1underſtood what thoſe mutations are, and amongſt what ſtars
they ſhould be diſcerned; therefore it would be neceſſary that
we in the next place narrowly examine this particular. My
ving onely found written in general terms that the annual
on of the Earth about the Grand Orb, ought not to be
ted, becauſe it is not probable but that by means of the ſame
there would be diſcoverd ſome apparent mutation in the fixed
ſtars, and not hearing ſay what thoſe apparent mutations ought to
be in particular, and in what ſtars, maketh me very reaſonably
to infer that they who rely upon that general poſition, have not
underſtood, no nor poſſibly endeavoured to underſtand, how
the buſineſſe of theſe mutations goeth, nor what things thoſe
are which they ſay ought to be ſeen. And to this judgment I am
the rather induced, knowing that the annual motion aſcribed
by Copernicus to the Earth, if it ſhould appear ſenſible in the
Starry Sphere, is not to make apparent mutations equal in
ſpect to all the ſtars, but thoſe appearances ought to be made
in ſome greater, in others leſſer, and in others yet leſſer; and
laſtly, in others abſolutely nothing at all, by reaſon of the
vaſt magnitude that the circle of this annual motion is ſuppoſed
to be of. As for the mutations that ſhould b ſeen, they are of
two kinds, one is the ſaid ſtars changing apparent magnitude,
and the other their variation of altitudes in the Meridian. Upon
which neceſſarily followeth the mutation of riſings and ſettings,
and of their diſtances from the Zenith, &c.
they ſhould be diſcerned; therefore it would be neceſſary that
we in the next place narrowly examine this particular. My
ving onely found written in general terms that the annual
on of the Earth about the Grand Orb, ought not to be
ted, becauſe it is not probable but that by means of the ſame
there would be diſcoverd ſome apparent mutation in the fixed
ſtars, and not hearing ſay what thoſe apparent mutations ought to
be in particular, and in what ſtars, maketh me very reaſonably
to infer that they who rely upon that general poſition, have not
underſtood, no nor poſſibly endeavoured to underſtand, how
the buſineſſe of theſe mutations goeth, nor what things thoſe
are which they ſay ought to be ſeen. And to this judgment I am
the rather induced, knowing that the annual motion aſcribed
by Copernicus to the Earth, if it ſhould appear ſenſible in the
Starry Sphere, is not to make apparent mutations equal in
ſpect to all the ſtars, but thoſe appearances ought to be made
in ſome greater, in others leſſer, and in others yet leſſer; and
laſtly, in others abſolutely nothing at all, by reaſon of the
vaſt magnitude that the circle of this annual motion is ſuppoſed
to be of. As for the mutations that ſhould b ſeen, they are of
two kinds, one is the ſaid ſtars changing apparent magnitude,
and the other their variation of altitudes in the Meridian. Upon
which neceſſarily followeth the mutation of riſings and ſettings,
and of their diſtances from the Zenith, &c.
Enquiry is made
what mutations, &
in what ſtars, are to
be diſcovered, by
means of the
nual motion of the
Earth.
what mutations, &
in what ſtars, are to
be diſcovered, by
means of the
nual motion of the
Earth.
Aſtronomers
ving omitted to
ſtance what
rations thoſe are
that may be
ved from the
nual motion of the
Earth, do thereby
teſtifie that they
never rightly
derſtood the ſame.
ving omitted to
ſtance what
rations thoſe are
that may be
ved from the
nual motion of the
Earth, do thereby
teſtifie that they
never rightly
derſtood the ſame.
The mutations
of the fixed ſtars
ought to be in ſome
greater, in others
leſſer, and in others
nothing at all.
of the fixed ſtars
ought to be in ſome
greater, in others
leſſer, and in others
nothing at all.
SAGR. Methinks I ſee preparing for me ſuch a skean of theſe
revolutions, that I wiſh it may never be my task to diſ-intangle
them, for to confeſſe my infirmity to Salviatus, I have
times thought thereon, but could never find the ^{*} Lay-band of
it, and I ſpeak not ſo much of this which pertains to the fixed
ſtars, as of another more terrible labour which you bring to my
remembrance by maintaining theſe Meridian Altitudes, Ortive
Latitudes and diſtances from the Vertex, &c. And that which
puzzleth my brains, ariſeth from what I am now about to tell
you. Copernicus ſuppoſeth the Starry Sphere immoveable, and
the Sun in the centre thereof immoveable alſo. Therefore
ry mutation which ſeemeth unto us to be made in the Sun or in
the fixed ſtars, muſt of neceſſity befall the Earth and be ous.
But the Sun riſeth and declineth in our Meridian by a very great
arch of almoſt 47. degrees, and by arches yet greater and
greatet, varieth its Ortive and Occidual Latitudes in the oblique
Horizons. Now how can the Earth ever incline and elevate ſo
notably to the Sun, and nothing at all to the fixed ſtars, or ſo
little, that it is not to be perceived? This is that knot which
could never get thorow my ^{*} Loom-Combe; and if you ſhall
revolutions, that I wiſh it may never be my task to diſ-intangle
them, for to confeſſe my infirmity to Salviatus, I have
times thought thereon, but could never find the ^{*} Lay-band of
it, and I ſpeak not ſo much of this which pertains to the fixed
ſtars, as of another more terrible labour which you bring to my
remembrance by maintaining theſe Meridian Altitudes, Ortive
Latitudes and diſtances from the Vertex, &c. And that which
puzzleth my brains, ariſeth from what I am now about to tell
you. Copernicus ſuppoſeth the Starry Sphere immoveable, and
the Sun in the centre thereof immoveable alſo. Therefore
ry mutation which ſeemeth unto us to be made in the Sun or in
the fixed ſtars, muſt of neceſſity befall the Earth and be ous.
But the Sun riſeth and declineth in our Meridian by a very great
arch of almoſt 47. degrees, and by arches yet greater and
greatet, varieth its Ortive and Occidual Latitudes in the oblique
Horizons. Now how can the Earth ever incline and elevate ſo
notably to the Sun, and nothing at all to the fixed ſtars, or ſo
little, that it is not to be perceived? This is that knot which
could never get thorow my ^{*} Loom-Combe; and if you ſhall