Foscarini, Paolo Antonio, An epistle to fantoni, 1661

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              ſelves, aud by their own nature, as the Sun, that derives not its
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              light from others (which yet remains undecided and doubtful)
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              and borrow not their light from the Sun; Nevertheleſs ſince the
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              brightneſs of none of the ſtars may be compared with the Suns
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              ſplendour, which was created by God firſt, and before all other
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              Luminaries, in the higheſt kind of Light, it would therefore
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              notwithſtanding follow, that none of thoſe ſtars, although pla­
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              ced in the ſame proximity to us with the Sun, and therefore ap­
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              pearing to us of the ſame Magnitude as the Sun, can beſtow up­
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              on us ſo much Light as we receive from the Sun: As on the
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              contrary, the Sun, at the ſame remoteneſſe from us as they are,
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              would indeed, as to its Magnitude, appear to us as one of thoſe
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              ſtars, but of a ſplendour much more
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              intenſe
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              than that of theirs.
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                <arrow.to.target n="marg891"/>
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              So that, now, the Earth is nothing elſe but another Moon or ſtar,
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              and ſo would it appear to us, if we ſhould behold it from a con­
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              venient diſtance
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              on high.
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              And in it might be obſerved (in that
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              variety of Light and Darkneſs which the Sun produceth in it by
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              making Day and Night) the ſame difference of Aſpects that are
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              ſeen in the Moon, and ſuch as are obſerved in tricorporate
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              Ve­
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              nus
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              ; in like manner alſo 'tis very probable that the ſame might
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              be diſcerned in other Planets, which ſhine by no light of their
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              own, but by one borrowed from the Sun. </s>
              <s>What ever there­
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              fore may touching theſe matters be delivered in the ſacred Leaves
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              or the common ſpeech of men, diſſenting from the real truth, it
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              ought (as we have ſaid before) abſolutely to be received and un­
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              derſtood
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              ſecundum vulgi ſententiam, & communem loquendi &
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              concipiendi ſtylum.
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            <p type="margin">
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              Which are really
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              the great Lights
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              in Heaven.
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              </s>
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            <p type="margin">
              <s>
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              The Sun, Moon,
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              and Stars are one
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              & the ſame thing.
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              </s>
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            <p type="margin">
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              The Earth is a­
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              nother Moon or
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              Star.
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              </s>
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              <s>And ſo, to return to our purpoſe, if, all this conſidered, the
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              Pythagorian
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              opinion be true, it will be eaſie, according to the
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              ſame Rule, to reconcile the authority of ſacred Scriptures with
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              it, however they ſeem to oppoſe it, and in particular thoſe of the
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              firſt and ſecond Claſſis,
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              ſcilicet
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              by my firſt
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              Maxime:
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              For that in
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              thoſe places the holy Records ſpeak according to our manner of
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              underſtanding, and according to that which appeareth in reſpect
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              of us;
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              For thus it is with thoſe Bodies, in compariſon of us, and
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                <arrow.to.target n="marg892"/>
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              as they are deſcribed by the vulgar and commune way of humane
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              Diſcourſe; So that the Earth appears as if it were ſtanding ſtill
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              and immoveable, and the Sun, as if it were circumambient about
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              her.
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              And ſo the Holy Scripture is uſed in the Commune and
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              Vulgar way of ſpeaking; becauſe in reſpect of our ſight, the
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              Earth ſeems rather to ſtand fixed in the Centre, and the Sun to
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              circumvolve about it, than otherwiſe: as it happens to thoſe that
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              are putting off from the Banks of a River to whom the ſhose
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              ſeems to move backwards, and go from them: but they do not
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              perceive (which yet is the truth) that they themſelves go forwards. </s>
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          </chap>
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