In our way to the house, to give her a complete history of systems, I told her that a third had been invented by Ticho Brahe, who, from a determination to keep the earth in a state of rest, placed her in the centre of the universe, making the sun revolve round her, and the planets round the sun; for in consequence of some discoveries which had been lately made, he found it impossible to make the planets go round the earth. The Marchioness, with her usual discernment, concluded that it was mere whim to exempt the earth from moving round the sun, when so many other larger bodies were allowed to perform the revolution; that the sun was rendered more unfit for turning round the earth when incumbered with the other planets, and in short that this system was only calculated to support a prejudice in favour of the earth's immobility,[18] without offering any thing to convince the judgment; we therefore resolved to retain that of Copernicus, which is more uniform and pleasing, and at the same time unmixed with prejudice. In fact its simplicity convinces, whilst its boldness excites admiration. [Footnote 18: The ridiculous system of Ticho was invented out of respect to the holy scriptures, not considering that their object was more important than the refutation of popular errors on natural philosophy.] ═══════════ _SECOND EVENING._ ═══════════ THE MOON IS A HABITABLE GLOBE. ═══════════