5139That the Moon may be a World.
agreed on by the General Conſent of the moſt,
and the beſt Philoſophers.
and the beſt Philoſophers.
1.
It is Solid, in Opoſition to Fluid, as is the
Air; for how otherwiſe could it beat back
the Light which it receives from the Sun?
Air; for how otherwiſe could it beat back
the Light which it receives from the Sun?
But here it may be Queſtioned, whether
or no the Moon beſtow her light upon us, by
the Reflection of the Sun-beams from the Su-
perficies of her Body, or elſe by her own illu-
mination? Some there are who affirm this
11a De Cælo
l. 2.com.49.
b Ante le-
ction.li. 20.
c. 4.
c De pbæ-
nom. Lunæ
c. II. latter part. So (a) Averroes, (b) Gælius Rho-
diginus, (c) Fulius Gæſar & c. And their Rea-
ſon is, becauſe this Light is diſcern'd in many
Places, whereas thoſe Bodies which give
Light by Reflexion, can there only be percei-
ved where the Angel of Reflexion is Equal
to the Angel of Incidence, and this is only in
one place, as in a Looking Glaſs, thoſe Beams
which are reflected from it, cannot be percei-
ved in every place where you may ſee the
Glaſs, but only there where your Eye is pla-
ced on the ſame Line whereon the Beams are
Reſlected.
or no the Moon beſtow her light upon us, by
the Reflection of the Sun-beams from the Su-
perficies of her Body, or elſe by her own illu-
mination? Some there are who affirm this
11a De Cælo
l. 2.com.49.
b Ante le-
ction.li. 20.
c. 4.
c De pbæ-
nom. Lunæ
c. II. latter part. So (a) Averroes, (b) Gælius Rho-
diginus, (c) Fulius Gæſar & c. And their Rea-
ſon is, becauſe this Light is diſcern'd in many
Places, whereas thoſe Bodies which give
Light by Reflexion, can there only be percei-
ved where the Angel of Reflexion is Equal
to the Angel of Incidence, and this is only in
one place, as in a Looking Glaſs, thoſe Beams
which are reflected from it, cannot be percei-
ved in every place where you may ſee the
Glaſs, but only there where your Eye is pla-
ced on the ſame Line whereon the Beams are
Reſlected.
But to this I anſwer, That the Argument
will not hold of ſuch Bodies, whoſe Superfi-
cies, is full of Unequal parts and Giboſities
as the Moon is. Wherefore ’tis as well the
more probable, as the more common Opini-
on, that her Light proceeds from both theſe
Cauſes, from Reflexion and Illumination;
nor doth it herein differ from our Earth, ſince
that alſo hath ſome Light by Illumination:
for how otherwiſe would the Parts about us
in a Sun-ſhine Day appear ſo Bright, when as
the Rays of Reflexion cannot Enter into our
Eye?
will not hold of ſuch Bodies, whoſe Superfi-
cies, is full of Unequal parts and Giboſities
as the Moon is. Wherefore ’tis as well the
more probable, as the more common Opini-
on, that her Light proceeds from both theſe
Cauſes, from Reflexion and Illumination;
nor doth it herein differ from our Earth, ſince
that alſo hath ſome Light by Illumination:
for how otherwiſe would the Parts about us
in a Sun-ſhine Day appear ſo Bright, when as
the Rays of Reflexion cannot Enter into our
Eye?
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