The discovery of a world in the moone : $b or, A discovrse tending to prove that 'tis probable there may be another habitable world in that planetWilkins, John
Philosophy
The discovery of a world in the moone : $b or, A discovrse tending to prove that 'tis probable there may be another habitable world in that planet
Wilkins, John
Astronomy -- Early works to 1800; Moon -- Early works to 1800
3. Consider the great distance at which wee behold the Planets, for this
must needs adde much to their shining and therefore _Cusanus_ (in the
above cited place) thinkes that if a man were in the Sunne, that Planet
would not appeare so bright to him, as now it doth to us, because then
his eye could discerne but little, whereas here wee may comprehend the
beames as they are contracted in a narrow body. _Keplar_ beholding the
earth from a high mountaine when it was enlightned by the Sunne
confesses that it appeared unto him of an incredible brightnesse,
whereas then the reflected rayes entered into his sight obliquely; but
how much brighter would it have appeared if hee might in a direct line
behold the whole globe of earth and these rayes gathered together? So
that if wee consider that great light which the earth receives from the
Sunne in the Summer, and then suppose wee were in the Moone, where wee
might see the whole earth hanging in those vast spaces where there is
nothing to terminate the sight, but those beames which are there
contracted into a little compasse; I say, if wee doe well consider this,
wee may easily conceive, that our earth appeares as bright to those
other inhabitants in the Moone, as theirs doth to us.
Proposition 12.
_That tis probable there may bee such Meteors belonging to that world
in the Moone, as there are with us._
_Plutarch_ discussing this point affirmes that it is not necessary there
should be the same meanes of growth and fructifying in both these
worlds, since nature might in her policy finde out more waies then one
how to bring about the same effect. But however he thinks its probable
that the Moone her selfe sendeth forth warme winds, and by the
swiftnesse of her motion there should breathe out a sweet and
comfortable ayer, pleasant dewes and gentle moysture, which might serve
for the refreshing and nourishment of the inhabitants and plants in that
other world.
But since they have all things alike with us, as sea and land, and
vaporous ayer encompassing both, I should rather therefore thinke that
nature there should use the same way of producing meteors as she doth
with us (and not by a motion as _Plutarch_ supposes) because shee doth
not love to vary from her usuall operations without some extraordinary
impediment, but still keepes her beaten path unlesse she be driven
thence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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