153That the Moon may be a World.
Truth, which they themſelves were not the
firſt Inventors of. So that I may juſtly expect
to be accuſed of a Pragmatical Ignorance, and
bold Oſtentation; eſpecially ſince for this O-
pinion, Xenophanes, a Man whoſe Authority
was able to add ſome Credit to his Aſſertion,
could not eſcape the like Cenſure from others.
For Natales Comes ſpeaking of that Philoſo-
pher, and this his Opinion, ſaith thus, Nonnulli
11Mytholog.
lib. 3. c. 17 ne nihil ſciſſe videantur, aliqua nova monſtr a in
Philoſophiam introducunt, ut alicujus rei inven-
tores fuiſſe apparent. ‘Some there are, who leſt
‘ they might ſeem to know nothing, will bring
‘ up monſtrous abſurdities in Philoſophy, that
‘ ſo afterward they may be famed for the In-
‘ vention of ſomewhat. The ſame Author
doth alſo in another place accuſe Anaxagoras
of Folly for the ſame Opinion. Eſt enim non
22Lib. 7. c. 1 ignobilis gradus ſtultitiæ, vel ſineſcias quid dicas,
tamen velle de rebus propoſitis hanc vell illam par-
tem ſtabilire. ’Tis none of the worſt kinds of
Folly, boldly to affirm one ſide or other when
a Man knows not what to ſay.
firſt Inventors of. So that I may juſtly expect
to be accuſed of a Pragmatical Ignorance, and
bold Oſtentation; eſpecially ſince for this O-
pinion, Xenophanes, a Man whoſe Authority
was able to add ſome Credit to his Aſſertion,
could not eſcape the like Cenſure from others.
For Natales Comes ſpeaking of that Philoſo-
pher, and this his Opinion, ſaith thus, Nonnulli
11Mytholog.
lib. 3. c. 17 ne nihil ſciſſe videantur, aliqua nova monſtr a in
Philoſophiam introducunt, ut alicujus rei inven-
tores fuiſſe apparent. ‘Some there are, who leſt
‘ they might ſeem to know nothing, will bring
‘ up monſtrous abſurdities in Philoſophy, that
‘ ſo afterward they may be famed for the In-
‘ vention of ſomewhat. The ſame Author
doth alſo in another place accuſe Anaxagoras
of Folly for the ſame Opinion. Eſt enim non
22Lib. 7. c. 1 ignobilis gradus ſtultitiæ, vel ſineſcias quid dicas,
tamen velle de rebus propoſitis hanc vell illam par-
tem ſtabilire. ’Tis none of the worſt kinds of
Folly, boldly to affirm one ſide or other when
a Man knows not what to ſay.
If theſe Men were thus cenſur’d, I may juſt-
ly expect to be derided of moſt, and to be be-
lieved by few or none; eſpecially ſince this
Opinion ſeems to carry in it ſo much ſtrange-
neſs, and contradiction to the general conſent
of others. But however, I am reſolved that
this ſhall not be any diſcouragement, ſince I
know that it is not common Opinion that can
either add or detract from the Truth. For,
ly expect to be derided of moſt, and to be be-
lieved by few or none; eſpecially ſince this
Opinion ſeems to carry in it ſo much ſtrange-
neſs, and contradiction to the general conſent
of others. But however, I am reſolved that
this ſhall not be any diſcouragement, ſince I
know that it is not common Opinion that can
either add or detract from the Truth. For,
1.
Other Truths have been formerly eſtee-
med altogether as ridiculous as this can be.
med altogether as ridiculous as this can be.