replere non valentis ambitum, # Pudebit aucti nominis.

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[68.] FINIS.

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9987That the Moon may be a World. and the Sun on the other ſide of her, then like-
wiſe may we Diſcover theſe brighter Parts
caſting their ſhadows Weſtward. Whereas in
the full Moon there are none of all theſe to be
feen.

But it may be Objected, that ’tis almoſt Im-
poſſible, and altogether Unlikely, that in the
Moon there ſhould be any Mountains ſo high,
as thoſe Obſervations make them. For do but
Suppoſe, according to the common Principles,
that the Moons Diameter unto the Earths, is
very neer to the Proportion of 2 to 7. Suppoſe
withall that theEarthsDiameter contains about
7000. Italian Miles, and the Moons 2000. (as is
commonly granted.) Now Galilæus hath Ob-
ſerved, that ſome parts have been Enlightned,
when they were the Twentieth part of the Di-
ameter diſtant from the common term of Illu-
mination. From whence, it muſt neceſſarily
follow, that there may be ſome Mountains in
the Moon, ſo high, that they are Able to caſt a
ſhadow a 100 Miles off. An opinion that ſounds
like a Prodigy or a Fiction, wherefore ’tis likely
that either thoſe Appearances are cauſed by
ſomewhat elſe beſides Mountains, or elſe thoſe
are fallibleObſervations, from whence may fol-
low ſuch Improbable, Inconceiveable Conſe-
quences.

But to this I anſwer:

1. You muſt Conſider the height of the
Mountains is but very little, if you compare
them to the Length of their ſhadows. Sir Walter
11Hiſt. l. 1.c.
7. Sect. 11. Rawleigh Obſerves, that the Mount Atbos, now
called Lacas, caſt its ſhadow 300 Furlongs, which
is above 37 Miles; and yet that Mount is

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