Part 3 (2/2)

[Sidenote 1: _lib. 4. p. 2. cy.24, 35._]

There are some other things, on which I might here take an occasion to enlarge my selfe, but because they are directly handled by many others, and doe not immediately belong to the chiefe matter in hand, I shall therefore referre the Reader to their authors, and omit any large proofe of them my selfe, as defining all possible brevity.

1. The first is this: That there are no solid Orbes. If there be a habitable World in the Moone (which I now affirme) it must follow, that her Orbe is not solid, as _Aristotle_ supposed; and if not her, why any of the other? I rather thinke that they are all of a fluid (perhaps aereous) substance. Saint _Ambrose_, and Saint _Basil_[1] did endeavour to prove this out of that place in _Isay_,[2] where they are compared to smoake, as they are both quoted by _Rhodiginus_, _Eusebius_, _Nierembergius_[3] doth likewise from that place confute the solidity and incorruptibility of the Heavens, and cites for the same interpretation the authority of _Eustachius_ of _Antioch_; and Saint _Austin_,[4] I am sure seemes to a.s.sent unto this opinion, though he does often in his other workes contradict it. The testimony of other Fathers to this purpose you may see in _Sixtus Senensis. l. 5. Biblioth.

annot. 14._ but for your better satisfaction herein, I shall referre you to the above named _Scheiner_ in his _Rosa Ursina_,[5] in whom you may see both authorities and reason, and very largely and distinctly set downe for this opinion, for the better confirmation of which hee adjoynes also some authenticall Epistles of _Fredericus Caesius Lynceus_ a n.o.ble Prince written to _Bellarmine_, containing divers reasons to the same purpose, you may also see the same truth set downe by _Johannes Pena_ in his preface to _Euclids Opticks_, and _Christoph. Rothmannus_, both who thought the Firmament to bee onely aire: and though the n.o.ble _Tycho_[6] doe dispute against them, yet he himselfe holds,

_Quod propius ad veritatis penetralia accedit haec opinio, quam Aristotelica vulgariter approbata, quae clum pluribus realibus atque imperviis...o...b..bus citra rem replevit._

”That this opinion comes neerer to the truth than that common one of _Aristotle_ which hath to no purpose filled the heavens with such reall and impervious...o...b..s.”

[Sidenote 1: _Isa. 51. 6._]

[Sidenote 2: _Ant. lect. l. 1. c. 4._]

[Sidenote 3: _Hist. nat. l. 2. c. 11. 13._]

[Sidenote 4: _In lib. sup. Gen. ad lit._]

[Sidenote 5: _lib. 4. p. 11, 2. c. 7. 26, 30._]

[Sidenote 6: _De stella. 15. 72. l. 6. c. 9._]

2. There is no element of fire, which must be held with this opinion here delivered; for if wee suppose a world in the Moone, then it will follow, that the spheare of fire, either is not there where 'tis usually placed in the concavity of his...o...b.., or else that there is no such thing at all, which is most probable, since there are not any such solid Orbs, that by their swift motion might heare and enkindle the adjoyning aire, which is imagined to be the reason of that element. Concerning this see _Cardan_, _Iohannes Pena_ that learned _Frenchman_, the n.o.ble _Tycho_, with divers others who have purposely handled this proposition.

3. I might adde a third, _viz._ that there is no Musicke of the spheares, for if they be not solid, how can their motion cause any such sound as is conceived? I doe the rather medle with this, because _Plutarch_ speaks as if a man might very conveniently heare that harmony, if he were an inhabitant in the Moone. But I guesse that hee said this out of incogitancy, and did not well consider those necessary consequences which depended upon his opinion. However the world would have no great losse in being deprived of this Musicke, unlesse at some times we had the priviledge to heare it: Then indeede _Philo_ the Jew[1]

thinkes it would save us the charges of diet, and we might live at an easie rate by feeding at the eare onely, and receiving no other nourishment; and for this very reason (saies he) was _Moses_ enabled to tarry forty daies and forty nights in the Mount without eating any thing, because he there heard the melody of the Heavens,--_Risum teneatis_. I know this Musicke hath had great patrons both sacred and prophane authours, such as _Ambrose_, _Bede_, _Boetius_, _Anselme_, _Plato_, _Cicero_ and others, but because it is not now, I thinke affirmed by any, I shall not therefore bestow either paines or time in arguing against it.

[Sidenote 1: _De somniis._]

It may suffice that I have onely named these three last, and for the two more necessary, have referred the Reader to others for satisfaction. I shall in the next place proceede to the nature of the Moones body, to know whether that be capable of any such conditions, as may make it possible to be inhabited, and what those qualities are wherein it more neerely agrees with our earth.

Proposition 4.

_That the Moone is a solid, compacted, opacous body._

I shall not need to stand long in the proofe of this proposition, since it is a truth already agreed on by the generall consent of the most and the best Philosophers.

1. It is solid in opposition to fluid, as is the ayre, for how otherwise could it beare backe the light which it receives from the Sunne?

But here it may be questioned, whether or no the Moone bestow her light upon us by the reflection of the Sunne-beames from the superficies of her body, or else by her owne illumination. Some there are who affirme this latter part. So _Averroes_, _Caelius Rhodiginus_, _Iulius Caesar_, _&c._ and their reason is because this light is discerned in many places,[1] whereas those bodies which give light by reflexion can there onely be perceived where the angle of reflexion is equall to the angle of incidence, and this is onely in one place, as in a looking-gla.s.se those beames which are reflected from it cannot bee perceived in every place where you may see the gla.s.se, but onely there where your eye is placed on the same line whereon the beames are reflected.

[Sidenote 1: _De clo. l. 2. com. 49._ _Ant. lection. l. 20. c. 4._ _De phaenom. lunae. c. 11._]

But to this I answere, that the argument will not hold of such bodies, whose superficies is full of unequall parts and gibbosities as the Moone is. Wherefore it is as well the more probable as the more common opinion, that her light proceedes from both these causes, from reflexion and illumination; nor doth it herein differ from our earth, since that also hath some light by illumination: for how otherwise would the parts about us in a Sunne-s.h.i.+ne day appeare so bright, when as all the rayes of reflexion cannot enter into our eye?

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