The Surface of the Moon then is found, by the leaſt Teleſcopes of about three or four Foot, to be diverſified with long Tracts of Mountains, and again with broad Valleys. For in thoſe Parts oppoſite to the Sun you may ſee the Shadows of the Mountains, and often diſcover the little round Valleys between them, with a Hillock or two perhaps riſing out of them. Kepler from the exact roundneſs of them would prove that they are ſome vaſt work of the rational Inhabitants. But I can’t be of his mind, both for their incredible Largeneſs, and that they might eaſily be occaſioned by natural Cauſes. Nor can I find any thing like Sea there, tho’ he and many others are of the contrary Opinion I know. For thoſe vaſt Countries which appear darker than the other, commonly taken for and called by the Names of Seas, are diſcover’d with a good long Teleſcope, to be full of little round Cavities; whoſe Shadow falling within themſelves, makes them appear of that Colour: and thoſe large Champains there in the Moon you will find not to be always even and ſmooth, if you look carefully upon them: neither of which two [But no Sea.] Things can agree to the Sea. Therefore thoſe Plains in her that ſeem brighter than the other Parts, muſt conſiſt, I ſuppoſe, of a whiter ſort of Matter than they. Nor do I believe [Nor Rivers.] that there are any Rivers, for if there were, they could never eſcape our Sight, eſpecially if they run between the Hills as ours do. Nor have they [Nor Clouds.] any Clouds to furniſh the Rivers with Water: For if they had, we ſhould ſometimes ſee one part of the Moon darkened by them, and ſometimes another, whereas we have always the ſame Proſpect of her. [Nor Air, and Water.] ’Tis certain moreover, that the Moon has no Air or Atmoſphere ſurrounding it as we have. For then we could never ſee the very outermoſt Rim of the Moon ſo exactly as we do, when any Star goes under it, but its Light would terminate in a gradual faint Shade, and there would be a ſort of a Down as it were about it; not to mention that the Vapours of our Atmoſphere conſiſt of Water, and conſequently that where there are no Seas or Rivers, there can be no Atmoſphere. This is that notable difference between the Moon and us that hinders all probable Conjectures about it. If we could but once be ſure that there were Seas and Rivers in it, it would be no weak Argument to prove that it has alſo all other Furniture which belongs to our Earth, and the Opinion of Xenophanes might be true, that it has its Inhabitants, Cities, and Mountains. But as ’tis, I cannot imagine how any Plants or Animals, whole whole nouriſhment comes from liquid Bodies, can thrive in a dry, waterleſs, parch’d Soil. [The Conjecture of its Plants and Animals very dubious.]