“’Tis none of the worst kindes of folly, boldly to affirme one side or other, when a man knows not what to say.” [Sidenote 1: _Mytholog. lib. 3. c. 17._] [Sidenote 2: _Lib. 7. c. 1._] If these men were thus censur’d, I may iustly then expect to be derided by most, and to be believed by few or none; especially since this opinion seemes to carry in it so much strangenesse, so much contradiction to the generall consent of others. But how ever, I am resolved that this shall not be any discouragement, since I know that it is not the common opinion of others that can either adde or detract from the truth. For, 1. Other truths have beene formerly esteemed altogether as ridiculous as this can be. 2. Grosse absurdities have beene entertained by generall opinion. I shall give an instance of each, that so I may the better prepare the Reader to consider things without a prejudice, when hee shall see that the common opposition against this which I affirme cannot any way derogate from its truth. 1. Other truths have beene formerly accounted as ridiculous as this, I shall specifie that of the Antipodes, which have beene denied and laught at by many wise men and great Schollers, such as were _Herodotus_, St. _Austin_, _Lactantius_, the _Venerable Bede_, _Lucretius_ the Poet, _Procopius_, and the voluminous _Abulensis_ with others. _Herodotus_ counted it so horrible an absurdity, that hee could not forbeare laughing to thinke of it. Γελῶ δὲ ὁρῶν γῆς περιόδος γράψαντας, πολλοὺς ἤδη καὶ οὐδένα νόον ἔχοντας ἐξηγησάμενον ὃι Ὠκεανόν τε ῥεόντα γράφουσι, πέριξ τήν τε γὴν ἐοῦσαν κυκλοτερέα ὡς ἀπὸ τόρνου. [Greek: Gelô de horôn gês periodous grapsantas, pollous êdê kai oudena noon echontas exêgêsamenon hoi Ôkeanon te rheonta graphousi, perix tên te gên eousan kukloterea hôs apo tornou.] “I cannot choose but laugh, (saith he) to see so many men venture to describe the earths compasse, relating those things that are without all sense, as that the Sea flowes about the World, and that the earth it selfe is round as an Orbe.” But this great ignorance is not so much to be admired in him, as in those learneder men of later times, when all sciences began to flourish in the World. Such was Saint _Austin_ who censures that relation of the Antipodes to be an incredible fable,[1] and with him agrees the eloquent _Lactantius_,[2] _quid illi qui esse contrarios vestigiis nostris Antipodes putant? num aliquid loquuntur? aut est quispiam tam ineptus, qui credat esse homines, quorum vestigia sunt superiora quàm capita? aut ibi quæ apud nos jacent inversa pendere? fruges & arbores deorsum versus crescere, pluvias & nives, & grandinem sursum versus cadere in terram? & miratur aliquis hortor pensiles inter septem mira narrari, quum Philosophi, & agros & maria, & urbes & montes pensiles faciunt? &c._