1abundance, and therefore more grave, drive back the Waters
of leſſe depth, which being afterwards raiſed, deſire to
ſcend, and from this continual colluctation or conteſt proceeds
the ebbing and flowing. Again thoſe that referre the ſame to the
Moon are many, ſaying that ſhe hath particular Dominion over
the Water; and at laſt a certain Prelate hath publiſhed a little
Treatiſe, wher in he ſaith that the Moon wandering too and
fro in the Heavens attracteth and draweth towards it a Maſſe of
Water, which goeth continually following it, ſo that it is full Sea
alwayes in that part which lyeth under the Moon; and becauſe,
that though ſhe be under the Horizon, yet nevertheleſſe the Tide
returneth, he ſaith that no more can be ſaid for the ſalving of that
particular, ſave onely, that the Moon doth not onely naturally
retain this faculty in her ſelf; but in this caſe hath power to
fer it upon that degree of the Zodiack that is oppoſite unto it.
Others, as I believe you know, do ſay that the Moon is able
with her temperate heat to rarefie the Water, which being
refied, doth thereupon flow. Nor hath there been wanting ſome
that ----
of leſſe depth, which being afterwards raiſed, deſire to
ſcend, and from this continual colluctation or conteſt proceeds
the ebbing and flowing. Again thoſe that referre the ſame to the
Moon are many, ſaying that ſhe hath particular Dominion over
the Water; and at laſt a certain Prelate hath publiſhed a little
Treatiſe, wher in he ſaith that the Moon wandering too and
fro in the Heavens attracteth and draweth towards it a Maſſe of
Water, which goeth continually following it, ſo that it is full Sea
alwayes in that part which lyeth under the Moon; and becauſe,
that though ſhe be under the Horizon, yet nevertheleſſe the Tide
returneth, he ſaith that no more can be ſaid for the ſalving of that
particular, ſave onely, that the Moon doth not onely naturally
retain this faculty in her ſelf; but in this caſe hath power to
fer it upon that degree of the Zodiack that is oppoſite unto it.
Others, as I believe you know, do ſay that the Moon is able
with her temperate heat to rarefie the Water, which being
refied, doth thereupon flow. Nor hath there been wanting ſome
that ----
The cauſe of the
abbing and flowing
alledged by a
tain modern
loſopher.
abbing and flowing
alledged by a
tain modern
loſopher.
The cauſe of
the ebbing and
flowing aſcribed to
the Moon by a
certain Prelate.
the ebbing and
flowing aſcribed to
the Moon by a
certain Prelate.
Hieronymus
rius and other
ripateticks refer it
to the temperate
heat of the Moon.
rius and other
ripateticks refer it
to the temperate
heat of the Moon.
SAGR. I pray you Simplicius let us hear no more of them,
for I do not think it is worth the while to waſt time in relating
them, or to ſpend our breath in confuting them; and for your
part, if you gave your aſſent to any of theſe or the like
ries, you did a great injury to your judgment, which
leſſe I acknowledg to be very piercing.
for I do not think it is worth the while to waſt time in relating
them, or to ſpend our breath in confuting them; and for your
part, if you gave your aſſent to any of theſe or the like
ries, you did a great injury to your judgment, which
leſſe I acknowledg to be very piercing.
SALV. But I that am a little more flegmatick than you, Sagre-
dus, will ſpend a few words in favour of Simplicius, if haply
he thinks that any probability is to be found in thoſe things that
he hath related. I ſay therefore: The Waters, Simplicius, that
have their exteriour ſuperficies higher, repel thoſe that are
riour to them, and lower; but ſo do not thoſe Waters that are
of greateſt profundity; and the higher having once driven back
the lower, they in a ſhort time grow quiet and ^{*} level. This
your Peripatetick muſt needs be of an opinion, that all the Lakes
in the World that are in a calme, and that all the Seas where
the ebbing and flowing is inſenſible, are level in their bottoms;
but I was ſo ſimple, that I perſwaded my ſelf that had we no
ther plummet to ſound with, the Iſles that advance ſo high
bove Water, had been a ſufficient evidence of the unevenneſſe
of their bottomes. To that Prelate I could ſay that the Moon
runneth every day along the whole Mediterrane, and yet its
Waters do not riſe thereupon ſave onely in the very extream
bounds of it Eaſtward, and here to us at Venice. And for thoſe
that make the Moons temperate heat able to make the Water
ſwell, bid them put fire under a Kettle full of Water, and hold
dus, will ſpend a few words in favour of Simplicius, if haply
he thinks that any probability is to be found in thoſe things that
he hath related. I ſay therefore: The Waters, Simplicius, that
have their exteriour ſuperficies higher, repel thoſe that are
riour to them, and lower; but ſo do not thoſe Waters that are
of greateſt profundity; and the higher having once driven back
the lower, they in a ſhort time grow quiet and ^{*} level. This
your Peripatetick muſt needs be of an opinion, that all the Lakes
in the World that are in a calme, and that all the Seas where
the ebbing and flowing is inſenſible, are level in their bottoms;
but I was ſo ſimple, that I perſwaded my ſelf that had we no
ther plummet to ſound with, the Iſles that advance ſo high
bove Water, had been a ſufficient evidence of the unevenneſſe
of their bottomes. To that Prelate I could ſay that the Moon
runneth every day along the whole Mediterrane, and yet its
Waters do not riſe thereupon ſave onely in the very extream
bounds of it Eaſtward, and here to us at Venice. And for thoſe
that make the Moons temperate heat able to make the Water
ſwell, bid them put fire under a Kettle full of Water, and hold
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