1the firſt was tenebrous: whereupon that which happened before
concerning the differences of dayes and nights, touching the
dayes being greater or leſſer than the nights, now falls out quite
contrary. And firſt, we ſee, that whereas in the firſt Figure the
circle I K was wholly in the light, it is now wholly in the dark;
and the oppoſite arch L M is now wholly in the light, which
was before wholly in the dark. Of the parallels between the
grand circle C D, and the Pole A, the ſemidiurnal arches are now
leſſer than the ſeminocturnal, which before were the contrary.
Of the others likewiſe towards the Pole B, the ſemidiurnal
es are now bigger than the ſeminocturnal, the contrary to what
happened in the other poſition of the Earth. We now ſee the
Sun made vertical to the inhabitants of the Tropick G N, and to
be depreſſed towards the South, with thoſe of the Parallel E F,
by all the arch E C G, that is, 47 degrees; and in ſumme, to have
paſſed from one to the other Tropick, traverſing the Equinoctial,
elevating and declining in the Meridians the ſaid ſpace of 47
grees. And all this mutation is derived not from the inclination
or elevation of the Earth, but on the contrary, from its not
clining or elevating at all; and in a word, by continuing always
in the ſame poſition, in reſpect of the Univerſe, onely with
ing about the Sun ſituate iu the midſt of the ſaid plane, in which
it moveth it ſelf about circularly with its annual motion. And
here is to be noted an admirable accident, which is, that like as
the Axis of the Earth conſerving the ſame direction towards the
Univerſe, or we may ſay, towards the higheſt Sphere of the fixed
ſtars, cauſeth the Sun to appear to elevate and incline ſo great a
ſpace, namely, for 47 degrees, and the fixed Stars to incline or
levate nothing at all; ſo, on the contrary, if the ſame Axis of
the Earth ſhould maintain it ſelf continually in the ſame
tion towards the Sun, or, if you will, towards the Axis of the
Zodiack, no mutation would appear to be made in the Sun about
its elevating or declining, whereupon the inhabitants of one and
the ſame place would alwayes have one and the ſame difference
of dayes and nights, and one and the ſame conſtitution of
ſons, that is, ſome alwayes Winter, others alwayes Summer,
others Spring, &c. but, on the contrary, the alterations in the
fixed Stars would appear very great, as touching their elevation,
and inclination to us, which would amount to the ſame 47
grees. For the underſtanding of which let us return to conſider
the poſition of the Earth, in its firſt Figure, where we ſee the
Axis A B, with the ſuperiour Pole A, to incline towards the Sun;
but in its third Figure, the ſame Axis having kept the ſame
ction towards the higheſt Sphere, by keeping parallel to it ſelf,
inclines no longer towards the Sun with its ſuperiour Pole A, but
concerning the differences of dayes and nights, touching the
dayes being greater or leſſer than the nights, now falls out quite
contrary. And firſt, we ſee, that whereas in the firſt Figure the
circle I K was wholly in the light, it is now wholly in the dark;
and the oppoſite arch L M is now wholly in the light, which
was before wholly in the dark. Of the parallels between the
grand circle C D, and the Pole A, the ſemidiurnal arches are now
leſſer than the ſeminocturnal, which before were the contrary.
Of the others likewiſe towards the Pole B, the ſemidiurnal
es are now bigger than the ſeminocturnal, the contrary to what
happened in the other poſition of the Earth. We now ſee the
Sun made vertical to the inhabitants of the Tropick G N, and to
be depreſſed towards the South, with thoſe of the Parallel E F,
by all the arch E C G, that is, 47 degrees; and in ſumme, to have
paſſed from one to the other Tropick, traverſing the Equinoctial,
elevating and declining in the Meridians the ſaid ſpace of 47
grees. And all this mutation is derived not from the inclination
or elevation of the Earth, but on the contrary, from its not
clining or elevating at all; and in a word, by continuing always
in the ſame poſition, in reſpect of the Univerſe, onely with
ing about the Sun ſituate iu the midſt of the ſaid plane, in which
it moveth it ſelf about circularly with its annual motion. And
here is to be noted an admirable accident, which is, that like as
the Axis of the Earth conſerving the ſame direction towards the
Univerſe, or we may ſay, towards the higheſt Sphere of the fixed
ſtars, cauſeth the Sun to appear to elevate and incline ſo great a
ſpace, namely, for 47 degrees, and the fixed Stars to incline or
levate nothing at all; ſo, on the contrary, if the ſame Axis of
the Earth ſhould maintain it ſelf continually in the ſame
tion towards the Sun, or, if you will, towards the Axis of the
Zodiack, no mutation would appear to be made in the Sun about
its elevating or declining, whereupon the inhabitants of one and
the ſame place would alwayes have one and the ſame difference
of dayes and nights, and one and the ſame conſtitution of
ſons, that is, ſome alwayes Winter, others alwayes Summer,
others Spring, &c. but, on the contrary, the alterations in the
fixed Stars would appear very great, as touching their elevation,
and inclination to us, which would amount to the ſame 47
grees. For the underſtanding of which let us return to conſider
the poſition of the Earth, in its firſt Figure, where we ſee the
Axis A B, with the ſuperiour Pole A, to incline towards the Sun;
but in its third Figure, the ſame Axis having kept the ſame
ction towards the higheſt Sphere, by keeping parallel to it ſelf,
inclines no longer towards the Sun with its ſuperiour Pole A, but