But that whole Myſtery is nothing but an idle Dream taken from Pythagoras or Plato’s Philoſophy. And the Author himſelf acknowledges that the Proportions do not agree ſo well as they ſhould, and is fain to invent two or three very ſilly Excuſes for it. And he uſes yet poorer Arguments to prove that the Univerſe is of a ſpherical Figure, and that the Number of the Stars muſt neceſſarily be finite, becauſe the Magnitude of each of them is ſo. But what is worſt of all is, that he ſettles the Space between the Sun and the Concavity of the Sphere of the fix’d Stars, to be ſix hundred thouſand of the Earth’s Diameters. For this reaſon, which he has no Foundation for, that as the Diameter of the Sun is to that of the Orbit of Saturn, which he makes to be as 1 to 2000, ſo is this Diameter to that of the Sphere of the fixed Stars. I cannot but wonder how ſuch things as theſe could fall from ſo ingenious a Man, and ſo great an Aſtronomer. But I muſt be of the ſame Opinion with all the greateſt Philoſophers of our Age, that the Sun is of the ſame Nature with the fix’d Stars. And this will give us a greater Idea of the World, than all thoſe other Opinions. [The Stars have Planets about them like our Sun.] For then why may not every one of theſe Stars or Suns have as great a Retinue as our Sun, of Planets, with their Moons, to wait upon them? Nay, there’s a manifeſt reaſon why they ſhould. For if we imagine our ſelves placed at an equal diſtance from the Sun and fix’d Stars; we ſhould then perceive no difference between them. For, as for all the Planets that we now ſee attend the Sun, we ſhould not have the leaſt glimpſe of them, either becauſe their Light would be too weak to affect us, or that all the Orbs in which they move would make up one lucid Point with the Sun. In this Station we ſhould have no occaſion to imagine any difference between the Stars, and ſhould make no doubt if we had but the Sight, and knew the Nature of one of them, to make that the Standard of all the reſt. We are then plac’d near one of them, namely, our Sun, and ſo near as to diſcover ſix other Globes moving round him, ſome of them having others performing them the ſame Office. Why then may not we make uſe of the ſame Judgment that we would in that caſe; and conclude, that our Star has no better attendance than the others? So that what we allowed the Planets, upon the account of our enjoying it, we muſt likewiſe grant to all thoſe Planets that ſurround that prodigious number of Suns. They muſt have their Plants and Animals, nay and their rational Creatures too, and thoſe as great Admirers, and as diligent Obſervers of the Heavens as our ſelves; and muſt conſequently enjoy whatſoever is ſubſervient to, and requiſite for ſuch Knowledge.