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Title: The celestial worlds discover'd : or, conjectures concerning the inhabitants, plants and productions of the worlds in the planets
Author: Huygens, Christiaan
Language: English
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DISCOVER'D ***
THE
Celeſtial Worlds
DISCOVER’D:
CONJECTURES
Concerning the
INHABITANTS,
Plants and Productions
OF THE
Worlds in the Planets.
Written in Latin by
CHRISTIANUS HUYGENS,
And inſcrib’d to his Brother
CONSTANTINE HUYGENS
Late Secretary to his Majeſty King William.
The Second Edition, Corrected and Enlarged.
LONDON:
Printed for James Knapton, at the Crown in
St. Paul’s Church-Yard. Mdccxxii.
TO THE READER.
This Book was juſt finiſhed, and deſigned for the Preſs, when the
Author, to the great loſs of the Learned World, was ſeized by a Diſeaſe
that brought him to his Death. However he took care in his laſt Will of
its Publication, deſiring his Brother, to whom it was writ, to take
that Trouble upon him. But he was ſo taken up with Buſineſs and
Removals, (as being Secretary in Holland to the King of Great Britain)
that he could find no time for it till a Year after the Death of the
Author: When it ſo fell out, that the Printers being ſomewhat tardy,
and this Gentleman dying, the Book was left without either Father or
Guardian. Yet it now ventures into the Publick, in the ſame Method that
it was writ by the Author, and with the ſame Inſcription to his
Brother, tho’ dead; in confidence that this laſt Piece of his will meet
with as kind a Reception from the World as all the other Works of that
Author have. ’Tis true there are not every where Mathematical
Demonſtrations; but where they are wanting, you have probable and
ingenious Conjectures, which is the moſt that can be reaſonably
expected in ſuch matters. What belongs to, or has any thing to do with
Aſtronomy, you will ſee demonſtrated, and the reſt ingeniouſly and
ſhrewdly gueſs’d at, from the Affinity and Relation of the heavenly
Bodies to the Earth. For your farther Satisfaction read on, and
farewel.
THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER.
I Doubt not but I ſhall incur the Cenſures of learned Men for putting
this Book into Engliſh, becauſe, they’ll ſay, it renders Philoſophy
cheap and vulgar, and, which is worſe, furniſhes a ſort of injudicious
People with a ſmattering of Notions, which being not able to make a
proper uſe of, they pervert to the Injury of Religion and Science. I
confeſs the Allegation is too true: but after Biſhop Wilkins, Dr.
Burnet, Mr. Whiſton and others, to ſay nothing of the ancient
Philoſophers, who wrote in their own Tongues; I ſay, after theſe great
Authors have treated on as learned and abſtruſe Subjects in the ſame
Language, I hope their Example will be allowed a ſufficient excuſe for
printing this Book in Engliſh.
Concerning this Edition I can ſay, that I have taken care to have the
Cutts exactly done, and have placed each Figure at the Page of the Book
that refers to it, which I take to be more convenient to the Reader
than putting them all at the End.
I have been careful to procure the beſt Paper, that I might in ſome
meaſure come up to the Beauty of the Latin Edition, though this bear
but half the Price of it.
And I hope the Tranſlator has expreſſed the Author’s Senſe aright, and
has not committed Faults beyond what an ingenuous Reader can pardon.
NEW
CONJECTURES
Concerning the
Planetary Worlds,
THEIR
INHABITANTS
AND
PRODUCTIONS.
Written by Christianus Huygens,
and inſcribed to his Brother
Constantine Huygens.
BOOK the Firſt.
A Man that is of Copernicus’s Opinion, that this Earth of ours is a
Planet, carry’d round and enlighten’d by the Sun, like the reſt of the
Planets, cannot but ſometimes think, that it’s not improbable that the
reſt of the Planets have their Dreſs and Furniture, and perhaps their
Inhabitants too as well as this Earth of ours: Eſpecially if he
conſiders the later Diſcoveries made in the Heavens ſince Copernicus’s
time, viz. the Attendants of Jupiter and Saturn, and the champaign and
hilly Countries in the Moon, which are a ſtrong Argument of a Relation
and Kin between our Earth and them, as well as a Proof of the Truth of
that Syſtem. This has often been our Talk, I remember, good Brother,
over a large Teleſcope, when we have been viewing thoſe Bodies, a Study
that your continual Buſineſs and Abſence have interrupted for many
Years. But we were always apt to conclude, that ’twas in vain to
enquire after what Nature is doing there, ſeeing there was no
likelihood of ever coming to any Certainty of the Enquiry. Nor could I
ever find that any Philoſophers, either antient or modern, have
attempted any thing upon this Subject. At the very Birth of Aſtronomy,
when the Earth was firſt aſſerted to be Spherical, and to [Some have
already talk’d of the Inhabitants of the Planets, but went no farther.]
be ſurrounded with Air, even then there were ſome Men ſo bold as to
affirm, there were an innumerable Company of Worlds in the Stars. But
later Authors, ſuch as Cardinal Cuſanus, Brunus, Kepler, (and if we may
believe him, Tycho was of that opinion too) have furniſhed the Planets
with Inhabitants. Nay, Cuſanus and Brunus have allowed the Sun and
fixed Stars theirs too. But this was the utmoſt of their Boldneſs; nor
has the ingenious French Author of the Dialogues about the Plurality of
Worlds carried this Matter any farther. Only ſome of them have coined
ſome Stories of the Men in the Moon, juſt as probable as Lucian’s true
Hiſtory; among which I muſt count Kepler’s, which he has diverted us
with in his Aſtronomical Dream. But a while ago thinking ſomewhat
ſeriouſly of this matter (not that I count my ſelf quicker-ſighted than
thoſe great Men, but that I had the Happineſs to live after moſt of
them) the Enquiry appeared not ſo impracticable, nor the Way ſo ſtopt
up with Difficulties, but that there was very good room left for
probable Conjectures. As they came into my Head, I put them down into
common Places, and ſhall now try to digeſt them into ſome Method for
your better Conception of them, and add ſomewhat of the Sun and fix’d
Stars, and the Extent of that Univerſe of which our Earth is but an
inconſiderable Point. I know you have ſuch an Eſteem and Reverence for
any thing that belongs to the Heavens, that I perſwade my ſelf you will
read what I have written with ſome Pleaſure: I’m ſure I writ it with a
great deal; but as often before, ſo now, I find the Saying of Archytas
true, even to the Letter, That tho’ a Man were admitted into Heaven to
view the wonderful Fabrick of the World, and the Beauty of the Stars,
yet what would otherwiſe be Rapture and Extaſie, would be but a
melancholy Amazement if he had not a Friend to communicate it to. I
could wiſh indeed that all the World might not be my Judges, but that I
might chuſe my Readers, Men like you, not ignorant in Aſtronomy and
true Philoſophy; for with ſuch I might promiſe my ſelf a favourable
hearing, and not need to make an Apology for daring to vent any thing
new to the World. But becauſe I am aware what weak Hands it’s likely to
fall into, and what a ſevere Sentence I may expect from thoſe whoſe
Ignorance or Zeal is too great; it may be worth the while to guard my
ſelf beforehand againſt the Aſſaults of thoſe ſort of People.
[The Objections of ignorant Cavillers prevented.]
There’s one ſort who knowing nothing of Geometry or Mathematicks, will
laugh at it as a whimſical and ridiculous Undertaking. It’s an
incredible Thing to them to talk of meaſuring the Diſtance and
Magnitude of the Stars: And for the Motion of the Earth, they count it,
if not a falſe, at leaſt a precarious Opinion; and no wonder then if
they take what’s built upon ſuch a ſlippery Foundation for the Dreams
of a fanciful Head and a diſtemper’d Brain. What ſhould we anſwer to
theſe Men, but that their Ignorance is the Cauſe of their Diſlike, and
that if they had ſtudied theſe things more, and viewed the Works of
Nature nicely, they would have fewer Scruples? But few People having
had an opportunity of proſecuting theſe Studies, either for want of
Parts, Learning or Leiſure, we cannot blame their Ignorance; and if
they reſolve to find fault with us for ſpending time in ſuch Matters,
becauſe they do not underſtand the Uſe of them, we muſt appeal to
properer Judges.
[Theſe Conjectures do not contradict the holy Scriptures.]
The other ſort, When they hear us talk of new Lands, and Animals, and
Creatures endued with as much Reaſon as themſelves, will be ready to
cry out, that we ſet up our Conjectures againſt the Word of God, and
broach Opinions directly oppoſite to Holy Writ. For we do not there
read any thing of the Production of ſuch Creatures, no not ſo much as
that they exiſt; nay rather we read the quite contrary. For, That only
mentions this Earth with its Animals and Plants, and Man the Lord of
them: To ſuch Perſons I anſwer, what has been often urged by others
before me: That it’s evident, God had no deſign to make a particular
Enumeration in the Holy Scriptures, of all the Works of his Creation.
When therefore it is plain that under the general Name of Stars or
Earth at the Creation, are comprehended all the Heavenly Bodies, even
the Attendants upon Jupiter and Saturn, why muſt all that Multitude of
Beings which the Almighty Creator has been pleaſed to place upon them,
be excluded the Privilege, and not ſuffered to have a Share in the
Expreſſion? And theſe Men themſelves can’t but know in what Senſe it is
that all things are ſaid to be made for the Uſe of Man, not certainly
for us to look at through a Teleſcope, for that’s very abſurd. Since
then the greateſt part of God’s Creation, that innumerable multitude of
Stars, is placed out of the reach of any Man’s Eye; and many of them
it’s likely, of the beſt Glaſſes, ſo that they don’t ſeem to belong to
us; is it ſuch an unreaſonable Opinion to think, that there are ſome
reaſonable Creatures who ſee and admire thoſe glorious Bodies at a
nearer diſtance?
[This Enquiry not over curious.]
But perhaps they’ll ſay, it does not become us to be ſo curious and
inquiſitive in theſe Things which the Supreme Creator ſeems to have
kept for his own Knowledge: For ſince he has not been pleaſed to make
any farther Diſcovery or Revelation of them, it ſeems little better
than preſumption to make any inquiry into that which he has thought fit
to hide. But theſe Gentlemen muſt be told, that they take too much upon
themſelves when they pretend to appoint how far and no farther Men
ſhall go in their Searches, and to ſet bounds to other Mens Induſtry;
as if they knew the Marks that God has placed to Knowledge: or as if
Men were able to paſs thoſe Marks. If our Forefathers had been at this
rate ſcrupulous, we might have been ignorant ſtill of the Magnitude and
Figure of the Earth, or that there was ſuch a Place as America. We
ſhould not have known that the Moon is inlightned by the Sun’s Rays,
nor what the Cauſes of the Eclipſes of each of them are, nor a
multitude of other Things brought to light by the late Diſcoveries in
Aſtronomy. For what can a Man imagine more abſtruſe, or leſs likely to
be known, than what is now as clear as the Sun? Whence it follows, that
vigorous Induſtry, and piercing Wit were given Men to make Advances in
the Search of Nature, and there’s no Reaſon to put any Stop to ſuch
Enquiries. I muſt acknowledge that what I here intend to treat of is
not of that Nature as to admit of a certain Knowledge; I can’t pretend
to aſſert any thing as poſitively true (for how is it poſſible) but
only to advance a probable Gueſs, the Truth of which every one is at
his own liberty to examine. If any one therefore ſhall gravely tell me,
that I have ſpent my Time idly in a vain and fruitleſs Enquiry after
what by my own acknowledgment I can never come to be ſure of; The
Anſwer is, that at this rate he would put down all Natural Philoſophy
as far as it concerns it ſelf in ſearching into the Nature [Conjectures
not uſeleſs, becauſe not certain.] of Things: In ſuch noble and ſublime
Studies as theſe, ’tis a Glory to arrive at Probability, and the Search
it ſelf rewards the Pains. But there are many degrees of Probable, ſome
nearer Truth than others, in the determining of which lies the chief
exerciſe [Theſe Studies uſeful to Religion.] of our Judgment. But
beſides the Nobleneſs and Pleaſure of the Studies, may not we be ſo
bold as to ſay, they are no ſmall help to the Advancement of Wiſdom and
Morality? ſo far are they from being of no uſe at all. For here we may
mount from this dull Earth, and viewing it from on high, conſider
whether Nature has laid out all her Coſt and Finery upon this ſmall
Speck of Dirt. So, like Travellers into other diſtant Countries, we
ſhall be better able to judge of what’s done at home, know how to make
a true Eſtimate of, and ſet its own Value upon every Thing. We ſhall be
leſs apt to admire what this World calls Great, ſhall nobly deſpiſe
thoſe Trifles the generality of Men ſet their Affections on, when we
know that there are a multitude of ſuch Earths inhabited and adorned as
well as our own. And we ſhall worſhip and reverence that God the Maker
of all theſe things; we ſhall admire and adore his Providence and
wonderful Wiſdom which is diſplayed and manifeſted all over the
Univerſe, to the Confuſion of thoſe who would have the Earth and all
things formed by the ſhuffling Concourſe of Atoms, or to be without
beginning. But to come to our Purpoſe.
[Copernicus’s Syſtem explained.]
And now becauſe the chief Argument for the Proof of what we intend will
be taken from the Diſpoſition of the Planets, among which without
doubt, the Earth muſt be counted in the Copernican Syſtem, I ſhall here
firſt of all draw two Figures. The firſt is a Deſcription of the Orbs
the Planets move in, in that order that they are placed round the Sun,
drawn as near as can be in their true Proportions, like what you have
ſeen in my Clock at home. The ſecond ſhows the Proportions of their
Magnitudes in reſpect of one another and of the Sun, which you know is
upon that ſame Clock of mine too. In the firſt the middle Point or
Center is the Place of the Sun, round which, in an order that every one
knows, are the Orbits of Mercury, Venus, the Earth with that of the
Moon about it; then thoſe of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn: and about the
two laſt the ſmall Circles that their Attendants move in: about Jupiter
four, and about Saturn five. Which Circles as well as that of the Moon
are drawn larger than their true Proportion would admit, otherwiſe they
could not have been ſeen. You may eaſily apprehend the Vaſtneſs of
theſe Orbits by this, that the diſtance of the Earth from the Sun is
ten or twelve thouſand of the Earth’s Diameters. Almoſt all theſe
Circles are in the ſame Plane, declining very little from that in which
the Earth moves, call’d The Plane of the Ecliptick. This Plane is cut
obliquely by the Axis upon which the Earth turns it ſelf round with
reſpect to the Sun in 24 Hours, whence ariſe the Succeſſions of Day and
Night: The Axis of the Earth always keeping the ſame Inclination to the
Ecliptick (except a ſmall Change beſt known to Aſtronomers) while the
Earth itſelf is carried in its yearly Courſe round the Sun, cauſes the
regular Order of the Seaſons of the Year: as you may ſee in all
Aſtronomers Books. Out of which I ſhall tranſcribe hither the Periods
of the Revolutions of the Planets, viz. Saturn moves round the Sun in
29 Years, 174 Days, and 5 Hours: Jupiter finiſhes his Courſe in 11
Years, 317 Days, and 15 Hours: Mars his in about 687 Days. Our Year is
365 Days 6 Hours: Venus’s 224 Days 18 Hours: and Mercury’s 88 Days.
This is the now commonly received Syſtem, invented by Copernicus, and
very agreeable to that frugal Simplicity Nature ſhows in all [Arguments
for the Truth on’t.] her Works. If any one is reſolved to find fault
with it, let him firſt be ſure he underſtands it. Let him firſt ſee in
the Books of Aſtronomers with how much greater Eaſe and Plainneſs all
the Motions of the Stars, and Appearances in the Heavens are explained
and demonſtrated in this than either in that of Ptolomy or Tycho. Let
him conſider that Diſcovery of Kepler, that the Diſtances of the
Planets from the Sun, as well of the Earth as the reſt, are in a fix’d
certain proportion to the Times they ſpend in their Revolutions. Which
Proportion it’s ſince obſerved that their Satellites keep round Jupiter
and Saturn. Let him examine what a contradictory Motion they are fain
to invent for the Solution of the Polar Star’s changing its Diſtance
from the Pole. For that Star in the end of the little Bear’s Tail which
now deſcribes ſo ſmall a Circle round the Pole, that it is not above
two Degrees and twenty Minutes, was obſerved about 1820 Years ago, in
the Time of Hipparchus, to be above 12: and will within a few Ages more
be 45 Degrees diſtant from it: and after 25000 Years more will return
to the ſame Place it is now in. Now if with them we allow the Heavens
to be turned upon their own Axis, at this rate they muſt have a new
Axis every Day: a Thing moſt abſurd, and repugnant to the Nature of all
Motion. Whereas nothing is eaſier with Copernicus than to give us
Satisfaction in this Matter. Then he may impartially weigh thoſe
Anſwers that Galilæus, Gaſſendus, Kepler, and others have given to all
Objections propoſed, which have ſo ſatisfied all Scruples, that
generally all Aſtronomers now-a-days are brought over to our Side, and
allow the Earth its Motion and Place among the Planets. If he cannot be
ſatisfied with all this, he is either one whoſe Dulneſs can’t
comprehend it, or who has his Belief at another Man’s Diſpoſal.
In the other Figure you have the Globes of the Planets, and of the Sun,
repreſented to your Eyes as placed near one another. Where [The
Proportion of the Magnitude of the Planets, in reſpect of one another,
and the Sun.] I have obſerved the ſame Proportion, of their Diameters
to that of the Sun, that I publiſhed to the World in my Book of The
Appearances of Saturn: namely, the Diameter of the Ring round Saturn is
to that of the Sun as 11 as to 37; that of Saturn himſelf about as 5 to
37; that of Jupiter as 2 to 11; that of Mars as 1 to 166; of the Earth
as 1 to 111; and of Venus as 1 to 84: to which I ſhall now add that of
Mercury obſerved by Hevelius in the Year 1661, but calculated by my
ſelf, and found to be as 1 to 290.
If you would know the way that we came to this Knowledge of their
Magnitudes, by knowing the Proportion of their Diſtances from the Sun,
and the Meaſures of their Diameters, you may find it in the Book
before-mentioned: And I cannot yet ſee any Reaſon to make an Alteration
in thoſe I then ſettled, altho’ I will not ſay they are without their
Faults. [The Lamellæ more convenient than Micrometers.] For I can’t yet
be of their Mind, who think the Uſe of Micrometers, as they call them,
is beyond that of our Plates, but muſt ſtill think that thoſe thin
Plates or Rods of which I there taught the Uſe, not to detract from the
due Praiſes of ſo uſeful an Invention, are more convenient than the
Micrometers.
In this proportion of the Planets it is worth while to take notice of
the prodigious Magnitude of the Sun in compariſon with the four
innermoſt, which are far leſs than Jupiter and Saturn. And ’tis
remarkable, that the Bodies of the Planets do not increaſe together
with their Diſtances from the Sun, but that Venus is much bigger than
Mars.
[The Earth juſtly likened to the Planets, and the Planets to it.]
Having thus explained the two Schemes, there’s no Body I ſuppoſe but
ſees, that in the firſt the Earth is made to be of the ſame ſort with
the reſt of the Planets. For the very Poſition of the Circles ſhows it.
And that the other Planets are round like it, and like it receive all
the Light they have from the Sun, there’s no room (ſince the
Diſcoveries made by Teleſcopes) to doubt. Another Thing they are like
it in is, that they are moved round their own Axis; for ſince ’tis
certain that Jupiter and Saturn are, who can doubt it of the others?
Again, as the Earth has its Moon moving round it, ſo Jupiter and Saturn
have theirs. Now ſince in ſo many Things they thus agree, what can be
more probable than that in others they agree too; and that the other
Planets are as beautiful and as well ſtock’d with Inhabitants as the
Earth? Or what ſhadow of Reaſon can there be why they ſhould not?
If any one ſhould be at the Diſſection of a Dog, and be there ſhewn the
Intrails, the Heart, Stomach, Liver, Lungs and Guts, all the Veins,
Arteries and Nerves; could ſuch a Man reaſonably doubt whether there
were the ſame Contexture and Variety of Parts in a Bullock, Hog, or any
other Beaſt, tho’ he had never chanc’d to ſee the like opening of them?
I don’t believe he would. Or were we thoroughly ſatisfy’d in the Nature
of one of the Moons round Jupiter, ſhould not we ſtraight conclude the
ſame of the reſt of them? So if we could be aſſur’d in but one Comet,
what it was that is the Cauſe of that ſtrange Appearance, ſhould we not
make that a Standard to judge of all others by? [Arguments from their
Similitude, of no ſmall weight.] ’Tis therefore an Argument of no ſmall
Weight that is fetch’d from Relation and Likeneſs; and to reaſon from
what we ſee and are ſure of, to what we cannot, is no falſe Logick.
This muſt be our Method in this Treatiſe, wherein from the Nature and
Circumſtances of that Planet which we ſee before our Eyes, we may gueſs
at thoſe that are farther diſtant from us.
[The Planets are ſolid, and not without Gravity.]
And, Firſt, ’tis more than probable that the Bodies of the Planets are
ſolid like that of our Earth, and that they don’t want what we call
Gravity, that Virtue, which like a Loadſtone attracts whatſoever is
near the Body to its Center. And that they have ſuch a Quality, their
very Figure is a Proof; for their Roundneſs proceeds only from an equal
preſſure of all their Parts tending to the ſame Center. Nay more, we
are ſo skilful now-a-days, as to be able to tell how much more or leſs
the Gravitation in Jupiter or Saturn is than here; of which Diſcovery
and its Author you may read my Eſſay of the Cauſes of Gravitation.
But now to carry the Search farther, let us ſee by what Steps we muſt
riſe to the attaining ſome knowledge in the deeper Secrets concerning
the State and Furniture of theſe new Earths. And, firſt, how likely is
it that they may be ſtock’d with Plants [Have Animals and Plants.] and
Animals as well as we? I ſuppoſe no Body will deny but that there’s
ſomewhat more of Contrivance, ſomewhat more wonderful in the Production
and Growth of Plants and Animals, than in Lifeleſs Heaps of inanimate
Bodies, be they never ſo much larger; as Mountains, Rocks, or Seas are.
For the Finger of God, and the Wiſdom of Divine Providence, is in them
much more clearly manifeſted than in the other. One of Democritus’s or
Cartes’s Scholars may venture perhaps to give ſome tolerable
Explication of the Appearances in Heaven and Earth, allow him but his
Atoms and Motion; but when he comes to Plants and Animals, he’ll find
himſelf non-plus’d, and give you no likely account of their Production.
For every Thing in them is ſo exactly adapted to ſome Deſign, every
part of them ſo fitted to its proper Uſe, that they manifeſt an
Infinite Wiſdom, and exquiſite Knowledge in the Laws of Nature and
Geometry, as, to omit thoſe Wonders in Generation, we ſhall by and by
ſhow; and make it an Abſurdity even to think of their being thus
happily jumbled together by a chance Motion of I don’t know what little
Particles. Now ſhould we allow the Planets nothing but vaſt Deſerts,
lifeleſs and inanimate Stocks and Stones, and deprive them of all thoſe
Creatures that more plainly ſpeak their Divine Architect, we ſhould
ſink them below the Earth in Beauty and Dignity; a Thing very
unreasonable, as I ſaid before.
Well then, we have gain’d the Point thus far, and the Planets may be
allowed ſome Creatures capable of moving themſelves, not at all
inferior to ours; and theſe are Animals. And if this be allowed, it
almoſt neceſſarily follows, that there muſt be Herbs [Not to be
imagin’d too unlike ours.] for Food for them. And as for the Growth and
Nouriſhment of all theſe, ’tis no doubt the ſame with ours, ſeeing they
have the ſame Sun to warm and enliven them as ours have.
But perhaps ſome Body may ſay, we conclude too faſt. They will not deny
indeed but that there may be Plants and Animals on the Surface of the
Planets, that deſerve as well to be provided for by their Creator as
ours do: but why muſt they be of the ſame Kind with ours: Nature ſeems
to love variety in her Works, and may have made them widely different
from ours either in their matter or manner of Growth, in their outward
Shape, or their inward Contexture; ſhe may have made them ſuch as
neither our Underſtanding nor Imagination can conceive. That’s the
Thing we ſhall now examine, and whether it be not more likely that ſhe
has not obſerv’d ſuch a Variety as they talk of. Nature ſeems moſt
commonly, and in moſt of her Works, to affect Variety, ’tis true; But
they ſhould conſider ’tis not the Buſineſs of Men to pretend to ſettle
how great this Difference and Variety muſt be. Nor does it follow,
becauſe it may be Infinite, and out of our Comprehenſion and Reach,
that therefore Things in reality are ſo. For ſuppoſe God ſhould have
pleaſed to have made all Things in the reſt of the Planets juſt as he
has here, the Inhabitants of thoſe Places (if there are any ſuch) would
admire his Wiſdom and Contrivance no leſs than if they were widely
different; ſeeing they can’t come to know what’s done in the other
Planets. Who doubts but that God, if he had pleaſed, might have made
the Animals in America and other diſtant Countries nothing like ours?
yet we ſee he has not done it. They have indeed ſome difference in
their Shape, and ’tis fit they ſhould, to diſtinguiſh the Plants and
Animals of thoſe Countries from ours, who live on this ſide the Earth;
but even in this Variety there is an Agreement, an exact Correſpondence
in Figure and Shape, the ſame ways of Growth, and new Productions, and
of continuing their own Kind. Their Animals have Feet and Wings like
ours, and like ours have Hearts, Lungs, Guts, and the Parts ſerving to
Generation; whereas all theſe Things, as well with them as us, might,
if it had pleaſed Infinite Wiſdom, have been order’d a very different
Way. ’Tis plain then that Nature has not exhibited that Variety in her
Works that ſhe could, and therefore we muſt not allow that Weight to
this Argument, as upon the Account of it to make every Thing in the
Planets quite different from what is here. ’Tis more probable that all
the Difference there is between us and them, ſprings from the greater
or leſs diſtance and influence from that Fountain of Heat and Life the
Sun; which will cauſe a Difference not ſo much in their Form and Shape,
as in their Matter and Contexture.
[Planets have Water.]
And as for the Matter whereof the Plants and Animals there conſiſt,
tho’ it is impoſſible ever to come to the Knowledge of its Nature, yet
this we may venture to aſſert (there being ſcarce any Doubt of it) that
their Growth and Nouriſhment proceeds from ſome liquid Principle. For
all Philoſophers agree that there can be no other way of Nutrition;
ſome of the Chief among them having made Water to be the Original of
all Things: For whatſoever’s dry and without Moiſture, is without
Motion too; and without Motion, it’s impoſſible there ſhould be any
Increaſe. But the Parts of a Liquid being in continual Motion one with
another, and inſinuating and twiſting themſelves into the ſmalleſt
Places, are thereby very proper and apt to add not themſelves only, but
whatſoever elſe they may bring along with them, to the Increaſe and
Growth of Bodies. Thus we ſee that by the Means of Water the Plants
grow, bloſſom, and bear Fruit; and by the Addition of that only, Stones
grow together out of Sand. And there’s no doubt but that Metals,
Cryſtals, and Jewels, have the ſame Method of Production: Tho’ in them
there has been no opportunity to make the ſame Obſervation, as well by
reaſon of their ſlow Advances, as that they are commonly found far from
the Places of their Generation; thrown up I ſuppoſe by ſome
Earthquakes, or Convulſions. That the Planets are not without Water, is
made not improbable by the late Obſervations: For about Jupiter are
obſerved ſome Spots of a darker Colour than the reſt of his Body, which
by their continual change ſhow themſelves to be Clouds: For the Spots
of Jupiter which belong to him, and never remove from him, are quite
different from theſe, being ſometimes for a long time not to be ſeen
for theſe Clouds; and again, when theſe diſappear, ſhowing themſelves.
And at the going off of theſe Clouds, ſome Spots have been taken notice
of in him, much brighter than the reſt of his Body, which remained but
a little while, and then were hid from our Sight. Theſe Monſieur
Caſſini thinks are only the Reflection from the Snow that covers the
Tops of the Hills in Jupiter: But I ſhould rather think that it is only
the Colour of the Earth, which happens to be free from thoſe Clouds
that commonly darken it.
Mars too is found not to be without his dark Spots, by means of which
he has been obſerved to turn round his own Axis in 24 Hours and 40
Minutes; the Length of his Day: but whether he has Clouds or no, we
have not had the ſame opportunity of obſerving as in Jupiter, as well
becauſe even when he is neareſt the Earth, he appears to us much leſs
than Jupiter, as that his Light not coming ſo far, is ſo brisk as to be
an Impediment to exact Obſervations: And this Reaſon is as much
ſtronger in Venus as its Light is. But ſince ’tis certain that the
Earth and Jupiter have their Water and Clouds, there is no Reaſon why
the other Planets [But not juſt like ours.] ſhould be without them. I
can’t ſay that they are exactly of the ſame nature with our Water; but
that they ſhould be liquid their Uſe requires, as their Beauty does
that they ſhould be clear. For this Water of ours, in Jupiter or
Saturn, would be frozen up inſtantly by reaſon of the vaſt diſtance of
the Sun. Every Planet therefore muſt have its Waters of ſuch a temper,
as to be proportioned to its Heat: Jupiter’s and Saturn’s muſt be of
ſuch a Nature as not to be liable to Froſt; and Venus’s and Mercury’s
of ſuch, as not to be eaſily evaporated by the Sun. But in all of them,
for a continual ſupply of Moiſture, whatever Water is drawn up by the
Heat of the Sun into Vapours, muſt neceſſarily return back again
thither. And this it cannot do but in Drops, which are cauſed as well
there as with us, by their aſcending into a higher and colder Region of
the Air, out of that which, by reaſon of the Reflection of the Rays of
the Sun from the Earth, is warmer and more temperate.
Here then we have found in theſe new Worlds Fields warm’d by the kindly
Heat of the Sun, and water’d with fruitful Dews and Showers: That there
muſt be Plants in them as well for Ornament as Uſe, we have ſhewn juſt
now. And what Nouriſhment, what manner of Growth ſhall we allow [Plants
grow and are nouriſhed there as they are here.] them? Probably, there
can be no better, nay no other, than what we here experience; by having
their Roots faſtned into the Earth, and imbibing its nouriſhing Juices
by their tender Fibres. And that they may not be only like ſo many bare
Heaths, with nothing but creeping Shrubs and Buſhes, we may allow them
ſome nobler and loftier Plants, Trees, or ſomewhat like them: Theſe
being the greateſt, and, except Waters, the only Ornament that Nature
has beſtowed upon the Earth. For not to ſpeak of thoſe many uſes that
are made of their Wood, there’s no one that is ignorant either of their
Beauty or Pleaſantneſs. Now what way can any one imagine for a
continual Production and Succeſſion of theſe Plants, but their bearing
Seed? A Method ſo excellent, that it’s the only one that Nature has
here made uſe of, and ſo wonderful, that it ſeems to be deſigned not
for this Earth alone. In fine, there’s the ſame reaſon to think that
this Method is obſerved in thoſe diſtant Countries, as there was of its
being followed in the remote Quarters of this ſame Earth.
[The ſame true of their Animals.]
’Tis much the ſame in Animals as ’tis in Plants, as to their manner of
Nouriſhment, and Propagation of their Kind. For ſince all the living
Creatures of this Earth, whether Beaſts, Birds, Fiſhes, Worms, or
Inſects, univerſally and inviolably follow the ſame conſtant and fix’d
Inſtitution of Nature; all feed on Herbs, or Fruits, or the Fleſh of
other Animals that fed on them: ſince all Generation is performed by
the impregnating of the Eggs, and the Copulation of Male and Female:
Why may not the ſame Rule be obſerved in the Planetary Worlds? For ’tis
certain that the Herbs and Animals that are there would be loſt, their
whole Species deſtroyed without ſome daily new Productions: except
there be no ſuch thing there as Misfortune or Accident: except the
Plants are not like other humid Bodies, but can bear Heat, Froſt, and
Age, without being dry’d up, kill’d or decay’d: except the Animals have
Bodies as hard and durable as Marble; which I think are groſs
Abſurdities. If we ſhould invent ſome new Way for their coming into the
World, and make them drop like Soland Geeſe from Trees, how ridiculous
would this be to any one that conſiders the vaſt Difference between
Wood and Fleſh? Or ſuppoſe we ſhould have new ones made every Day out
of ſome ſuch fruitful Mud as that of Nile, who does not ſee how
contrary this is to all that’s reaſonable? And that ’tis much more
agreeable to the Wiſdom of God, once for all to create of all ſorts of
Animals, and diſtribute them all over the Earth in ſuch a wonderful and
inconceivable way as he has, than to be continually obliged to new
Productions out of the Earth? And what miſerable, what helpleſs
Creatures muſt theſe be, when there’s no one that by his Duty will be
obliged, or by that ſtrange natural fondneſs, which God has wiſely made
a neceſſary Argument for all Animals to take care of their own, will be
moved to aſſiſt, nurſe or educate them?
As for what I have ſaid concerning their Propagation, I cannot be ſo
poſitive; but the other Thing, namely, that they have Plants and
Animals, I think I have fully proved, viz. from hence, that otherwiſe
they would be inferiour to our Earth. And by the ſame Argument, they
muſt have as great a Variety of both as we have. What this is, will be
beſt known to him that conſiders the different Ways our Animals make
uſe of in moving from one Place to another. Which may be reduc’d, I
think, to theſe, either that they walk upon two Feet or Four; or like
Inſects, upon Six, nay ſometimes Hundreds; or that they fly in the Air
bearing up, and wonderfully ſteering themſelves with their Wings; or
creep upon the Ground without Feet; or by a violent Spring in their
Bodies, or paddling with their Feet, cut themſelves a Way in the
Waters. I don’t believe, nor can I conceive, that there ſhould be any
other Way than theſe mentioned. The Animals then in the Planets muſt
make uſe of one or more of theſe, like our amphibious Birds, which can
ſwim in Water as well as walk on Land, or fly in the Air; or like our
Crocodiles and Sea-Horſes, muſt be Mongrels, between Land and Water.
There can no other Method be imagined but one of theſe. For where is it
poſſible for Animals to live, except upon ſuch a ſolid Body as our
Earth, or a fluid one like the Water, or ſtill a more fluid one than
that, ſuch as our Air is? The Air I confeſs may be much thicker and
heavier than ours, and ſo, without any Diſadvantage to its
Tranſparency, be fitter for the volatile Animals. There may alſo be
many ſorts of Fluids ranged over one another in Rows as it were. The
Sea perhaps may have ſuch a fluid lying on it, which tho’ ten times
lighter than Water, may be a hundred Times heavier than Air; whoſe
utmoſt Extent may not be ſo large as to cover the higher Places of
their Earth. But there’s no Reaſon to ſuſpect or allow them this, ſince
we have no ſuch Thing; and if we did, it would be of no Advantage to
them, for that the former Ways of moving would not be hereby at all
increas’d: But when we come to meddle with the Shape of theſe
Creatures, and conſider the incredible Variety that is even in thoſe of
the different parts of this Earth, and that America has ſome which are
no where elſe to be found, I muſt then confeſs that I think it beyond
the Force of Imagination to arrive at any knowledge in the Matter, or
reach to Probability concerning the Figures of theſe Planetary Animals.
Altho’ conſidering theſe Ways of Motion we e’en now recounted, they may
perhaps be no more different from ours than ours (thoſe of ours I mean
that are moſt unlike) are from one another.
If a Man were admitted to a Survey of Jupiter or Venus, he would no
doubt find as great a Number and Variety as he had at home. Let us
then, that we may make as near a Gueſs at, and as reaſonable a Judgment
of the Matter as we can, conſider the many Sorts, and the admirable
Difference in the Shapes of our own Animals; running [Great Variety of
Animals in this Earth.] over ſome of the Chief of them (for ’twould be
tedious to ſet about a general Catalogue) that are notoriouſly
different from one another, either in the Figure or ſome peculiar
Property belonging to them; as they belong to the Land, or the Water,
or the Air. Among the Beaſts we may take notice of the great Diſtance
between the Horſe, the Elephant, the Lion, the Stag, the Camel, the
Hog, the Ape, the Porcupine, the Tortoiſe, the Cameleon: in the Water,
of that between the Whale, and the Sea-Calf, the Skait, the Pike, the
Eel, the Ink-Fiſh, the Pourcontrel, the Crocodile, the Flying-fiſh, the
Cramp-fiſh, the Crab, the Oiſter, and the Purple-Fiſh: and among Birds,
of that between the Eagle, the Oſtrich, the Peacock, the Swan, the Owl,
and the Bat: and in Inſects, of that between the Ants, the Spider, the
Fly, and the Butterfly; and of that Prodigy in their wonderful change
from Worms. In this Roll I have paſs’d by the creeping Kind as one
Sort, and skip’d over that vaſt Multitude of leſs different Animals
that fill the intermediate Spaces. But be they never ſo many, there is
no [And no leſs in the Planets.] reaſon to think that the Planets
cannot match them. For tho’ we in vain gueſs at the Figures of thoſe
Creatures, yet we have diſcover’d ſomewhat of their manner of Life in
general; and of their Senſes we ſhall ſpeak more by and by.
[The ſame in Plants.]
The more conſiderable Differences in our Plants ought to be thought on,
as well as the other. As in Trees, that between the Fir and the Oak,
the Palm, the Vine, the Fig, and the Coco-Nut Tree, and that in the
Indies, from whoſe Boughs new Roots ſpring, and grow downwards into the
Earth. In Herbs, the Difference is notable between Graſs, Poppy,
Colewort, Ivy, Pompions, and the Indian Fig with thick Leaves growing
up without any Stalk, and Aloe. Between every one of which again there
are many leſs differing Plants not taken notice of. Then the different
Ways of raiſing them are remarkable, whether from Seeds, or Kernels, or
Roots, or by grafting or inoculating them. And yet in all theſe,
whether we conſider the Things themſelves, or the Ways of their
Production, I make no doubt but that the Planetary Worlds have as
wonderful a Variety as we.
But ſtill the main and moſt agreeable Point of the Enquiry is behind,
[Rational Animals in the Planets.] which is the placing ſome Spectators
in theſe new Diſcoveries, to enjoy theſe Creatures we have planted them
with, and to admire their Beauty and Variety. And among all, that have
never ſo ſlightly meddled with theſe Matters, I don’t find any that
have ſcrupled to allow them their Inhabitants: not Men perhaps like
ours, but ſome Creatures or other endued with Reaſon. For all this
Furniture and Beauty the Planets are ſtock’d with ſeem to have been
made in vain, without any Deſign or End, unleſs there were ſome in them
that might at the ſame time enjoy the Fruits, and adore the wiſe
Creator of them. But this alone would be no prevailing Argument with me
to allow them ſuch Creatures. For what if we ſhould ſay, that God made
them for no other Deſign, but that he himſelf might ſee (not as we do
’tis true; but that he that made the Eye ſees, who can doubt?) and
delight himſelf in the Contemplation of them? For was not Man himſelf,
and all that the whole World contains, made upon this very account?
That which makes me of this Opinion, that thoſe Worlds are not without
ſuch a Creature endued with Reaſon, is, that otherwiſe our Earth would
have too much the Advantage of them, in being the only part of the
Univerſe that could boaſt of ſuch a Creature ſo far above, not only
Plants and Trees, but all Animals whatſoever: a Creature that has
ſomething Divine in him, that knows, and underſtands, and remembers
ſuch an innumerable number of Things; that deliberates, weighs and
judges of the Truth: A Creature upon whoſe Account, and for whoſe Uſe,
whatſoever the Earth brings forth ſeems to be provided. For every Thing
here he converts to his own Ends. With the Trees, Stones, and Metals,
he builds himſelf Houſes: the Birds and Fiſhes he ſuſtains himſelf
with: and the Water and Winds he makes ſubſervient to his Navigation,
as he doth the ſweet Smell and glorious Colours of the Flowers to his
Delight. What can there be in the Planets that can make up for its
Defects in the want of ſo noble an Animal? If we ſhould allow Jupiter a
greater Variety of other Creatures, more Trees, Herbs and Metals, all
theſe would not advantage or dignify that Planet ſo much as that one
Animal doth ours by the admirable Productions of his penetrating Wit.
If I am miſtaken in this, I do not know when to truſt my Reaſon, and
muſt allow my ſelf to be but a poor Judge in the true Eſtimate of
Things.
[Vices of Men no hindrance to their being the Glory of the Planet they
inhabit.]
Nor let any one ſay here, that there’s ſo much Villany and Wickedneſs
in Man that we have thus magnified, that it’s a reaſonable Doubt,
whether he would not be ſo far from being the Glory and Ornament of the
Planet that enjoys his Company, that he would be rather its Shame and
Diſgrace. For firſt, the Vices that moſt Men are tainted with, are no
hindrance, but that thoſe that follow the Dictates of true Reaſon, and
obey the Rules of a rigid Virtue, are ſtill a Beauty and Ornament to
the Place that has the Happineſs to harbour them. Beſides, the Vices of
Men themſelves are of excellent Uſe, and are not permitted and allowed
in the World without wiſe Deſign. For ſince it has ſo pleaſed God to
order the Earth, and every Thing in it as we ſee it is (for it’s abſurd
to ſay it happen’d againſt his Will or Knowledge) we muſt not think
that ſo great a Diverſity of Minds were placed in different Men to no
End or Purpoſe: but that this mixture of bad Men with Good, and the
Conſequents of ſuch a Mixture, as Misfortunes, Wars, Afflictions,
Poverty, and the like, were permitted for this very good End, viz. the
exerciſing our Wits, and ſharpening our Inventions; by forcing us to
provide for our own neceſſary Defence againſt our Enemies. ’Tis to the
Fear of Poverty and Miſery that we are beholden for all our Arts, and
for that natural Knowledge which was the Product of laborious Induſtry;
and which makes us that we cannot but admire the Power and Wiſdom of
the Creator, which otherwiſe we might have paſſed by with the ſame
indifference as Beaſts. And if Men were to lead their whole Lives in an
undiſturbed continual Peace, in no fear of Poverty, no danger of War, I
doubt they would live little better than Brutes, without all knowledge
or enjoyment of thoſe Advantages that make our Lives paſs on with
Pleaſure and Profit. We ſhould want the wonderful Art of Writing, if
its great Uſe and neceſſity in Commerce and War had not forced out the
Invention. ’Tis to theſe we owe our Art of Sailing, our Art of Sowing,
and moſt of thoſe Diſcoveries of which we are Maſters; and almoſt all
the Secrets in experimental Knowledge. So that thoſe very Things on
account of which the Faculty of Reaſon ſeems to have been accuſed, are
no ſmall helps to its Advancement and Perfection. For thoſe Virtues
themſelves, Fortitude and Conſtancy, would be of no uſe if there were
no Dangers, no Adverſity, no Afflictions for their Exerciſe and Trial.
If we ſhould therefore imagine in the Planets ſome ſuch reaſonable
Creature as Man is, adorn’d with the ſame Virtues, and liable to the
ſame Vices, it would be ſo far from degrading or vilifying them, that
while they want ſuch a one, I muſt think them inferior to our Earth.
[Reaſon they are not different from what ’tis here.]
But if we allow theſe Planetary Inhabitants ſome ſort of Reaſon, muſt
it needs, may ſome ſay, be the ſame with ours? Certainly it muſt,
whether we conſider it as applied to Juſtice and Morality, or exerciſed
in the Principles and Foundations of Science. For Reaſon with us is
that which gives us a true Senſe of Juſtice and Honeſty, Praiſe,
Kindneſs and Gratitude: ’tis That that teaches us to diſtinguiſh
univerſally between Good and Bad; and renders us capable of Knowledge
and Experience in it. And can there be any where any other Sort of
Reaſon than this? or can what we call juſt and generous, in Jupiter or
Mars be thought unjuſt Villany? This is not at all, I don’t ſay
probable, but poſſible. For the Aim and Deſign of the Creator is every
where the Preſervation and Safety of his Creatures. Now when ſuch
Reaſon as we are Maſters of, is neceſſary for the preſervation of Life,
and promoting of Society (a thing that they are not without, as we
ſhall ſhow) would it not be ſtrange that the Planetary Inhabitants
ſhould have ſuch a perverſe Sort of Reaſon given them, as would
neceſſarily deſtroy and confound what it was deſign’d to maintain and
defend? But allowing Morality and Paſſions with thoſe diſtant
Inhabitants to be ſomewhat different from ours, and ſuppoſing they may
act by other Principles in what belongs to Friendſhip and Anger,
Hatred, Honeſty, Modeſty, and Comelineſs, yet ſtill there would be no
doubt, but that in the Search after Truth, in judging of the
Conſequences of Things, in Reaſoning, particularly in that Sort which
belongs to Magnitude or Quantity, about which their Geometry (if they
have ſuch a Thing) is employ’d, there would be no doubt, I ſay, but
that their Reaſon here muſt be exactly the ſame, and go the ſame way to
work with ours, and that what’s true in one part will hold true over
the whole Univerſe; ſo that all the difference muſt lie in the Degrees
of Knowledge, which will be proportional to the Genius and Capacity of
the Inhabitants.
[They have Senſes.]
But I perceive I am got ſomewhat too far: Let us firſt enquire a little
concerning the bodily Senſes of theſe Planetary Perſons; for without
ſuch, neither will Life be any Pleaſure to them, nor Reaſon of any Uſe.
And I think it very probable, that all their Animals, as well their
Beaſts as rational Creatures, are like ours in all that relates to the
Senſes: For without the Power of Seeing we ſhould find it impoſſible
for Animals to provide Food for themſelves, or be ſore-warn’d of any
approaching Danger, ſo as to guard themſelves from it. So that
where-ever we plant any Animals, except we wou’d have them lead the
Life of Worms or Moles, we muſt allow them Sight; than which nothing
can conduce more either to the Preſervation or Pleaſure of their Lives.
Then if we conſider the wonderful Nature of Light, and the [Sight.]
amazing Artifice in the fit framing the Eye for the Reception of it, we
cannot but ſee that Bodies ſo vaſtly remote could not be perceived by
us in their proper Figures and juſt Diſtances, any other way than by
Sight. For this Senſe, and all others that we know of, muſt proceed
from an external Motion. Which in the ſenſe of Seeing muſt come either
from the Sun, the fix’d Stars, or Fire: whoſe Particles being put into
a very quick Motion, communicate it to the Celeſtial Matter about,
whence ’tis convey’d in a very ſhort time to the moſt diſtant parts,
juſt like Sound through the Air. If it were not for this Motion of the
intermediate Ætherial Matter, we ſhould be all in Darkneſs, and have
Sight neither of Sun nor Stars, nor any thing elſe, for all other Light
muſt come to us by Reflection from them. This Motion perceived by the
Eyes is called Light. And the nice Curioſity of this Perception is
admirable, in that it is cauſed by the ſmalleſt Particles of the
luminous Body brought to us by that fine Matter, which at the ſame time
determine the Coaſt from whence the Motion comes; and in that all theſe
different Roads of Motion, theſe Waves croſſing and interfering with
one another, are yet no hindrance to every one’s free Paſſage. All
theſe Things are ſo wiſely, ſo wonderfully contrived, that it’s above
the Power of humane Wit, to invent or frame any thing like them; nay,
it is very difficult ſo much as to imagine and comprehend them. For
what can be more amazing, than that one ſmall Part of the Body ſhould
be ſo deviſed and framed, as by its means to ſhow us the Shape, the
Poſition, the Diſtance, and all the Motions, nay, and all the Colours,
of a Body that is far remote from us, that it may appear the more
diſtinct? And then the artful Compoſition of the Eye, drawing an exact
Picture of the Objects without it, upon the concave Side of the
Choroides, is even above all Admiration, nor is there any Thing in
which God has more plainly manifeſted his excellent Geometry. And theſe
Things are not only contriv’d and fram’d with ſo great Wiſdom and
Skill, as not to admit of better, but to any one that conſiders them
attentively, they ſeem to be of ſuch a Nature as not to allow any other
Method. For it’s impoſſible that Light ſhould repreſent Objects to us
at ſo vaſt a diſtance, except by ſuch an intervening Motion; and it’s
as impoſſible that any other Compoſition of the Eye ſhould be equally
fitted to the Reception of ſuch Impreſſions. So that I cannot but think
them greatly miſtaken, that maintain theſe Things might have been
contrived many other Ways. It’s likely then, and credible, that in
theſe Things the Planets have an exact correſpondence with us, and that
their Animals have the ſame Organs, and uſe the ſame way of Sight that
we do. They muſt have Eyes therefore, and two at leaſt we muſt grant
them, otherwiſe they would not perceive thoſe Things cloſe to them, nor
hardly be able to walk about with Safety. And if we muſt allow them to
all Animals for the Preſervation of their Life, how much more muſt they
that make more, and more noble Uſes of them, not be deprived of the
Bleſſing of ſo advantageous Members? For by them we view the various
Flowers, and the elegant Features of Beauty: with them we read, we
write, we contemplate the Heavens and Stars, and meaſure their
Diſtances, Magnitudes, and Journeys: which how far they are common to
the Inhabitants of thoſe Worlds with us, I ſhall preſently examine. But
firſt I ſhall enquire whether now we have given them one, we ought alſo
to give them the other [Hearing.] four Senſes. And indeed as to Hearing
many Arguments perſwade me to give it a Share in the Animals of thoſe
new Worlds. For ’tis of great conſequence in defending us from ſudden
Accidents; and, eſpecially when Seeing is of no uſe to us, it ſupplies
its Place, and gives us ſeaſonable warning of any imminent Danger.
Beſides, we ſee many Animals call their Fellow to them with their
Voice, which Language may have more in it than we are aware of, tho’ we
don’t underſtand it. But if we do but conſider the vaſt Uſes and
neceſſary Occaſions of Speaking on the one ſide, and Hearing on the
other, among thoſe Creatures that make uſe of their Reaſon, it will
ſcarce ſeem credible that two ſuch uſeful, ſuch excellent Things were
deſigned only for us. For how is it poſſible but that they that are
without theſe, muſt be without many other Neceſſaries and Conveniences
of Life? Or what can they have to recompenſe this Want? Then, if we go
ſtill farther, and do but meditate upon the neat and frugal Contrivance
of Nature in making the ſame Air, by the drawing in of which we live,
by whoſe Motion we ſail, and by whoſe Means Birds fly, for a Conveyance
of Sound to our Ears; and this Sound for the Conveyance of another
Man’s Thoughts to our Minds: Can we ever imagine that ſhe has left
thoſe other Worlds deſtitute of ſo vaſt [A Medium to convey Sound to
the Ears.] Advantages? That they don’t want the Means of them is
certain, for their having Clouds in Jupiter puts it paſt doubt that
they have Air too; that being moſtly formed of the Particles of Water
flying about, as the Clouds are of them gathered into ſmall Drops. And
another Proof of it is, the neceſſity of breathing for the preſervation
of Life, a Thing that ſeems to be as univerſal a Dictate of Nature, as
feeding upon the Fruits of the Earth.
[Touch.]
As for Feeling, it ſeems to be given upon neceſſity to all Creatures
that are cover’d with a fine and ſenſible Skin, as a Caution againſt
coming too near thoſe Things that may injure or incommode them: and
without it they would be liable to continual Wounds, Blows and Bruiſes.
Nature ſeems to have been ſo ſenſible of this, that ſhe has not left
the leaſt place free from ſuch a Perception. Therefore it’s probable
that the Inhabitants of thoſe Worlds are not without ſo neceſſary a
Defence, and ſo fit a Preſervative againſt Dangers and Miſhaps.
[Smell and Taſte.]
And who is there that doth not ſee the inevitable neceſſity for all
Creatures that live by feeding to have both Taſte and Smell, that they
may diſtinguiſh thoſe Things that are good and nouriſhing, from thoſe
that are miſchievous and harmful? If therefore we allow the Planetary
Creatures to feed upon Herbs, Seeds, or Fleſh, we muſt allow them Taſte
and Smell, that they may chuſe or refuſe any Thing according as they
find it likely to be advantageous or noxious to them.
I know that it hath been a Queſtion with many, whether there might not
have been more Senſes than theſe five. [Their Senſes not very different
from ours.] If we ſhould allow this, it might nevertheleſs be
reaſonably doubted, whether the Senſes of the Planetary Inhabitants are
much different from ours. I muſt confeſs, I cannot deny but there might
poſſibly have been more Senſes; but when I conſider the Uſes of thoſe
we have, I cannot think but they would have been ſuperfluous. The Eye
was made to diſcern near and remote Objects, the Ear to give us notice
of what our Eyes could not, either in the Dark or behind our Back: Then
what neither the Eye nor the Ear could, the Noſe was made (which in
Dogs is wonderfully nice) to warn us of. And if any thing eſcapes the
notice of the other four Senſes, we have Feeling to inform us of the
too near Approaches of it before it can do us any miſchief. Thus has
Nature ſo plentifully, ſo perfectly provided for the neceſſary
preſervation of her Creatures here, that I think ſhe can give nothing
more to thoſe there, but what will be needleſs and ſuperfluous. Yet the
Senſes were not wholly deſigned for uſe: but Men from all, and all
other Animals from ſome of them, reap Pleaſure as well as Profit, as
from the Taſte in delicious Meats; from the Smell in Flowers and
Perfumes; from the Sight in the Contemplation of beauteous Shapes and
Colours; from the Hearing in the Sweetneſs and Harmony of Sounds; from
the Feeling in Copulation, unleſs you pleaſe to count that for a
particular Senſe by it ſelf. [They have Pleaſure ariſing from the
Senſes.] Since it is thus, I think ’tis but reaſonable to allow the
Inhabitants of the Planets theſe ſame Advantages that we have from
them. For upon this Conſideration only, how much happier and eaſier a
Man’s Life is rendred by the enjoyment of them, we muſt be obliged to
grant them theſe Bleſſings, except we would engroſs every thing that is
good to our ſelves, as if we were worthier and more deſerving than any
elſe. But moreover, that Pleaſure which we perceive in Eating or in
Copulation, ſeems to be a neceſſary and provident Command of Nature,
whereby it tacitly compels us to the preſervation and continuance of
our Life and Kind. It is the ſame in Beaſts. So that both for their
Happineſs and Preſervation it’s very probable the reſt of the Planets
are not without it. Certainly when I conſider all theſe Things, how
great, noble, and uſeful they are; when I conſider what an admirable
Providence it is that there’s ſuch a Thing as Pleaſure in the World, I
can’t but think that our Earth, the ſmalleſt part almoſt of the
Univerſe, was never deſign’d to monopolize ſo great a Bleſſing. And
thus much for thoſe Pleaſures which affect our bodily Senſes, but have
little or no relation to our Reaſon and Mind. But there are other
Pleaſures which Men enjoy, which their Soul only and Reaſon can reliſh:
Some airy and brisk, others grave and ſolid, and yet nevertheleſs
Pleaſures, as ariſing from the Satisfaction which we feel in Knowledge
and Inventions, and Searches after Truth, of which whether the
Planetary Inhabitants are not partakers, we ſhall have an opportunity
of enquiring by and by. There
There are ſome other things to be conſider’d firſt, in which it’s
probable they have ſome relation to us. That the Planets have thoſe
Elements of Earth, Air and Water, as well as we, I have already made
not unlikely. Let us now ſee whether they may not have Fire alſo: which
is not ſo properly call’d an Element, as a very quick Motion of the
Particles in the inflammable [All the Planets have Fire.] Body. But be
it what it will, there are many Arguments for their not being without
it. For this Earth is not ſo truly call’d the Place of Fire as the Sun:
and as by the Heat of that all Plants and Animals here thrive and live;
ſo, no doubt, it is in the other Planets. Since then Fire is cauſed by
a moſt intenſe and vigorous Heat, it follows that the Planets,
eſpecially thoſe nearer the Fountain of it, have their proportionate
degrees of Heat and Fire. And ſince there are ſo many ways of its
Production, as by the collection of the Rays of the Sun, by the
reflection of Mirrors, by the ſtriking of Flint and Steel, by the
rubbing of Wood, by the cloſe loading of moiſt Graſs, by Lightning, by
the eruptions of Mountains and Volcanos, it’s ſtrange if neither Art
ſhould have produced it, nor Nature effected it there by one of theſe
many means. Then how uſeful and neceſſary is it to us? By it we drive
away Cold, and ſupply the want of the Sun in thoſe Countries where his
oblique Rays make a leſs vigorous Impreſſion, and ſo keep a great part
of the Earth from being an uninhabited Deſert: which is equally
neceſſary in all the Planets, whether we allow them Succeſſion of
Seaſons, or a perpetual Spring and Æquinox: for even then the Countries
near the Pole would receive but little Advantage from the Heat of the
Sun. By the help of this we turn the Night into Day, and thereby make a
conſiderable addition to the ſhortneſs of our Lives. Upon all theſe
Accounts we ought not to think this Earth of ours enjoy it all alone,
and exclude all the other Planets from ſo advantageous and ſo
profitable a Gift.
But perhaps it may be asked as well concerning Brutes as rational
Creatures, and of their Plants and Trees too, whether they are
proportionably [The bigneſs of their Creatures not rightly gueſt at by
the bigneſs of the Planets.] larger or leſs than ours. For if the
Magnitude of the Planets was to be the Standard of their meaſure, there
would be Animals in Jupiter ten or fifteen times larger than Elephants,
and as much longer than our Whales, and then their Men muſt be all
Giants in reſpect to us. Now tho’ I don’t ſee any ſo great Abſurdity in
this as to make it impoſſible, yet there is no reaſon to think it is
really ſo, ſeeing Nature has not always ty’d her ſelf to thoſe Rules
which we have thought more convenient for her: For example, the
Magnitude of the Planets is not anſwerable to their diſtances from the
Sun; but Mars, tho’ more remote, is far leſs than Venus: and Jupiter
turns round his Axis in ten Hours, when the Earth which is much leſs
than him, ſpends 24. But ſince Nature, perhaps ſome will ſay, has not
obſerved ſuch a Regularity in the proportion of Things, for ought we
know there may be only a Race of Pygmies about the Bigneſs of Frogs and
Mice, poſſeſs’d of the Planets. But I ſhall ſhow that this is very
improbable by and by.
[In the Planets are ſorts of rational Creatures as well as here.]
There may ariſe another Queſtion, whether there be in the Planets but
one ſort of rational Creatures, or if there be not ſeveral ſorts
poſſeſſed of different degrees of Reaſon and Senſe. There is ſomething
not unlike this to be obſerved among us. For to paſs by thoſe who have
human Shape (altho’ ſome of them would very well bear that Enquiry too)
if we do but conſider ſome ſorts of Beaſts, as the Dog, the Ape, the
Beaver, the Elephant, nay ſome Birds and Bees, what Senſe and
Underſtanding they are maſters of, we ſhall be forced to allow, that
Man is not the only rational Animal. For we diſcover ſomewhat in them
of Reaſon independent on, and prior to all Teaching and Practice.
But ſtill no Body can doubt, but that the Underſtanding and Reaſon of
Man is to be preferr’d to theirs, as being comprehenſive of innumerable
Things, indued with an infinite memory of what’s paſt, and capable of
providing againſt what’s to come. That there is ſome ſuch Species of
rational Creatures in the other Planets, which is the Head and
Sovereign of the reſt, is very reaſonable to believe: for otherwiſe,
were many Species endued with the ſame Wiſdom and Cunning, we ſhould
have them always doing Miſchief, always quarrelling and fighting one
with another for Empire and Sovereignty, a Thing that we feel too much
of where we have but one ſuch Species. But to let that paſs, our next
Enquiry ſhall be concerning thoſe Animals in the Planets which are
furniſhed with the greateſt Reaſon, whether it’s poſſible to know
wherein they employ it, and whether they have made as great Advances in
Arts and Knowledge as we in our Planet. Which deſerves moſt to be
conſidered and examined of any thing belonging to their Nature; and for
the better Performance of it we muſt take our Riſe ſomewhat higher, and
nicely view the Lives and Studies of Men.
And in thoſe things wherein Men provide and take care only of what’s
abſolutely neceſſary for the preſervation of their Life; in defending
themſelves from the Injuries of the Air; in ſecuring themſelves againſt
the Incurſions of Enemies by Walls; and againſt Fraud and Diſturbances
by Laws; in educating their Children, and providing for themſelves and
them: In all theſe I can ſee no great reaſon that Man has to boaſt of
the Pre-eminency of his Reaſon above Beaſts and other Animals. For moſt
of theſe Things they perform with greater Eaſe and Art than we, and
ſome of them they have no need of. For that Senſe of Virtue and Juſtice
in which Man excels, of Friendſhip, Gratitude and Honeſty, of what uſe
are they, but either to put a ſtop to the Wickedneſs of Man, or to
ſecure us from mutual Aſſaults and Injuries, Things wherein the Beaſts
want no Guide but Nature and Inclination? Then if we ſet before our
Eyes the manifold Cares, the Diſturbances of Mind, the reſtleſs
Deſires, the dread of Death, that are the reſult of this our Reaſon;
and compare them with that eaſy, quiet, and harmleſs Life which other
Animals enjoy, we ſhould be apt to wiſh a Change, and conclude that
they, eſpecially Birds, lived with more Pleaſure and Happineſs than Man
could with all his Wiſdom. For they have as great a Reliſh of bodily
Pleaſures as we, let the new Philoſophers ſay what they will, who would
have them to be nothing but Clocks and Engines of Fleſh; a Thing which
Beaſts ſo plainly confute by crying and running away from a Stick, and
all other Actions, that I wonder how any one could ſubſcribe to ſo
abſurd and cruel an Opinion. Nay, I can ſcarce doubt but that Birds
feel no ſmall Pleaſure in their eaſy, ſmooth ſailing through the Air;
and would much more if they but knew the Advantages it hath above our
ſlow and [Men chiefly differ from Beaſts in the Study of Nature.]
laborious Progreſſion. What is it then after all that ſets human Reaſon
above all other, and makes us preferable to the reſt of the Animal
World? Nothing in my Mind ſo much as the Contemplation of the Works of
God, and the Study of Nature, and the improving thoſe Sciences which
may bring us to ſome knowledge in their Beauty and Variety. For without
Knowledge what would be Contemplation? And what difference is there
between a Man, who with a careleſs ſupine Negligence views the Beauty
and Uſe of the Sun, and the fine golden Furniture of the Heaven, and
one who with a learned Niceneſs ſearches into their Courſes; who
underſtands wherein the Fix’d Stars, as they are call’d, differ from
the Planets, and what is the Reaſon of the regular Viciſſitude of the
Seaſons; who by ſound Reaſoning can meaſure the Magnitude and Diſtance
of the Sun and Planets? Or between ſuch a one as admires perhaps the
nimble Activity and ſtrange Motions of ſome Animals, and one that knows
their whole Structure, underſtands the whole Fabrick and Architecture
of their Compoſition? If therefore the Principle we before laid down be
true, that the other Planets are not inferiour in Dignity to ours,
[They have Aſtronomy.] what follows but that they have Creatures not to
ſtare and wonder at the Works of Nature only, but who employ their
Reaſon in the Examination and Knowledge of them, and have made as great
Advances therein as we have? They do not only view the Stars, but they
improve the Science of Aſtronomy: nor is there any thing can make us
think this improbable, but that fond Conceitedneſs of every Thing that
we call our own, and that Pride that is too natural to us to be eaſily
laid down. But I know ſome will ſay, we are a little too bold in theſe
Aſſertions of the Planets, and that we mounted hither by many
Probabilities, one of which, if it chance to be falſe, and contrary to
our Suppoſition, would, like a bad Foundation, ruin the whole Building,
and make it fall to the Ground. But I would have them to know, that all
I have ſaid of their Knowledge in Aſtronomy, has Proofs enough,
antecedent to thoſe we now produced. For ſuppoſing the Earth, as we
did, one of the Planets of equal Dignity and Honour with the reſt, who
would venture to ſay, that no where elſe were to be found any that
enjoy’d the glorious Sight of Nature’s Theatre? Or if there were any
Fellow-Spectators, yet we were the only ones that had dived deep into
the Secrets and Knowledge of it? So that here’s a Proof not ſo far
fetch’d for the Aſtronomy of the Planets, the ſame which we uſed for
their having rational Creatures, and enjoying the other Advantages we
before talk’d of, which ſerves at the ſame time for the Confirmation of
our former Conjectures. But if Amazement and Fear at the Eclipſes of
the Moon and Sun gave the firſt occaſion to the Study of Aſtronomy, as
probably they did, then it’s almoſt impoſſible that Jupiter and Saturn
ſhould be without it; the Argument being of much greater force in them,
by reaſon of the daily Eclipſes of their Moons, and the frequent ones
of the Sun to their Inhabitants. So that if a Perſon diſintereſted in
his Judgment, and equally ignorant of the Affairs of all the Planets,
were to give his Opinion in this Matter, I don’t doubt he would give
the Cauſe for Aſtronomy to thoſe two Planets rather than us.
This Suppoſition of their Knowledge and Uſe of Aſtronomy in the
Planetary Worlds, will afford us many new Conjectures about their
manner of Life, and their State as to other things.
[And all its ſubſervient Arts.]
For, Firſt: No Obſervations of the Stars that are neceſſary to the
Knowledge of their Motions, can be made without Inſtruments; nor can
theſe be made without Metal, Wood, or ſome ſuch ſolid Body. Here’s a
neceſſity of allowing them the Carpenters Tools, the Saw, the Ax, the
Plane, the Mallet, the File: and the making of theſe requires the Uſe
of Iron, or ſome equally hard Metal. [Geometry and Arithmetick:] Again,
theſe Inſtruments can’t be without a Circle divided into equal Parts,
or a ſtrait Line into unequal. Here’s a neceſſity for introducing
Geometry and Arithmetick. Then the Neceſſity [And Writing.] in ſuch
Obſervations of marking down the Epochas or Accounts of Time, and of
tranſmitting them to Poſterity, will force us to grant them the Art of
Writing; perhaps very different from ours which is commonly uſed, but I
dare affirm not more ingenious or eaſy. For how much more ready and
expeditious is our Way, than by that multitude of Characters uſed in
China; and how vaſtly preferable to Knots tied in Cords, or the
Pictures in uſe among the barbarous People of Mexico and Peru? There’s
no Nation in the World but has ſome way or other of writing or marking
down their Thoughts: So that it’s no wonder if the Planetary
Inhabitants have been taught it by that great School-miſtreſs
Neceſſity, and apply it to the Study of Aſtronomy and other Sciences.
In Aſtronomical Matters the Neceſſity of it is moreover apparent from
hence, that the Motion of the Stars is as ’twere to be fancied and
gueſs’d at in different Syſtems, and theſe Syſtems to be continually
improved and corrected, as later and more exact Obſervations ſhall
convince the old ones of Faults: all which can never be deliver’d down
to ſucceeding Generations, unleſs we make uſe of Letters and Figures.
But after all theſe large and liberal Allowances to Them, they will
ſtill be behind-hand with us. For we have ſo certain a Knowledge of the
true [And Opticks.] Syſtem and Frame of the Univerſe; we have ſo
admirable an Invention of Teleſcopes to help our failing Eye-ſight in
the view of the Bigneſs and different Forms of the Planetary Bodies, in
the diſcovery of the Mountains, and the Shadows of them on the Surface
of the Moon, in the bringing to light an innumerable multitude of Stars
otherwiſe inviſible, that we muſt neceſſarily be far their Maſters in
that Knowledge. Hence it is almoſt neceſſary (except we have a Mind to
flatter and complement our ſelves as the only People that have the
Advantage of ſuch excellent Inventions) either to allow the Planetary
Inhabitants ſuch ſharp Eyes as not to need them, or elſe the uſe of
Glaſſes to help the Deficiency of their Sight. And yet I dare not
aſſert this, leſt any one ſhould be ſo diſturbed at the Extravagancy of
ſuch an Opinion, as to take the meaſure of my other Conjectures by it,
and hiſs them all off, upon the account of this alone.
[Theſe Sciences not contrary to Nature.]
But ſome Body may perhaps object, and that not without reaſon at firſt
ſight, that the Planetary Inhabitants it’s likely are deſtitute of all
refined Knowledge, juſt as the Americans were before they had Commerce
with the Europeans. For if one conſiders the Ignorance of thoſe
Nations, and of others in Aſia and Africa equally barbarous, it will
appear as if the main Deſign of the Creator in placing Men upon the
Earth was that they might live, and, in a juſt ſenſe of all the
Bleſſings and Pleaſure they enjoy, worſhip the Fountain of their
Happineſs; but that ſome few went beyond the Bounds of Nature in their
Enquiries after Knowledge. There does not want an Anſwer to theſe Men.
For God could not but foreſee the Advances Men would make, in their
enquiring into the Heavenly Bodies: that they would diſcover Arts
uſeful and advantageous to Life: that they would croſs the Seas, and
dig up the Bowels of the Earth. Nothing of all this could happen
contrary to the Mind and Knowledge of the Infinite Author of all
Things. And if he foreſaw theſe Things would be, he ſo appointed and
deſtin’d them to humane kind. And the Studies of Arts and Sciences
cannot be ſaid to be contrary to Nature, ſince in the ſearch thereof
they are employ’d: eſpecially if we conſider how great the natural,
deſire and love of Knowledge, rooted in all Men is. For it’s impoſſible
this ſhould have been given them upon no Deſign or Account. But they
will urge, that if ſuch a Knowledge is natural, if we were born for it,
why are there ſo very few, eſpecially in Aſtronomy, that proſecute
theſe Studies? For Europe is the only Quarter of the Earth in which
there have been any Advancements made in Aſtronomy. And as for the
Judicial Aſtrology, which pretends to foretel what is to come, it is
ſuch a wretched and oftentimes miſchievous piece of Madneſs, that I do
not think it ought to be ſo much as named here. And even in Europe, not
one in a hundred Thouſand meddles with theſe Studies. Beſides, its
Original and Riſe is ſo late, that many Ages were paſt before the very
firſt Rudiments of Aſtronomy or Geometry (which is neceſſary to the
learning of it) were known. For every Body is acquainted almoſt with
its firſt Beginnings in Egypt and Greece. Add to this, that ’tis not
yet above fourſcore Years ſince the bungling Epicycles were diſcarded,
and the true and eaſy plain Motion of the Planets was diſcovered. For
the Satisfaction of theſe Scruples, to what we ſaid before, concerning
the Fore-knowledge of God, may be added this; That God never deſigned
we ſhould come into the World Aſtronomers or Philoſophers; theſe Arts
are not infuſed into us at our Birth, but were ordered, in long Tracts
of Time, by degrees to be the Rewards and Reſult of laborious
Diligence; eſpecially thoſe Sciences which are now in debate, are ſo
much the more difficult and abſtruſe, that their late Invention and
ſlow Progreſs are ſo far from being a Wonder, that it is rather ſtrange
they were ever diſcover’d at all. There are but few, I acknowledge one
or two perhaps in an Age, that purſue them, or think them their
Buſineſs: but their Number will be very conſiderable if we take in
thoſe that have lived in all the Ages in which Aſtronomy hath
flouriſhed: and no Body can deny them that Happineſs and Contentment
which they have pretended to above all others. In fine, it was
ſufficient that ſo ſmall a Number ſhould make it their Study, ſo that
the Profit and Advantage of their Inventions might but ſpread it ſelf
over all the World. Since then the Inhabitants of this Earth, let them
be never ſo few, have had Parts and Genius ſufficient for the
Attainment of this Knowledge; and there’s no reaſon to think the
Planetary Inhabitants leſs ingenious or happy than our ſelves; we have
gain’d our Point, and ’tis probable that they are as skilful
Aſtronomers as we can pretend to be. So that now we may venture to
deduce ſome Conſequences from ſuch a Suppoſition.
We have before ſhow’d the neceſſary Dependence and Connexion, not only
of Geometry and Arithmetick, but of Mechanical Arts and Inſtruments
with this Science. This leads us naturally to the Enquiry how they can
uſe theſe Inſtruments and Engines for the Obſervation of the Stars, how
they can write down ſuch their Obſervations, and perform other Things
which we do with our Hands. So that we muſt neceſſarily give them [They
have Hands.] Hands, or ſome other Member, as convenient for all those
Uſes, inſtead of them. One of the ancient Philoſophers laid ſuch Streſs
upon the Uſe and Conveniency of the Hands, that he made no ſcruple to
affirm, they were the Cauſe and Foundation of all our Knowledge. By
which, I ſuppoſe, he meant no more, than that without their Help and
Aſſiſtance Men could never arrive to the Improvement of their Minds in
natural Knowledge: And indeed not without Reaſon. For ſuppoſe inſtead
of them they had had Hoofs like Horſes or Bullocks given them, they
might have laid indeed the Model and Deſign of Cities and Houſes in
their Head, but they would never have been able to have built them.
They would have had no Subject of Diſcourſe but what belong’d to their
Victuals, Marriages, or Self-preſervation. They would have been void of
all Knowledge and Memory, and indeed would have been but one degree
diſtant from brute Beaſts. What could we invent or imagine that could
be ſo exactly accommodated to all the deſign’d Uſes as the Hands are?
Elephants can lay hold of, or throw any thing with their Proboſcis, can
take up even the ſmalleſt Things from the Ground, and can perform ſuch
ſurpriſing Things with it, that it has not very improperly been call’d
their Hand, tho’ indeed it is nothing but a Noſe ſomewhat longer than
ordinary. Nor do Birds ſhow leſs Art and Deſign in the Uſe of their
Bills in the picking up their Meat, and the wonderful Compoſure of
their Neſts. But all this is nothing to thoſe Conveniences the Hand is
ſo admirably ſuited to; nothing to that amazing Contrivance in its
Capacity of being ſtretched, or contracted, or turned to any Part as
Occaſion ſhall require. And then, to paſs by that nice Senſe that the
Ends of the Fingers are endued with, even to the feeling and
diſtinguiſhing moſt ſorts of Bodies in the Dark, what Wiſdom and Art is
ſhow’d in the Diſpoſition of the Thumb and Fingers, ſo as to take up or
keep faſt hold of any Thing we pleaſe? Either then the Planetary
Inhabitants muſt have Hands, or ſomewhat equally convenient, which it
is not eaſy to conceive; or elſe we muſt ſay that Nature has been
kinder not only to us, but even to Squirrels and Monkeys than them.
[And Feet.]
That they have Feet alſo ſcarce any one can doubt, that does but
conſider what we ſaid but juſt now of Animals different Ways of going
along, which it’s hard to imagine can be perform’d any other ways than
what we there recounted. And of all thoſe, there’s none can agree ſo
well with the ſtate of the Planetary Inhabitants, as that that we here
make uſe of. Except (what is not very probable, if they live in
Society, as I ſhall ſhow they do) they have found out the Art of flying
in ſome of thoſe Worlds.
[That they are upright.]
The Stature and Shape of Men here does ſhow forth the Divine Providence
ſo much in its being ſo fitly adapted to its deſign’d Uſes, that it is
not without reaſon that all the Philoſophers have taken notice of it,
nor without Probability that the Planetary Inhabitants have their Eyes
and Countenance upright, like us, for the more convenient and eaſy
Contemplation and Obſervations of the Stars. For if the Wiſdom of the
Creator is ſo obſervable, ſo Praiſe-worthy in the Poſition of the other
Members; in the convenient Situation of the Eyes, as Watches in the
higher Region of the Body; in the removing of the more uncomely Parts
out of ſight as ’twere, we cannot but think he has almoſt obſerved the
ſame Method in the Bodies of thoſe remote Inhabitants. Nor [It follows
not therefore that they have the ſame Shape with us.] does it follow
from hence that they muſt be of the ſame Shape with us. For there is
ſuch an infinite poſſible variety of Figures to be imagined, that both
the Structure of their whole Bodies, and every part of them, both
outſide and inſide, may be quite different from ours. How warmly and
conveniently are ſome Creatures cloth’d with Wool, and how finely are
others decked and adorn’d with Feathers? Perhaps among the rational
Creatures in the Planets there may ſome ſuch diſtinction be obſerv’d in
their Garb and Covering; a Thing in which Beaſts ſeem to excel Men in
here. Unleſs perhaps Men are born naked, for this reaſon to put them
upon employing and exerciſing their Wits, in the inventing and making
that Attire that Nature had made neceſſary for them. And ’tis this
Neceſſity that has been the greateſt, if not only occaſion of all the
Trade and Commerce, of all the Mechanical Inventions and Diſcoveries
that we are Maſters of. Beſides, Nature might have another great
Conveniency in her Eye, by bringing Men into the World naked, namely,
that they might accommodate themſelves to all places of the World, and
go thicker or thinner cloth’d, according as the Seaſon and Climate they
liv’d in requir’d. There may ſtill be conceived a greater difference
between us and the Inhabitants of the Planets; for there are ſome ſort
of Animals, ſuch as Oyſters, Lobſters, and Crab-fiſh, whoſe Fleſh is on
the inſide of their Bones as ’twere. But that which hinders me from
aſcribing ſuch a kind of Frame and Compoſition to the Planetary
Inhabitants, is that Nature ſeems to have done it only in a few of the
meaneſt Sort of Creatures, and that hereby they would be deprived of
that quick eaſy motion of their Hands and Fingers, which is ſo uſeful
and neceſſary to them, otherwiſe I ſhould not be much affected with the
odd Shape and Figure.
[A rational Soul may inhabit another Shape than ours.]
For ’tis a very ridiculous Opinion, that the common People have got,
that ’tis impoſſible a rational Soul ſhould dwell in any other Shape
than ours. And yet as ſilly as ’tis, it has been the occaſion of many
Philoſophers allowing the Gods no other Shape; nay, the Foundation of a
Sect among the Chriſtians, that from hence have the Name of
Anthropomorphites. This can proceed from nothing but the Weakneſs,
Ignorance, and Prejudice of Men; the ſame as that other concerning
humane Shape, that it is the handſomeſt and moſt excellent of all
others, when indeed it’s nothing but a being accuſtomed to that Figure
that makes us think ſo, and a Conceit that we and all other Animals
naturally have, that no Shape or Colour can be ſo good as our own. Yet
ſo powerful are theſe, that were we to meet with a Creature of a much
different Shape from Man, with Reaſon and Speech, we ſhould be much
ſurpriſed and ſhocked at the Sight. For if we try to imagine or paint a
Creature like a Man in every Thing elſe, but that has a Neck four times
as long, and great round Eyes five or ſix times as big, and farther
diſtant, we cannot look upon’t without the utmoſt Averſion, altho’ at
the ſame time we can give no account of our Diſlike.
[The Planetarians not leſs than we.]
When I juſt now mentioned the Stature of the Planetary Inhabitants, I
hinted that ’twas improbable they ſhould be leſs than we are. For it’s
likely, that as our Bodies are made in ſuch a proportion to our Earth,
as to render us capable of travelling about it, and making Obſervations
upon its Bulk and Figure, the ſame Order is obſerv’d in the Inhabitants
of the other Planets, unleſs in this Particular alſo, which is very
conſiderable, we would prefer our ſelves to all others. Then ſeeing we
have before allow’d them Aſtronomy and Obſervations, we muſt give them
Bodies and Strength ſufficient for the ruling their Inſtruments, and
the erecting their Tubes and Engines. And for this the larger they are
the better. For if we ſhould ſuppoſe them Dwarfs not above the Bigneſs
of Rats or Mice, they could neither make ſuch Obſervations as are
requiſite; nor ſuch Inſtruments as are neceſſary to thoſe Obſervations.
Therefore we muſt ſuppoſe them larger than, or at leaſt equal to, our
ſelves, eſpecially in Jupiter and Saturn, which are ſo vaſtly bigger
than the Planet which we inhabit.
[They live in Society.]
Aſtronomy, we ſaid before, could never ſubſiſt without the writing down
the Obſervations: Nor could the Art of Writing (any more than the Arts
of Carpenters and Founders) ever be found out except in a Society of
reaſonable Creatures, where the Neceſſities of Life forc’d them upon
Invention: So that it follows from hence, (as was before ſaid) that the
Planetary Inhabitants muſt in this be like us, that they maintain a
Society and Fellowſhip with, and afford mutual Aſſiſtances and Helps to
one another. Hereupon we muſt allow them a ſettled, not a wandring
Scythian way of living, as more convenient for Men in ſuch
Circumſtances. But what follows from hence? Muſt they not have every
thing elſe proper for ſuch a manner of living granted them too? Muſt
they not have their Governours, Houſes, Cities, Trade and Bartering?
Why ſhould they not, when even the barbarous People of America and
other Places were at their firſt Diſcovery found to have ſomewhat of
that nature in uſe among them. I don’t ſay, that Things muſt be the
ſame there as they are here. We have many that may very well be ſpared
among rational Creatures, and were deſign’d only for the preſervation
of Society from all Injury, and for the curbing of thoſe Men who make
an ill uſe of their Reaſon to the Detriment of others. Perhaps in the
Planets they have ſuch plenty and affluence of all good Things, as they
neither need or deſire to ſteal from one another; perhaps they may be
ſo juſt and good as to be at perpetual Peace, and never to lie in wait
for, or take away the Life of their Neighbour: perhaps they may not
know what Anger or Hatred are; and if ſo, they muſt be much happier
than we. But it’s more likely they have ſuch a mixture of Good with
Bad, of Wiſe with Fools, of War with Peace, and want not that
School-miſtreſs of Arts Poverty. For, as was before ſhown, ſome good
uſe may be made of theſe things, but if not, there is no Reaſon why we
ſhould prefer their Condition to our own.
[They enjoy the Pleaſures of Society.]
What I am now going to ſay may ſeem ſomewhat more bold, and yet is not
leſs likely than the former. For if theſe Nations in the Planets live
in Society, as I have pretty well ſhow’d they do, ’tis ſomewhat more
than probable that they enjoy not only the Profit, but the Pleaſures
ariſing from Society: ſuch as Converſation, Amours, Jeſting, and Shews.
Otherwiſe we ſhould make them live without Diverſion or Merriment; we
ſhould deprive them of the great Sweetneſs of Life, which it can’t well
be without, and give our ſelves ſuch an Advantage over them as Reaſon
will by no means admit of.
But to proceed to a farther Enquiry into their Buſineſs and Employment,
let’s conſider what we have not yet mention’d, wherein they may bear
any Likeneſs to us. And firſt we have good Reaſon to believe they build
themſelves Houſes, becauſe we are ſure they are not without their
Showers. For in Jupiter have been obſerved Clouds, big no doubt with
Vapours and Water, which hath been proved by many other Arguments, not
to be wanting in that Planet. They have Rain then, for otherwiſe how
could all the Vapours drawn up by the Heat of the Sun be diſpoſed of?
And Winds, for they are cauſed only by Vapours diſſolved by Heat, and
it’s plain that they blow in Jupiter by the continual Motion and
Variety of the [They have Houſes to ſecure ’em from Weather.] Clouds
about him. To protect themſelves from theſe, and that they may paſs
their Nights in Quiet and Safety, they muſt build themſelves Tents or
Huts, or live in Holes of the Earth. But why may we not ſuppoſe the
Planetary Inhabitants to be as good Architects, have as noble Houſes,
and as ſtately Palaces as our ſelves? Unleſs we think that every Thing
which belongs to our ſelves is the moſt beautiful and perfect that can
be. And who are we, but a few that live in a little Corner of the
World, upon a Ball ten Thouſand times leſs than Jupiter or Saturn? And
yet we muſt be the only skilful People at Building; and all others muſt
be our Inferiours in the Knowledge of uniform Symetry; and not be able
to raiſe Towers and Pyramids as high, magnificent, and beautiful, as
our ſelves. For my part, I ſee no reaſon why they may not be as great
Maſters as we are, and have the Uſe of all thoſe Arts ſubſervient to
it, as Stone-cutting and Brick-making, and whatſoever elſe is neceſſary
for it, as Iron, Lead and Glaſs; or ornamental to it, as Gilding and
Picture.
If their Globe is divided like ours, into Sea and Land, as it’s evident
it is (elſe whence could all thoſe Vapours in Jupiter proceed?) we have
great Reaſon to allow them the Art of Navigation, and not vainly
ingroſs ſo great, ſo uſeful a Thing to our ſelves. Eſpecially
conſidering the great Advantages Jupiter and Saturn have for Sailing,
in having ſo many Moons to direct their Courſe, by whoſe Guidance they
may attain eaſily to the Knowledge that we are not Maſters of, of the
Longitude of Places. And what a Multitude of other Things follow from
this Allowance? If they have Ships, they muſt have Sails and Anchors,
Ropes, Pullies, and Rudders, which are of particular Uſe in directing a
Ship’s Courſe againſt the Wind, and in ſailing different Ways with the
ſame Gale. And perhaps they may not be without the Uſe of the Compaſs
too, for the magnetical Matter, which continually paſſes thro’ the
Pores of our Earth, is of ſuch a Nature, that it’s very probable the
Planets have ſomething like [They have Navigation, and all Arts
ſubſervient.] it. But there’s no doubt but that they muſt have the
Mechanical Arts and Aſtronomy, without which Navigation can no more
ſubſiſt, than they can without Geometry.
But Geometry ſtands in no need of being prov’d after this manner. Nor
doth it want Aſſiſtance from other Arts which depend upon it, but we
may have a nearer and ſhorter Aſſurance of their not being without it
in thoſe Earths. For that Science is of ſuch ſingular Worth and
Dignity, ſo peculiarly imploys the Underſtanding, and gives it ſuch a
full Comprehenſion and infallible [As Geometry.] certainty of Truth, as
no other Knowledge can pretend to: it is moreover of ſuch a Nature,
that its Principles and Foundations muſt be ſo immutably the ſame in
all Times and Places, that we cannot without Injuſtice pretend to
monopolize it, and rob the reſt of the Univerſe of ſuch an incomparable
Study. Nay Nature it ſelf invites us to be Geometricians; it preſents
us with Geometrical Figures, with Circles and Squares, with Triangles,
Polygones, and Spheres, and propoſes them as it were to our
Conſideration and Study, which abſtracting from its Uſefulneſs, is moſt
delightful and raviſhing. Who can read Euclid, or Apollonius, about the
Circle, without Admiration? Or Archimedes of the Surface of the Sphere,
and Quadrature of the Parabola without Amazement? or conſider the late
ingenious Diſcoveries of the Moderns with Boldneſs and Unconcernedneſs?
And all theſe Truths are as naked and open, and depend upon the ſame
plain Principles and Axioms in Jupiter and Saturn as here, which makes
it not improbable that there are in the Planets ſome who partake with
us in theſe delightful and pleaſant Studies. But what’s the greateſt
Argument with me, that there are ſuch, is their Uſe, I had almoſt ſaid
Neceſſity, in moſt Affairs of humane Life. Now we are got thus far,
what if we ſhould venture ſomewhat farther, and ſay, that they have our
Inventions of the Tables of Sines, of Logarithms, and Algebra? I know
it would ſound very odd, and perhaps a little ridiculous, and yet
there’s no reaſon but the thinking our ſelves better than all the
World, to hinder them from being as happy in their Diſcoveries, and as
ingenious in their Inventions as we our ſelves are.
[They have Muſick.]
It’s the ſame with Muſick as with Geometry, it’s every where immutably
the ſame, and always will be ſo. For all Harmony conſiſts in Concord,
and Concord is all the World over fix’d according to the ſame
invariable Meaſure and Proportion. So that in all Nations the
Difference and Diſtance of Notes is the ſame, whether they be in a
continued gradual Progreſſion, or the Voice makes skips over one to the
next. Nay very credible Authors report, that there’s a ſort of Bird in
America, that can plainly ſing in order ſix muſical Notes: Whence it
follows, that the Laws of Muſick are unchangeably fix’d by Nature, and
therefore the ſame Reaſon holds for their Muſick, as we e’en now ſhewed
for their Geometry. For why, ſuppoſing other Nations and Creatures,
endued with Reaſon and Senſe as well as we, ſhould not they reap the
Pleaſures ariſing from theſe Senſes as well as we too? I don’t know
what Effect this Argument, from the immutable Nature of theſe Arts, may
have upon the Minds of others; I think it no inconſiderable or
contemptible one, but of as great Strength as that which I made uſe of
above to prove that the Planetary Inhabitants had the Senſe of Seeing.
But if they take delight in Harmony, there is no doubt but that they
have invented Muſical Inſtruments. For they could ſcarce help lighting
upon ſome or other by chance; the Sound of a tight String, the Noiſe of
the Winds, or the whiſtling of Reeds, might have given them the hint.
From theſe ſmall Beginnings they perhaps, as well as we, have advanced
by degrees to the Uſe of the Lute, Harp, Flute, and many ſtring’d
Inſtruments. But altho’ the Tones are certain and determinate, yet we
find among different Nations a quite different manner and rule for
Singing; as formerly among the Dorians, Phrygians, and Lydians, and in
our Time among the French, Italians, and Perſians. In like manner it
may ſo happen, that the Muſick of the Inhabitants of the Planets may
widely differ from all theſe, and yet be very good. But why we ſhould
look upon their Muſick to be worſe than ours, there’s no reaſon can be
given; neither can we well preſume that they want the Uſe of Halſ-Notes
and Quarter-Notes, ſeeing the Invention of Halſ-Notes is ſo obvious,
and the Uſe of them ſo agreeable to Nature. Nay, to go a Step farther,
what if they ſhould excel us in the Theory and practick part of Muſick,
and outdo us in Conſorts of vocal and inſtrumental Muſick, ſo
artificially compos’d, that they ſhew their Skill by the Mixtures of
Diſcords and Concords? and of this laſt ſort ’tis very likely the 5th
and 3d are in uſe with them.
This is a very bold Aſſertion, but it may be true for ought we know,
and the Inhabitants of the Planets may poſſibly have a greater inſight
into the Theory of Muſick than has yet been diſcover’d among us. For if
you ask any of our Muſicians, why two or more perfect Fifths cannot be
uſed regularly in Compoſition; ſome ſay ’tis to avoid that Sweetneſs
and Luſhiouſneſs which ariſes from the Repetition of this pleaſing
Chord. Others ſay, this muſt be avoided for the ſake of that Variety of
Chords that are requiſite to make a good Compoſition; and theſe Reaſons
are brought by Cartes and others. But an Inhabitant of Jupiter or Venus
will perhaps give you a better Reaſon for this, viz. becauſe when you
paſs from one perfect Fifth to another, there is ſuch a Change made as
immediately alters your Key, you are got into a new Key before the Ear
is prepared for it, and the more perfect Chords you uſe of the ſame
kind in Conſecution, by ſo much the more you offend the Ear by theſe
abrupt Changes.
Again, one of theſe Inhabitants perhaps can ſhow how it comes about,
that in a Song of one or more Parts, the Key cannot be kept ſo well in
the ſame agreeable Tenour, unleſs the intermediate Cloſes and Intervals
be ſo temper’d, as to vary from their uſual Proportions, and thereby to
bear a little this way or that, in order to regulate the Scale. And why
this Temperature is beſt in the Syſtem of the Strings, when out of the
Fifth the fourth Part of a Comma is uſually cut off; This ſame thing I
have formerly ſhew’d at large.
But for the regulating the Tone of the Voice (as I before hinted) that
may admit of a more eaſy proof, and we ſhall give you an Eſſay of it,
ſince I have mentioned a thing that is not mere Imagination only: I ſay
therefore, if any Perſon ſtrike thoſe Sounds which the Muſicians
diſtinguiſh by theſe Letters, C, F, D, G, C, by theſe agreeable
Intervals, altogether perfect, interchangeable, aſcending and
deſcending with the Voice: Now this latter ſound C will be one Comma,
or very ſmall portion lower than the firſt ſounding of C. Becauſe of
theſe perfect Intervals, which are as 4 to 3, 5 to 6, 4 to 3, 2 to 3,
an account is made in ſuch a Proportion, as 160 to 162. that is, as 80
to 81, which is what they call a Comma. So that if the ſame Sound
ſhould be repeated nine times, the Voice would fall near the Matter a
greater Tone, whoſe proportion is as 8 to 9. But this the Senſe of the
Ears by no means endures, but remembers the firſt Tone, and returns to
it again. Therefore we are compell’d to uſe an occult Temperament, and
to ſing theſe imperfect Intervals, from doing which leſs Offence
ariſes. And for the moſt part, all Singing wants this Temperament, as
may be collected by the aforeſaid Computations. And theſe things we
have offer’d to thoſe that have ſome Knowledge in Geometry.
We have ſpoke of theſe Arts and Inventions, which it is very probable
the Inhabitants of the Planets partake of in common with us, beſides
which it ſeems requiſite to take in many other Things that ſerve either
for the Uſe or Pleaſure of their Lives. But what theſe Things are we
ſhall the better account for, by laying before us many of thoſe Things
which are found among us. I have before mention’d the Variety of
Animals and Vegetables, which very much differ from each other, among
which there are ſome that differ but little; and I have ſaid, that
there are no leſs differences in theſe Things in the Planetary Worlds.
I ſhall now take a ſhort view of the Benefits we receive both from
thoſe Herbs and Animals, and ſee whether we may not with very good
reaſon conclude that the Planetary Inhabitants reap as great and as
many from thoſe that their Countries afford them.
And here it may be worth our while to take a Review of the Variety and
Multitude of our Riches. For Trees and Herbs do not only ſerve us for
Food, they in their delicious Fruits, theſe in their Seeds, Leaves and
Roots; but Herbs moreover furniſh us with Phyſick, and Trees with
Timber for our Houſes and Ships. Flax, by the means of thoſe two uſeful
Arts of Spinning and Weaving, affords us Clothing. Of Hemp or Matweed
we twiſt our ſelves Thread and ſmall Ropes, the former of which we
employ in Sails and Nets, the latter in making larger Ropes for Maſts
and Anchors. With the ſweet Smells and [The Advantages we reap from
Herbs and Animals.] beauteous Colours of Flowers we feaſt our Senſes:
and even thoſe of them, that offend our Noſtrils, or are miſchievous to
our Bodies, are ſeldom without excellent Uſes: or were made perhaps by
Nature as a Foil to ſet off, and make us the more value the Good by
comparing them with theſe. What vaſt Advantages and Profit do we reap
from the Animals? The Sheep give us Clothing, and the Cows afford us
Milk: and both of them their Fleſh for our Suſtenance. Aſſes, Camels,
and Horſes do, what if we wanted them we muſt do our ſelves, carry our
Burdens; and the laſt of them we make uſe of, either themſelves to
carry us, or in our Coaches to draw us. In which we have ſo excellent,
ſo uſeful an Invention of Wheels, that I can’t ſuppoſe the Planets to
enjoy Society and all its Conſequences, and be without them. Whether
they are Pythagoreans there, or feed upon Fleſh as we do, I dare not
affirm any Thing. Tho’ it ſeems to be allowed Men to feed upon
whatſoever may afford them Nouriſhment, either on Land, or in Water,
upon Herbs, and Pomes, Milk, Eggs, Honey, Fiſh, and no leſs upon the
Fleſh of many Birds and Beaſts. But it is a ſurpriſing thing! that a
rational Creature ſhould live upon the Ruin and Deſtruction of ſuch a
number of other his Fellow-Creatures! And yet it does not ſeem at all
unnatural, ſince not only he, but even Lions, Wolves, and other
ravenous Beaſts, prey upon Flocks of other harmleſs Things, and make
mere Fodder of them; as Eagles do of Pidgeons and Hares; and large Fiſh
of the helpleſs little ones. We have different ſorts of Dogs for
Hunting, and what our own Legs cannot, that their Noſe and Legs can
help us to. But the Uſe and Profit of Herbs and Animals are not the
only Things they are good for, but they raiſe our Delight and
Admiration when we conſider their various Forms and Natures, and
enquire into all their different ways of Generation: Things ſo
infinitely multifarious, and ſo delightfully amazing, that the Books of
natural Philoſophers are deſervedly filled with their Encomiums. For
even in the very Inſects, who can but admire the ſix-corner’d Cells of
the Bees, or the artificial Web of a Spider, or the fine Bag of a
Silk-worm, which laſt affords us, with the Help of incredible Induſtry,
even Shiploads of ſoft delicate Clothing. This is a ſhort Summary of
thoſe many profitable Advantages the animal and herbal World ſerve us
with.
But this is not all. The Bowels of the Earth likewiſe contribute much
to Man’s Happineſs. For what Art and Cunning does he employ in finding,
in digging, in trying Metals, and in melting, refining, and tempering
them? [And from Metals.] What Skill and Nicety in beating, drawing or
diſſolving Gold, ſo as with inconſiderable Changes to make every Thing
he pleaſes put on that noble Luſtre? Of how many and admirable Uſes is
Iron? and how ignorant in all Mechanical Knowledge were thoſe Nations
that were not acquainted with it, ſo as to have no other Arms but Bows,
Clubs, and Spears, made of Wood. There’s one Thing indeed we have,
which it’s a Queſtion whether it has done more harm or good, and that
is Gun-powder made of Nitre and Brimſtone. At firſt indeed it ſeem’d as
if we had got a more ſecure Defenſe than former Ages againſt all
Aſſaults, and could eaſily guard our Towns, by the wonderful Strength
of that Invention, againſt all hoſtile Invaſions: but now we find it
has rather encouraged them, and at the ſame time been no ſmall Occaſion
of the Decay of Valour, by rendring it and Strength almoſt uſeleſs in
War. Had the Grecian Emperor who ſaid, Virtue was ruin’d only when
Slings and Rams firſt came into uſe, liv’d in our Days, he might well
have complain’d; eſpecially of Bombs, againſt which neither Art nor
Nature is of ſufficient Proof: but which lays every Thing, Caſtles and
Towers, be they never ſo ſtrong, even with the Ground. If for nothing
elſe, yet upon this one account, I think we had better have been
without the Diſcovery. Yet, when we were talking of our Diſcoveries, it
was not to be paſs’d over, for the Planets too may have their
miſchievous as well as uſeful Inventions.
We are happier in the Uſes for which the Air and Water ſerves us; both
of which helps us in our Navigation, and furniſhes us with a Strength
ſufficient, without any Labour of our own, to turn round our Mills and
Engines; Things which are of uſe to us in ſo many different
Employments. For with them we grind our Corn, and ſqueeze out our Oil;
with them we cut Wood, and mill Cloth, and with them we beat our Stuff
for Paper. An incomparable Invention! Where the naſtieſt uſeleſs Scraps
of Linen are made to produce fine white Sheets. To theſe we may add the
late diſcovery of Printing, which not only preſerves from Death Arts
and Knowledge, but makes them much eaſier to be attained than before.
Nor muſt we forget the Arts of Engraving and Painting, which from mean
Beginnings have improved to that Excellence, that nothing that ever
ſprung from the Wit of Man can claim Pre-eminence to them. Nor is the
way of melting and blowing Glaſſes, and of poliſhing and ſpreading
Quick-ſilver over Looking-Glaſſes, unworthy of being mentioned, nor
above all, the admirable uſes that Glaſſes have been put to in natural
Knowledge, ſince the Invention of the Teleſcope and Microſcope. And no
leſs nice and fine is the Art of making Clocks, ſome of which are ſo
ſmall as to be no weight to the Bearer; and others ſo exact as to
meaſure out the Time in as ſmall Portions as any one can deſire: the
Improvement of both which the World owes to my [1]Inventions.
[From the diſcoveries of our Age.]
I might add much here of the late Diſcoveries, moſt of them of this
Age, which have been made in all ſorts of Natural Knowledge as well as
in Geometry and Aſtronomy, as of the Weight and Spring of the Air, of
the Chymical Experiments that have ſhown us a way of making Liquors
that ſhall ſhine in the Dark, and with gentle moving ſhall burn of
themſelves. I might mention the Circulation of the Blood through the
Veins and Arteries, which was underſtood indeed before; but now, by the
help of the Microſcope, has an ocular demonſtration in the Tails of
ſome Fiſhes: of the Generation of Animals, which now is found to be
performed no otherwiſe than by the Seed of one of the ſame kind; and
that in the Seed of the Male are diſcover’d, by the help of Glaſſes,
Millions of ſprightly little Animals, which it’s probable are the very
Offspring of the Animals themſelves: a ſurpriſing thing, and never
before now known!
[The Planets have, tho’ not theſe ſame, yet as uſeful Inventions.]
Thus have I put together all theſe late Diſcoveries of our Earth: and
now, tho’ perhaps ſome of them may be common to the Planetary
Inhabitants with us, yet that they ſhould have all of them is not
credible. But then they may have ſomewhat to make up that Defect,
others as good and as uſeful, and as wonderful, that we want. We have
allow’d that they may have rational Creatures among them, and
Geometricians, and Muſicians: We have prov’d that they live in
Societies, have Hands and Feet, are guarded with Houſes and Walls:
Wherefore if a Man could be carried thither by ſome powerful Genius,
ſome Mercury, I don’t doubt ’twould be a very curious ſight, curious
beyond all Imagination, to ſee the odd ways, and the unuſual manner of
their ſetting about any thing, and their ſtrange methods of living. But
ſince there’s no hopes of our going ſuch a Journey, we muſt be
contented with what’s in our Power: we may ſuppoſe our ſelves there,
and inquire as far as we can into the Aſtronomy of each Planet, and ſee
in what manner the Heavens preſent themſelves to their Inhabitants. We
ſhall make ſome Obſervations of the Eminence of each of them, in
reſpect of their Magnitude, and number of Moons they have to wait on
them; and ſhall propoſe a new Method of coming to ſome Knowledge of the
incredible diſtance of the ſix’d Stars. But firſt after this long and
deep Thoughtfulneſs we will give our ſelves a little Reſt, and ſo put
an end to this Book.
New Conjectures concerning the
Planetary Worlds.
BOOK the Second.
’Twas a pretty many Years ago that I chanc’d to light upon Athanaſius
Kircher’s Book, call’d The Ecſtatick Journey, which treats of the
nature of the Stars, and of the Things that are to be found in the
Superficies of the Planets: I wondered to ſee nothing there of what I
had often thought not improbable, but quite other Things, nothing but a
Heap of idle unreaſonable Stuff: which I was the more confirm’d in,
when, after the writing of the former part, I ran over the Book again.
And I thought mine were very conſiderable and weighty Matters if
compar’d with Kircher’s. That other People may be ſatisfied in this,
and ſee how vainly thoſe, who caſt off the only Foundations of
Probability in ſuch Matters, which we have all the way made uſe of,
pretend to philoſophize in this caſe, I think it will not be beſide the
Purpoſe to beſtow ſome few Reflections upon that Book.
[Kircher’s Journey in Ecſtacy examin’d.]
That ingenious Man ſuppoſing himſelf carried by ſome Angel thro’ the
vaſt Spaces of Heaven, and round the Stars, tells us, he ſaw a great
many things, ſome of which he had out of the Books of Aſtronomers, the
reſt are the Product of his own Fancy and Thoughts. But, before he
enters upon his Journey, he lays down theſe two Things as certain; that
no Motion muſt be allowed the Earth, and that God has made nothing in
the Planets, no not ſo much as Herbs, which has either Life or Senſe in
it. Leaving then the Syſtem of Copernicus, he chuſes Tycho for his
Guide. But when he ſuppoſes all the fix’d Stars to be Suns, and round
each of them places their Planets, here (againſt his Will I ſuppoſe) he
has unawares made an infinite number of Copernican Syſtems. All which,
beſide their own Motion, he abſurdly makes to be carried, with an
incredible ſwiftneſs, in twenty four Hours round the Earth. Since moſt
of theſe Worlds are out of the Reach of any Man’s ſight, as he owns
they are, I cannot think for what purpoſe he makes ſo many Suns to
ſhine upon deſolate Lands (like our Earth in every thing, he ſays, only
that they have neither Plants nor Animals) where there’s no one to whom
they ſhould give light. And from hence he ſtill falls into more and
more Abſurdities. And becauſe he could find no other uſe of the
Planets, even in our Syſtem, he is forc’d to beg Help of the
Aſtrologers; and would have all thoſe vaſt Bodies made upon no other
account than that the whole Univerſe might be preſerved and continue
ſecure by their means, and that they might govern the Mind of Man by
their various and regular Influences. Accordingly, to gratify
Aſtrology, he ſays that Venus was the moſt pleaſant Place, every thing
fine and handſome, its Light gentle, its Waters ſweet and purling, and
it ſelf beſet all about with ſhining Chryſtals. In Jupiter he found
wholeſome and ſweet Gales, delicate Waters, and a Land ſhining like
Silver. For from theſe two Planets it ſeems, Men have all that is happy
and healthful poured down upon them; and all that renders them handſome
and lovely, wiſe and grave, is owing to their Influences. Mercury had I
don’t know what Airineſs and Briskneſs in it; whence Men derive, when
they are firſt born, all their Wit and Cunning. Mars was nothing but
infernal, ſtinking, black Flames and Smoke: and Saturn was all
melancholy, dreadful, naſty, and dark: for theſe are the Planets (I
don’t know why, but all Fortune-tellers hate them) that bring all the
Plagues and Miſchiefs that we feel upon us, and would exerciſe their
Spite ſtill more, unleſs they were ſometimes mitigated and corrected by
the benign and kind Influences of the other Planets. All this and ſuch
like Stuff his Genius teaches him. Which he makes give a ſerious Anſwer
to this idle Queſtion, Whether a Jew or Heathen could be duly and
rightly baptized in the Waters of Venus? Of him too he learns that the
Heaven of the fix’d Stars is not made of ſolid Matter, but of a thin
fluid, wherein an innumerable company of Stars and Suns lie floating
here and there, not chain’d down to any Place, (thus far he’s in the
right) and deſcribing in the Space of a Day theſe prodigious Circles
round the Earth. He forgets here, if there were ſuch a Motion, with
what an incredible ſwiftneſs they would fly off from every part of
their Orbits. But I ſuppoſe the Intelligences that he has plac’d in
them are to take care of that, thoſe Angels that preſide over, and
regulate their Motions. And in that he follows a company of Doctors
that harbour’d that idle fancy of Ariſtotle upon no Account or
Conſideration. But Copernicus has freed thoſe Intelligences of all that
Labour and Trouble, only by bringing in the Motion of the Earth: which,
if upon no other Account, every one that is not blind purpoſely, muſt
own to be neceſſary upon this. I dare ſay Kircher, if he had dar’d
freely to ſpeak his Mind, could have afforded us better ſort of Things
than theſe. But when he could not have that liberty, I think he might
as well have let the whole Matter alone. But enough of this; let’s have
have done with this famous Author: And now that we have ventur’d to
place Spectators in the Planets, let us examine each of them, and ſee
what their Years, Days, and Aſtronomy are.
[The Syſtem of the Planets in Mercury.]
To begin with the innermoſt and neareſt the Sun: We know that Mercury
is three times nearer that vaſt Body of Light than we are. Whence it
follows that they ſee him three times bigger, and feel him nine times
hotter than we do. Such a degree of Heat would be intolerable to us,
and ſet afire all our dry’d Herbs, our Hay and Straw that we uſe. And
yet there is no doubt but that the Animals there, are made of ſuch a
Temper, as to be but moderately warm, and the Plants ſuch as to be able
to endure the Heat. The Inhabitants of Mercury, it’s likely, have the
ſame opinion of us that we have of Saturn, that we muſt be intolerably
cold, and have little or no Light, we are ſo far from the Sun. There’s
reaſon to doubt, whether the Inhabitants of Mercury, tho’ they live ſo
much nearer the Sun, the Fountain of Life and Vigour, are much more
airy and ingenious than we. For if we may gueſs at them by what we ſee
here, we ſhall not be obliged to grant it. The Inhabitants of Africa
and Braſil, that have got for their Share the hotteſt Places in the
Earth, being neither ſo wiſe nor ſo induſtrious as thoſe that belong to
colder and more temperate Climates; they have ſcarce any Arts or
Knowledge among them; and thoſe of them that live upon the very Shore,
underſtand little or no Navigation. Nor can I be willing to make all
that vaſt number that muſt inhabit thoſe two large Planets, Jupiter and
Saturn, and have ſuch noble Attendance, mere dull Blockheads, or
without as much Wit as our ſelves, tho’ they are ſo far more diſtant
from the Sun. The Aſtronomy of thoſe that live in Mercury, and the
appearance of the Planets to them, oppoſite at certain times to the
Sun, may be eaſily conceived by the Scheme of the Copernican Syſtem in
the former Part. At the times of theſe Oppoſitions Venus and the Earth
muſt needs appear very bright and large to them. For if Venus ſhines ſo
gloriouſly to us when ſhe is new and horned, ſhe muſt neceſſarily in
oppoſition to the Sun, when ſhe is full, be at leaſt ſix or ſeven times
larger, and a great deal nearer to the Inhabitants of Mercury, and
afford them Light ſo ſtrong and bright, that they have no reaſon to
complain of their want of a Moon. What the Length of their Days are, or
whether they have different Seaſons in the Year, is not yet diſcovered,
becauſe we have not yet been able to obſerve whether his Axis have any
inclination to his Orbit, or what Time he ſpends in his diurnal
Revolution about his own Axis. And yet ſeeing Mars, the Earth, Jupiter
and Saturn, have certainly ſuch Succeſſions, there’s no reaſon to doubt
but that he has his Days and Nights as well as they. But his Year is
ſcarce the fourth part ſo long as ours.
The Inhabitants of Venus have much the ſame Face of Things as thoſe in
Mercury, only they never ſee him in oppoſition to the Sun, which is
occaſioned by his never removing above 38 degrees, or thereabouts, from
it. The Sun appears to them larger by half in his Diameter, and above
twice in his Circumference, than to us: and by conſequence affords them
but twice as much Light and Heat, ſo that they are nearer our
Temperature than Mercury. Their Year is compleated in ſeven and a half
of our Months. In the Night our Earth, when ’tis on the other ſide of
the Sun from Venus, muſt needs ſeem much larger and lighter to Venus
than ſhe doth ever to us; and then they may eaſily ſee, if their Eyes
be not weaker than ours, our conſtant Attendant the Moon. I have often
wonder’d that when I have view’d Venus when ſhe is neareſt to the
Earth, and reſembled an Half-moon, juſt beginning to have ſomething
like Horns, through a Teleſcope of 45 or 60 Foot long, ſhe always
appeared to me all over equally lucid, that I can’t ſay I obſerved ſo
much as one Spot in her, tho’ in Jupiter and Mars, which ſeem much leſs
to us, they are very plainly perceiv’d. For if Venus had any ſuch Thing
as Sea and Land, the former muſt neceſſarily ſhow much more obſcure
than the other, as anyone may ſatisfy himſelf, that from a very high
Mountain will but look down upon our Earth. I thought that perhaps the
too brisk Light of Venus might be the occaſion of this equal
appearance; but when I uſed an Eye-glaſs that was ſmok’d for the
Purpoſe, it was ſtill the ſame Thing. What then, has Venus no Sea, or
do the Waters there reflect the Light more than ours do, or their Land
leſs? Or rather (which is moſt probable in my Opinion) is not all that
Light we ſee reflected from an Atmoſphere ſurrounding Venus, which
being thicker and more ſolid than that in Mars or Jupiter, hinders our
ſeeing any thing of the Globe it ſelf, and is at the ſame time capable
of ſending back the Rays that it receives from the Sun? For it is
certain that if we looked on the Earth from the outſide of the
Atmoſphere, we ſhould not perceive ſuch a difference as we do from a
Mountain; but by reaſon of the interpoſed Atmoſphere, we ſhould obſerve
very little Diſparity between Sea and Land. ’Tis the ſame Thing that
hinders us from ſeeing the Spots in the Moon as plain in the Day as in
the Night, becauſe the Vapours that ſurround the Earth being then
enlighten’d by the Rays of the Sun, are an Impediment to our Proſpect.
[In Mars.]
But Mars, as I ſaid before, has ſome Parts of him darker than other
ſome. By the conſtant Returns of which his Nights and Days have been
found to be of about the ſame length with ours. But the Inhabitants
have no perceivable Difference between Summer and Winter, the Axis of
that Planet having very little or no Inclination to his Orbit, as has
been diſcover’d by the Motion of his Spots. Our Earth muſt appear to
them almoſt as Venus doth to us, and by the Help of a Teleſcope will be
found to have its Wane, Increaſe, and Full, like the Moon: and never to
remove from the Sun above 48 Degrees, by whoſe Diſcovery they ſee it,
as well as Mercury and Venus, ſometimes paſs over the Sun’s Disk. They
as ſeldom ſee Venus as we do Mercury. I am apt to believe, that the
Land in Mars is of a blacker Colour than that of Jupiter or the Moon,
which is the reaſon of his appearing of a Copper Colour, and his
reflecting a weaker Light than is proportionable to his diſtance from
the Sun. His Body, as I obſerved before, tho’ farther from the Sun, is
leſs than Venus. Nor has he any Moon to wait upon him, and in that, as
well as Mercury and Venus, he muſt be acknowledged inferiour to the
Earth. His Light and Heat is twice, and ſometimes three times leſs than
ours, to which I ſuppoſe the Conſtitution of his Inhabitants is
anſwerable.
[Jupiter and Saturn the moſt eminent of the Planets both for bigneſs
and attendants.]
If our Earth can claim pre-eminence of the fore-mention’d Planets, for
having a Moon to attend upon it, (for its Magnitude can make but a
ſmall difference) how much Superiour muſt Jupiter and Saturn be to
thoſe three and the Earth alſo? For whether we conſider their Bulk, in
which they far exceed all the others, or the Number of Moons that wait
upon them, it’s very probable that they are the chief, the primary
Planets in our Syſtem, in compariſon with which the other four are
nothing, and ſcarce worth mentioning. For the eaſier Conception of
their vaſt Diſparity, I have thought fit to add a Scheme of our Earth,
with the Moon’s Orbit, and the Globe of the Moon itſelf, and the
Syſtems of [Fig. 3.] Jupiter and Saturn, where I have drawn every thing
as near the true Proportion as poſſible. Jupiter you ſee is adorned
with four, and Saturn with five Moons, all placed in their reſpective
Orbits. The Moons about Jupiter we owe to Galilæo, ’tis well known: and
any one may imagine he was in no ſmall Rapture at the Diſcovery. The
outermoſt but one, and brighteſt of Saturn’s, it chanc’d to be my lot,
with a Teleſcope not above 12 foot long, to have the firſt ſight of in
the Year 1655. The reſt we may thank the induſtrious Caſſini for, who
uſed the Glaſſes of Joſ. Campanus’s grinding, firſt of 36, and
afterwards of 136 foot long. He has often, and particularly in the Year
1672, ſhew’d me the Third and Fifth. The Firſt and Second he gave me
notice of by Letters in the Year 1684; but they are ſcarce ever to be
ſeen, and I can’t poſitively ſay, I had ever that Happineſs; but am as
ſatisfied that they are there, as if I had; not in the leaſt ſuſpecting
the Credit of that worthy Man. Nay, I am afraid there are One or Two
more ſtill behind, and not without reaſon. For between the Fourth and
Fifth there’s a Diſtance not at all proportionable to that between all
the others: Here, for ought I know, there may be a Sixth; or perhaps
there may be another without the Fifth that may yet have eſcaped us:
for we can never ſee the Fifth but in that part of his Orbit, which is
towards the Weſt: for which we ſhall give you a very good reaſon.
Perhaps when Saturn comes into the Northern Signs, and is at a good
height from the Horizon (for at the writing of this he is at his
loweſt) you may happen to make ſome new Diſcoveries, good Brother, if
you would but make uſe of your two Teleſcopes of 170 and 210 Foot long;
the longeſt, and the beſt I believe now in the World. For tho’ we have
not yet had an opportunity of obſerving the Heavens with them (as well
by reaſon of their Unwieldineſs, as for the Interruption of our Studies
by your Abſence) yet I am ſatisfied of their Goodneſs by our trial of
them one Night, in reading a Letter at a vaſt diſtance by the Help of a
Light. I cannot but think of thoſe times with Pleaſure, and of our
diverting Labour in poliſhing and preparing ſuch Glaſſes, in inventing
new Methods and Engines, and always puſhing forward to ſtill greater
and greater Things. But to return to the Figures, of which there
remains ſomething further to be ſaid.
[The proportion of the Diameter of Jupiter, and of the Orbs of his
Satellites, to the Orbit of the Moon round the Earth.]
I have there made the Diameter of Jupiter about two third parts of our
diſtance from the Moon: for the Diameter of Jupiter is above twenty
times bigger than that of the Earth; which is about a thirtieth part of
the Moon’s diſtance. The Orbit of the outermoſt of Jupiter’s Satellites
is to that of the Moon round the Earth, as 8 and ½ is to 1. And each of
theſe Moons, by the Shadow they make upon Jupiter, cannot be leſs than
our Earth. Their [The Periods of Jupiter’s Moons.] Periods, that I may
not omit them, are according to Caſſini’s Account theſe. That of the
inmoſt is one day, 18 hours, 28 minutes, and 36 ſeconds. The Second
ſpends 3 days, 13 hours, 13 min., 52 ſeconds in going round him. The
Third 7 days, 3 hours, 59 min., 40 ſec. The Fourth 16 days, 18 hours, 5
min., 6 ſec. The Diſtance of the innermoſt from Jupiter himſelf is 2⅚
of his Diameters. That of the Second is 4 and a half: Of the Third 7
and one ſixth part: Of the Fourth 12 and two thirds, of the ſame [And
Saturn’s.] Diameters. The Innermoſt of Saturn’s Satellites moves round
him in 1 day, 21 hours, 18 min., 31 ſec. The Second in 2 days, 17
hours, 41 min., 27 ſec. The Third in 4 days, 13 hours, 47 min., 16 ſec.
The Fourth in 15 days, 22 hours, 41 min., 11 ſec. The Fifth in 79 days,
7 hours, 53 min., 57 ſec. Their Diſtances from the Center of Saturn
are, that of the firſt almoſt one, that is 39 fortieth parts of the
Diameter of his Ring; that of the ſecond one and a quarter of thoſe
Diameters; of the third one and three quarters of them; of the fourth
four, or according to my Calculation, but 3 and a half; of the 5th 12,
which were found with vaſt Pains and Labour.
Now can any one look upon, and compare theſe Syſtems together, without
being amazed at the vaſt Magnitude and noble Attendance of theſe two
Planets, in reſpect of this little Earth of ours? Or can they force
themſelves to think, that the wiſe Creator has diſpoſed of all his
Animals and Plants here, has furniſh’d and adorn’d this Spot only, and
has left all thoſe Worlds bare and deſtitute of Inhabitants, who might
adore and worſhip him; or that all thoſe prodigious Bodies were made
only to twinkle to, and be ſtudied by ſome few perhaps of us poor
Mortals?
[This proportion true according to all modern Obſervations.]
I do not doubt but there will be ſome who will think we are very much
miſtaken about the Magnitude of theſe Planets. For will you pretend to
make them who are taken up in admiring the Largeneſs of this Globe, its
multitude of Nations, Cities, and Empires; can you pretend I ſay to
make them ever believe that there are Places in compariſon of which the
Earth is as inconſiderable as this Figure would make it? But they ought
to be inform’d, that theſe Proportions are thoſe which the beſt
Aſtronomers of this Age have agreed upon. For if the Earth be diſtant
from the Sun ten or eleven thouſand of its own Diameters, according to
the Accounts of Monſieur Caſſini in France, and Mr. Flamſted in
England, wherein they made uſe of very exact Obſervations of the
Parallaxes of Mars; or if, according to a very probable Conjecture of
mine, it be diſtant twelve thouſand, then the Magnitudes of the other
Orbs will very near anſwer the Proportions here ſettled.
[The apparent magnitude of the Sun in Jupiter, and a way of finding
what Light they there enjoy.]
But to return to Jupiter. The Sun appears to them who are upon it five
times leſs than to us, and conſequently they have but the five and
twentieth part of the Light and Heat that we receive from it. But that
Light is not ſo weak as we imagine, as is plain by the Brightneſs of
that Planet in the Night; and alſo from hence, that when the Sun is ſo
far eclipſed to us, as that only the 25th part of his Disk remains
uncovered, he is not ſenſibly darken’d. But if you have a mind exactly
to know the Quantity of Light that Jupiter enjoys, you may take a Tube
of what Length you pleaſe. Let one end of it be cloſed with a Plate of
Braſs, or any ſuch thing, in the middle of which there muſt be a Hole,
whoſe Breadth muſt have the ſame proportion to the length of the Tube,
as the Chord of 6 Minutes bears to the Radius; that is, about as one is
to 570. Let the Tube be turned ſo to the Sun, that no Light may fall
upon a white Paper placed at the End of it, but what comes through the
little Hole at the other end of the Tube. The Rays that come through
this will repreſent the Sun upon the Paper of the ſame Brightneſs that
the Inhabitants of Jupiter ſee it in a clear Day. And if removing the
Paper you place your Eye in the ſame Place, you will ſee the Sun of the
ſame Magnitude and Brightneſs as you would were you in Jupiter.
[And in Saturn.]
If you make the Hole twice as little in breadth, you will ſee the ſame
in Saturn. And altho’ his Light be but the hundredth part of ours, yet
you ſee it makes him ſhine tolerably bright in a dark Night. But in
both theſe Planets, if there ever be any cloudy Days, it muſt be very
dark in compariſon of us; yet without doubt the Inhabitants have no
more reaſon to complain of the want of Light, than our Owls and Batts,
to whom the Twilight or the Night itſelf is more agreeable than the
Brightneſs of the Day.
[In Jupiter their days are five Hours.]
But it’s a little ſtrange, that when Jupiter is ſo much bigger than our
Planet, their Days and Nights ſhould be but five of our Hours. By this
we may ſee that Nature has not obſerv’d that proportion that their Bulk
ſeems to require, ſeeing in Mars the Days are very little different
from ours. But in the length of their Years, that is, in the Revolution
of the Planets round the Sun, there is an exact proportion to their
diſtances from the Sun followed. For as the Cubes of their Diſtances,
ſo are the Squares of their Revolutions, as Kepler firſt ſound out.
Which proportion the Moons of Jupiter and Saturn keep in their Courſes
round thoſe [Always of the ſame length.] Planets. As the Years and Days
in Jupiter are different from ours in this reſpect, ſo are the Days in
another; namely, that they are all of the ſame length. For they there
enjoy a perpetual Equinox, their Axis having little or no inclination
to their Orbit, as the Earth’s has, as has been diſcovered by
Teleſcopes. The Countries that lie near their Poles have little or no
Heat, by reaſon the Rays of the Sun fall ſo obliquely upon them; but
then they are freed from the Inconveniency that ours are troubled with,
of tedious long half-year Nights, and have the conſtant returns of Day
and Night every five Hours. Indeed ſuch ſhort Days would not be
agreeable to us, but we think our ſelves much better done by, that ours
are more than twice as long, tho’ upon no other account, but that
whatever is our own, we are apt to imagine, muſt be beſt.
The reſt of the Planets are ſo near the Sun (Mars himſelf never being
above 18 degrees from it) that in Jupiter they have the ſight only of
Saturn. But we cannot deny but that their four Moons ſtand them in
greater ſtead than our one doth us, if ’twere only that they ſeldom
know any ſuch Thing as to be without Moonſhiny Nights. And they are of
great Advantage to them, as we ſaid before, in their Navigation, if
they have any ſuch thing. Not to mention the pleaſant Sights of their
frequent Conjunctions and Eclipſes, Things that they are ſeldom a Day
without.
Saturn enjoys all thoſe Pleaſures and Advantages in a ſtill higher
Degree, as well for his five Moons, as for the delightful Proſpect that
the Ring about him affords his Inhabitants Night and Day. But we will
give an account of their Aſtronomy, as we have done of the reſt of the
Planets.
[They ſee the fix’d Stars juſt as we do.]
And firſt of all we ſhall obſerve what we might have remark’d before,
but which will be more ſtrange here, that the fix’d Stars appear to
them of the ſame Figure and Magnitude, and with the ſame degree of
Light that they do to us: and this, by reaſon of their immenſe
diſtance, of which we ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak by and by. In
compariſon with which the Space that a Bullet-ſhot out of a Cannon
could travel in 25 Years, would be almoſt nothing.
Their Aſtronomers have all the ſame Signs of the Bear, the Lion, Orion,
and the reſt, but not turning upon the ſame Axis with us: for that’s
different in all the Planets.
As Jupiter can ſee no Planet but Saturn, ſo Saturn knows of no Planet
but Jupiter; which appears to him much as Venus doth to us, never
removing above 37 Degrees from the Sun. The Length of their Days I
cannot determine: But if from the Diſtance and Period of his innermoſt
Attendant, and comparing it with the innermoſt of Jupiter’s, a Man may
venture to give a Gueſs, they are very little different from Jupiter’s,
10 Hours or ſomewhat leſs. But whereas in Jupiter theſe are equally
divided between Light and Darkneſs, the Inhabitants of Saturn muſt
perceive a more ſenſible difference than we, eſpecially between Summer
and Winter. For our Axis inclines to the Plane of the Ecliptick but 23
degrees and a half, but there’s above 31. Upon this Account his Moons
muſt decline very much from the Path that the Sun ſeems to move in, and
his Inhabitants can never have a full Moon but juſt at the Equinoxes;
Two of which fall out in 30 of our Years. ’Tis this Poſition of the
Axis too that is the Cauſe of thoſe delightful Appearances, and
wonderful Proſpects that its Inhabitants enjoy: For the better
underſtanding of which I ſhall draw a Figure of Saturn with his Ring
about him: in which the Proportion between the Diameters of the Globe
and Ring is as 9 to 4. And the empty Space between them is of the ſame
Breadth with the Ring itſelf. All Obſervations conſpire to prove that
That is of no great Thickneſs, altho’ if we ſhould allow it ſix hundred
German Miles, I think, conſidering its Diameter, we ſhould not overdo
the Matter.
Suppoſe then, agreeable to what has been ſaid, the Globe of Saturn,
[Fig. 4.] whoſe Poles are A, B. G N is the Diameter of the Ring, as you
view it ſideways, repreſenting a narrow Oval. Thoſe that live about the
Poles within the Arches C A D, E B F, each of which are 54 Degrees, (if
the Cold will ſuffer any Body to live there) never have a Sight of the
Ring. [The Appearances of the Ring in Saturn.] From all other parts it
is continually to be ſeen for fourteen Years and nine Months, which is
juſt half their Year. The other Half it is hid from their View. Thoſe
then that dwell between the Polar Circle C D, and the Equator T V, all
that time that the Sun enlightens the Part oppoſite to them, have every
Night the Sight of a Piece of it H G L, much in the Shape of a ſhining
Bow, which comes from the Horizon, but is darken’d in the Middle by the
Shadow of Saturn G H, which reaches moſt commonly to the outermoſt Rim
of it. But after Midnight that Shadow by little and little begins to
move towards the right Hand to thoſe in the Northern, but the Left to
thoſe in the Southern Hemiſphere. In the Morning it diſappears, leaving
behind it a Likeneſs indeed of a Bow, but much paler and weaker than
our Moon is in the Day time. For they, as I ſaid before, have an
Atmoſphere, or an Air ſurrounding them enlightened by the Sun.
Otherwiſe Night and Day they would have their Ring, their Moons, and
all the fix’d Stars, equally conſpicuous. Another thing that muſt make
the Sight of their Ring very curious, is, that by ſome Spots in it, it
is diſcover’d to turn round upon it ſelf: A thing that thoſe that are
ſo near cannot but take notice of, when we that live at this Diſtance
can deſcry a great Inequality, the inſide of it being brighter much
than the outſide is. When the Shadow of the Globe falls upon that part
of the Ring G H, the Shadow of the Ring at the ſame time darkens
another Part of the Globe about P F, which otherwiſe would have the Sun
upon it. So that there is always a Zone of the Globe P Y F E, ſometimes
of a larger extent than at others, which is depriv’d of the Sight both
of the Sun and Ring for a conſiderable time, the latter of which hides
ſome part of the Stars from it too. And certainly an amazing Thing it
muſt be, all of a ſudden to have the Sun intercepted and to become as
dark as Midnight, without ſeeing any Cauſe of ſuch an Accident. All
which time their Moons are their only Comfort. The other half of the
Year the Hemiſphere T B V enjoys the ſame Light that T A U before did,
and then this undergoes thoſe long Eclipſes that That before ſuffer’d.
At the Equinoxes, when the Sun is in the ſame Plane with the Ring, the
Inhabitants of Saturn cannot well perceive it: no not even we with our
Glaſſes, by reaſon of its Darkneſs. This happens when Saturn, view’d
from the Sun, is advanced one and twenty degrees and a half in Virgo or
Piſces, as I have ſhow’d formerly in my Syſtem of Saturn: Where there
is an Account given of the Riſings of the Sun above the Ring,
throughout all the Saturnian Year.
With Saturn in this Scheme you have the Globes of the Earth and Moon
drawn in their true proportion, to put you in mind again of a Thing
worth remembring, viz. how very ſmall our Habitation is when compar’d
with that Globe or the Ring about it. And now any one, I ſuppoſe, can
frame to himſelf a Picture of the Night in Saturn, with two Arches of
the Ring, and five Moons ſhining about, and adorning him. This then is
what I had to ſay to the primary Planets.
We are now come a little lower, to make an enquiry into the Attendants
of theſe Planets, eſpecially our own. And here we ſhall not only
conſider their Aſtronomy, but ſhall alſo ſearch into their Furniture
and Ornament, if they are found to have any ſuch thing, which we have
deferred conſidering till now.
[Very little to be ſaid of the Moon.]
And here one would think that when the Moon is ſo near us, and by the
Means of a Teleſcope may be ſo nicely and exactly obſerv’d, it ſhould
afford us Matter for more probable Conjectures than any of the other
remote Planets. But it is quite otherwiſe, and I can ſcarce find any
thing to ſay of it, becauſe I have not a Planet of the ſame Nature
before my Eyes, as in all the primary ones I have. For they are of the
ſame kind with our Earth; and ſeeing all the Actions, and every thing
that is here, we may make a reaſonable Conjecture at what we cannot ſee
in thoſe Worlds.
[The Guards of Jupiter and Saturn of the ſame nature with our Moon.]
But this we may venture to ſay, without fear, that all the Attendants
of Jupiter and Saturn are of the ſame Nature with our Moon, as going
round them, and being carried with them round the Sun juſt as the Moon
is with the Earth. Their Likeneſs reaches to other Things too, as
you’ll ſee by and by. Therefore whatſoever we can with reaſon affirm or
conjecture of our Moon (and we may ſay a little of it) muſt be ſuppos’d
with very little Alteration to belong to the Satellites of Jupiter and
Saturn, as having no reaſon to be at all inferior to that.
[The Moon hath Mountains.]
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.]
What then, is it credible that this great Ball was made for nothing but
to give us a little Light in the Night-time, or to raiſe our Tides in
the Sea? May there not be ſome People there that may have the Pleaſure
of ſeeing our Earth turn upon itſelf, preſenting them ſometimes with a
Proſpect of Europe and Africa, and then of Aſia and America; ſometimes
half of it bright, and ſometimes full? And muſt all thoſe Moons round
Jupiter and Saturn be condemned to the ſame Uſeleſneſs? I do not know
what to ſay concerning it, becauſe I know of nothing like them to found
a Conjecture upon. And yet ’tis not improbable that thoſe great and
noble Bodies have ſomewhat or other growing and living upon them,
though very different from what we ſee and enjoy here. Perhaps their
Plants and Animals may have another ſort of Nouriſhment there. Perhaps
the Moiſture of the Earth there is but juſt ſufficient to cauſe a Miſt
or Dew, which may be very ſuitable to the Growth of their Herbs. This I
remember is Plutarch’s Opinion, in his Dialogue upon this Subject. For
in our Earth a very little Water drawn from the Sea into Dew, and
falling down again upon the Herbs, would be ſufficient for all our
Needs, without any Rain or Showers. But theſe are mere Gueſſes, or
rather Doubts, but yet they are the [Jupiter’s and Saturn’s Moons turn
always the ſame Side to them.] beſt we can make of this, and all thoſe
other Moons: for, as I ſaid before, they are all of the ſame nature,
which is proved likewiſe by this, that as our Moon can afford us the
Sight never but of one Side of her, ſo they turn always the ſame Face
to their primary Planets. It may perhaps ſeem ſtrange, how we ſhould
come to know this; but ’tis no hard matter, after that Obſervation
which I juſt now made, that the outermoſt of Saturn’s Moons can never
be ſeen but when ſhe is on the Weſt-ſide of her Planet. The reaſon of
which is plainly this, that one Side of her is darker, and does not
reflect the Light ſo much as the other, which when it is turned towards
us, we cannot ſee by reaſon of its weak Light. This always happening
when ’tis Eaſt of him, and never on the other Side, is a manifeſt proof
that ſhe always keeps the ſame Side toward Saturn. Now ſince the
outermoſt of Saturn’s and our Moon carry themſelves thus to the Planets
round which they move, who can well doubt it of all the reſt round
Jupiter and Saturn? And there’s a very good reaſon for it, namely, that
the matter of which thoſe Moons conſiſt, being heavier, and more ſolid
on the Side that is averſe from us, than on that which we have the
Sight of, does conſequently fly with a greater force from the Centre of
its Orbit: for otherwiſe, according to the Laws of Motion, it ſhould
turn the ſame Side always, not to its Planets, but to the ſame fix’d
Stars.
This Poſition of the Moons, in reſpect of their Planets, muſt occaſion
a great many very ſurprizing Appearances to their Inhabitants, if they
have any, which is very doubtful, but may for the preſent be ſuppos’d.
An enquiry into our Moon may ſerve for all the reſt. Its Globe is
divided into two Parts, in ſuch a manner, that thoſe who live on one
Side never loſe the ſight of us, and thoſe on the other never enjoy it.
Except only ſome few who live on the Confines of each of theſe, who
loſe us, and ſee us again by turns. The Earth to them muſt ſeem [The
Aſtronomy of the Inhabitants of the Moon.] much larger than the Moon
doth to us, as being in Diameter above four times bigger. But that
which is moſt ſurprizing, is, that Night and Day they ſee it always in
the very ſame part of the Heaven, as if it never moved: ſome of them as
if ’twas falling upon their Heads: others ſomewhat above the Horizon,
and others always in the Horizon, ſtill turning upon it ſelf, and
preſenting them every twenty ſour Hours with a View of all its
Countries, even of thoſe that lie near the Poles (I could wiſh my ſelf
in the Moon only for the ſight of them) yet unknown and undiſcovered by
us. They have it in its monthly Wane and Increaſe, they ſee it half,
and horned, and full, by turns, juſt as we do the Body of the Moon. But
the Light that they receive of us is five times larger than what we
receive from them. So that in dark Nights that part that hath the
Advantage of being towards us, receives a very glorious Light from us,
tho’ Kepler thought otherwise. Their Days are always of the ſame Length
with their Nights; and the Sun riſing and ſetting to them but once in
one of our Months, makes the time both of their Light and Darkneſs to
be equal to 15 of our Days. If their Bodies were of the ſame Materials
with ours, thoſe that have the Sun pretty high in their Horizon, would
be almoſt roaſted in ſuch long Days. For the Sun is not farther from
them than he is from us. This will be the Caſe of thoſe that live upon
the Borders of the two Hemiſpheres we mentioned; but thoſe that live
under the Poles of the Moon will be juſt about as hot as our
Whale-fiſhers about Iſland and Nova Zemla are, in the Summer-time: who
are in ſo little danger of being roaſted, that in the middle of their
Summer, in their Days of three Months length, they very often find it
extreme Cold. I call thoſe the Poles of the Moon, round which the fix’d
Stars ſeem to turn to its Inhabitants, which are different from ours,
and alſo from thoſe of the Ecliptick, although they move round theſe
latter, at the diſtance of five Degrees, in a period of nineteen Years.
Their Year they count by the Motion of the Stars, and their return to
the Sun, and ’tis the ſame with ours. They can eaſily do it, becauſe
they have the Stars Day and Night, notwithſtanding the Light of the
Sun: for they have no Atmoſphere (which is the only reaſon that we
don’t every Day enjoy the ſame Sight) to hinder their Obſervations. Nor
have they any Clouds to obſtruct their View, ſo that it is eaſier for
them to find out the Courſes of the Planets, but more difficult to make
a true Syſtem of them. For they will be apt to lay a wrong Foundation,
by ſuppoſing that their Earth ſtands ſtill, which will lead them into
more dangerous Errors than [This may be applied to the Moons about
Jupiter and Saturn.] ever it did us. All that I have ſaid belongs as
well to Jupiter’s and Saturn’s Satellites as to our Moon, in reſpect of
the Planets they move round. The Length of their Day and Night is
always equal to the Time of their Revolution: For example, the fifth
Moon moves round Saturn in 80 Days, and the Days and Nights there are
equal to Forty of ours. Both their Summer and Winter (Saturn moving
round the Sun in thirty Years) are fifteen Years long. Therefore it is
impoſſible but that their way of living muſt be very different from
ours, having ſuch tedious Winters, and ſuch long watching and ſleeping
times.
Having thus explained the primary and ſecondary Planets round the Sun,
we ſhould next ſet about the third Sort, the Sun and fix’d Stars; but
before we do that, it would be worth while to ſet before you at once,
in a clearer and more plain Method than hitherto, the Magnificence and
Fabrick of the Solar Syſtem. Which we can’t poſſibly do in ſo ſmall a
Space as one of our Leaves will but admit of, becauſe the Bodies of the
Planets are ſo prodigiouſly ſmall in companion of their Orbs. But what
is wanting in Figure ſhall be made up in Words. Going back then to the
firſt Scheme, ſuppoſe another [Fig. 1.] like it, and proportionable,
drawn upon a very large ſmooth Plain; whoſe outermoſt Circle
repreſenting the Orb of Saturn, muſt be conceived three hundred and
ſixty Foot in Semidiameter. In which you muſt place the Globe and Ring
of Saturn of that [Fig. 2.] Bigneſs as the 2d Figure ſhows you. Let all
the other Planets be ſuppoſed every one in his own Orbit, and in the
middle of all the Sun, of the ſame Bigneſs that That Figure repreſents,
namely, about four Inches in Diameter. And then the Orbit or Circle in
which the Earth moves, which the Aſtronomers call the Magnus Orbis,
muſt have about ſix and thirty Foot in Semidiameter. In which the Earth
muſt be conceived moving, not bigger than a grain of Millet, and her
Companion the Moon ſcarcely perceivable, moving round her in a Circle a
little more than two Inches Diameter, as in [Fig. 5.] the Figure here
adjoined, where the Line A B repreſents a ſmall portion of that Circle
which the Earth moves in: the ſmall Circle therein C is the Earth, and
the Circle D E the Path of the Moon round it, in which the Body of the
Moon is D.
The outermoſt of Saturn’s Moons moves in an Orbit whoſe Semidiameter is
29 Inches; that of Jupiter in a ſomewhat ſmaller, whoſe Semidiameter is
19 and a quarter.
And thus we have a true and exact Deſcription of the Sun’s Palace,
where the Earth will be Twelve thouſand of its Semidiameters diſtant
from him, which in German Miles makes above ſeventeen Millions. But
perhaps we may have a clearer Comprehenſion of this vaſt Length, by
comparing it with ſome very ſwift Motion after the Example of Heſiod
the Poet, who imagin’d that an Anvil let fall from the Top of Heaven,
reach’d the Earth the tenth Day of its Journey, and in ten more arriv’d
at the Bottom of Hell, the end of it: ſo making the Earth the mid-way
between Heaven and Hell. I ſhan’t make uſe of the Anvil, but of
ſomething as good, namely, a Bullet ſhot out of a great Gun, which may
travel perhaps in a Moment, or Pulſe of an Artery, about a hundred
Fathom, as is proved by thoſe Experiments that Merſennus in a Treatiſe
of his relates; by which the Sound was found to extend itſelf eighty
hundredth parts in the [The immenſe diſtance between the Sun and
Planets illuſtrated.] ſame time. I ſay then, that ſuppoſing a Bullet to
move with this Swiftneſs from the Earth to the Sun, it would ſpend 25
Years in its Paſſage. To make a Journey from Jupiter to the Sun, would
require 125, and from Saturn thither 250 Years. This account depends
upon the meaſure of the Earth’s Diameter, which, according to the
accurate Obſervations of the French, is 6538594 times ſix Paris Feet,
one Degree being 57060 of that Meaſure. This ſhows us how vaſt thoſe
Orbs muſt be, and how inconſiderable this Earth, the Theatre upon which
all our mighty Deſigns, all our Navigations, and all our Wars are
tranſacted, is when compared to them. A very fit Conſideration, and
Matter of Reflection, for thoſe Kings and Princes who ſacrifice the
Lives of ſo many People, only to flatter their Ambition in being
Maſters of ſome pitiful Corner of this ſmall Spot. But to return to the
matter in hand, now we have given you an account of the Sun’s
proportion to thoſe Orbs and Bodies, we’ll ſee what more we can ſay of
him.
[No ground for Conjecture in the Sun.]
And ſome have thought it not improbable but that the Sun himſelf has
alſo his Inhabitants. But upon what reaſon I cannot imagine, there
being leſs ground for a Probability in him than in the Moon. For we are
not yet ſure, whether he be a ſolid or liquid Globe; altho’, if my
Notion of Light be true, upon that account I ſhould rather think him
liquid: which his Roundneſs and equal diſtribution of his Light to all
parts are an Argument for. For that very ſmall inequality on his
Surface, which is diſcovered by the Teleſcopes, (and that not always
neither) which makes Men fancy they ſee boiling Seas and belching
Mountains of Fire, is nothing but the trembling Motion of the Vapours
our Atmoſphere is full of near the Earth; which is likewiſe [The Faculæ
in the Sun not eaſily ſeen.] the Cauſe of the Stars twinkling. Nor
could I ever have the Luck to diſcern thoſe bright Spots in the Sun
which they boaſt as much of as they do of his dark ones, which latter I
have very often ſeen; ſo that I have very good Reaſon to doubt whether
there be any thing in the Sun brighter than the Sun itſelf. For by the
moſt exact Obſervations, I could never find any ſuch pretended to be
ſeen any where but juſt about his dark Spots; and it is no great wonder
that thoſe Parts which are ſo near the darker, ſhould appear ſomewhat
[By reaſon of its Heat no Inhabitants like ours can live in the Sun.]
brighter than the reſt. That the Sun is extremely hot and fiery, is
beyond all diſpute, and ſuch Bodies as ours could not live one Moment
in ſuch a Furnace. We muſt ſuppoſe a new ſort of Animals then, ſuch as
we have no Idea or Likeneſs of among us, ſuch as we can neither imagine
nor conceive: which is as much as to ſay, that we can make no
Suppoſition at all about them. No doubt that glorious and vaſt Body was
made for ſome noble End and Uſe, and fram’d with excellent Deſign. And
I think we all very well know and feel its Uſefulneſs in that effuſion
of Light and Heat to all the Planets round it; in the Preſervation and
Happineſs of all living Creatures, and that not only in our Ball, but
in thoſe vaſt Globes of Jupiter and Saturn, not contemptible when
compared with its own. Theſe are ſuch great, ſuch wiſe Ends, that it is
not ſtrange that the Sun ſhould have been made, if it had been only
upon their account. For, as for Kepler’s Fancy, that he hath another
Office, namely, to help on the Motion of the Planets in their own Orbs,
by turning about his own Axis (which he would fain eſtabliſh in his
Epitome of the Copernican Syſtem) I ſhall give good Reaſons why I
cannot aſſent to it.
[The ſix’d Stars so many Suns.]
Before the Invention of Teleſcopes, it ſeemed to contradict
Copernicus’s Opinion, to make the Sun one of the fix’d Stars. For the
Stars of the firſt Magnitude being eſteem’d to be about three Minutes
Diameter; and Copernicus (obſerving that tho’ the Earth changed its
Place, they always kept the ſame diſtance from us) having ventur’d to
ſay that the Magnus Orbis was but a Point in reſpect of the Sphere in
which they were placed, it was a plain Conſequence that every one of
them that appeared any thing bright, muſt be larger than the Path or
Orbit of the Earth: which is very abſurd. This is the principal
Argument that Tycho Brahe ſet up againſt Copernicus. But when the
Teleſcopes took away thoſe Rays of the Stars which appear when we look
upon them with our naked Eye, (which they do beſt when the Eye-glaſs is
black’d with Smoke) they ſeemed juſt like little ſhining Points, and
then that Difficulty vaniſhed, and the Stars may yet be ſo many Suns.
Which is the more probable, becauſe their Light is certainly their own:
for it’s impoſſible that ever the Sun ſhould ſend, or they reflect it
at ſuch a vaſt Diſtance. This is the Opinion that commonly goes along
with Copernicus’s Syſtem. [They are not all in the ſame Sphere.] And
the Patrons of it do alſo with reaſon ſuppoſe, that all theſe Stars are
not in the ſame Sphere, as well becauſe there’s no Argument for it, as
that the Sun, which is one of them, cannot be brought to this Rule. But
it’s more likely they are ſcatter’d and diſpers’d all over the immenſe
Spaces of the Heaven, and are as far diſtant perhaps from one another,
as the neareſt of them are from the Sun.
Here again too I know Kepler is of another Opinion in his Epitome of
Copernicus’s Syſtem, that we mention’d above. For tho’ he agrees with
us, that the Stars are diffus’d through all the vaſt Expanſe of the
Heavens, yet he cannot allow that they have as large an empty Space
about them as our Sun has. For then ’twas his Opinion, we ſhould ſee
but very few, and thoſe of very different Magnitudes: For, ſeeing the
largeſt of all appear ſo ſmall to us, that we can ſcarce obſerve or
meaſure them with our beſt Inſtruments; how muſt thoſe appear that are
three or four times farther from us? Why, ſuppoſing them no larger than
theſe, they muſt ſeem three or four times leſs, and ſo on ’till a
little farther they will not be to be ſeen at all: Thus we ſhall have
the ſight of but very few Stars, and thoſe very different one from
another; Whereas we have above a Thouſand, and thoſe not conſiderably
bigger or leſs than one another. But this by no means proves what he
would have it; and his Miſtake was chiefly, that he did not conſider
the Nature of Fire and Flame which may be ſeen at ſuch diſtances, and
at ſuch ſmall Angles as all other Bodies would totally diſappear under.
A thing that we need go no farther than the Lamps ſet along the Streets
to prove. For altho’ they are a hundred Foot from one another, yet you
may count Twenty of them in a continued Row with your Eyes, and yet the
twentieth Part of them ſcarce makes an Angle of ſix Seconds. Certainly
then the glorious Light of the Stars muſt do much more than this; ſo
that it’s no wonder we ſhould ſee a Thouſand or two of them with our
bare Eyes, and with a Teleſcope diſcover twenty times that number. But
Kepler had a private Deſign in making the Sun thus ſuperiour to all the
other Stars, and planting it in the Middle of the World, attended with
the Planets: For his Aim was hereby to ſtrengthen his Coſmographical
Myſtery, that the Diſtances of the Planets from the Sun are in a
certain proportion to the Diameters of the Spheres that are inſcribed
within, and circumſcribed about Euclid’s Regular Bodies. Which could
never be ſo much as probable, except there were but one Chorus of
Planets moving round the Sun, and ſo the Sun were the only one of his
kind.
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.
What a wonderful and amazing Scheme have we here of the magnificent
Vaſtneſs of the Univerſe! So many Suns, ſo many Earths, and every one
of them ſtock’d with ſo many Herbs, Trees, and Animals, and adorn’d
with ſo many Seas and Mountains! And how muſt our Wonder and Admiration
be increaſed when we conſider the prodigious Diſtance and Multitude of
the Stars?
That their Diſtance is ſo immenſe, that the Space between the Earth and
Sun (which is no leſs than Twelve thouſand of the Earth’s Diameters) is
almoſt nothing when compar’d to it, has more Proofs than one to confirm
it. And this among the reſt. If you obſerve two Stars near one another,
as for example thoſe in the middle of the Great Bears Tail, differing
very much from one another in Clearneſs, notwithſtanding our changing
our Poſition in our Annual Orbit round the Sun, and that there would be
a Parallax were the Star which is brighter nearer to us than the other,
as is very probable it is, yet whatever Part of the Year you look upon
them, they will not in the leaſt have altered their diſtance. Thoſe
that have hitherto undertook to calculate their Diſtance, have not been
able perfectly to compaſs their Deſign, by reaſon of the extreme
Niceneſs and almoſt Impoſſibility of the Obſervations requiſite for
their Purpoſe. The only Method that I ſee remaining, to come at any
tolerable Probability in ſo difficult a Caſe, I ſhall here make uſe of.
Seeing then that the Stars, as I ſaid before, are ſo many Suns, if we
do but ſuppoſe one of them equal to ours, it will follow that its
diſtance from us is as much greater than that of the Sun, as its
apparent Diameter is leſs than the Diameter of the Sun. But the Stars,
even thoſe of the firſt Magnitude, though view’d through a Teleſcope,
are ſo very ſmall, that they ſeem only like ſo many ſhining Points,
without any perceivable Breadth. So that ſuch Obſervations can here do
us no good. When [A way of making a probable gueſs at the diſtance of
the Stars.] I ſaw this would not ſucceed, I ſtudied by what way I could
ſo leſſen the Diameter of the Sun, as to make it not appear larger than
the Dog, or any other of the chief Stars. To this purpoſe I clos’d one
End of my twelve-foot Tube with a very thin Plate, in the Middle of
which I made a Hole not exceeding the twelfth Part of a Line, that is
the hundred and forty fourth Part of an Inch. That End I turn’d to the
Sun, placing my Eye at the other, and I could ſee ſo much of the Sun as
was in Diameter about the 182d part of the Whole. But ſtill that little
piece of him was brighter much than the Dog-ſtar is in the cleareſt
Night. I ſaw that this would not do, but that muſt leſſen the Diameter
of the Sun a great deal more. I made then ſuch another Hole in a Plate,
and againſt it I plac’d a little round Glaſs that I had made uſe of in
my Microſcopes, of much about the ſame Diameter with the former Hole.
Then looking again towards the Sun (taking care that no Light might
come near my Eye to hinder my Obſervation) I found it appeared of much
the ſame Clearneſs with Sirius. But caſting up my account, according to
the Rules of Dioptricks, I found his Diameter now was but 1⁄152 part of
that hundred and eighty ſecond part of his whole Diameter that I ſaw
through the former Hole. Multiplying 1⁄152 and 1⁄182 into one another,
the Product I found to be 1⁄27664. The Sun therefore being contracted
into ſuch a Compaſs, or being removed ſo far from us (for it’s the ſame
thing) as to make his Diameter but the 27664 part of that we every Day
ſee, will ſend us juſt the ſame Light as the Dog-ſtar now doth. And his
diſtance then from us will be to his preſent diſtance undoubtedly as
27664 is to 1; and his Diameter little above four Thirds, 4‴. Seeing
then Sirius is ſuppoſed equal to the Sun, it follows that his Diameter
is likewiſe 4‴, and that his Diſtance to the Diſtance of the Sun from
us is as 27664 to 1. And what an incredible Diſtance that is, will
appear by the ſame way of reaſoning that we uſed in meaſuring that of
the Sun. For if 25 Years are required for a Bullet out of a Cannon,
with its utmoſt Swiftneſs, to travel from the Sun to us; then by
multiplying the Number 27664 into 25, we ſhall find that ſuch a Bullet
would ſpend almoſt ſeven hundred thouſand Years in its Journey between
us and the neareſt of the fix’d Stars. And yet when in a clear Night we
look upon them, we cannot think them above ſome few Miles over our
Heads. What I have here enquir’d into, is concerning the neareſt of
them. And what a prodigious Number muſt there be beſides of thoſe which
are placed in the vaſt Spaces of Heaven, as to be as remote from theſe
as theſe are from the Sun! For if with our bare Eyes we can obſerve
above a Thouſand, and with a Teleſcope can diſcover ten or twenty times
as many; what bounds of Number can we ſet to thoſe which are out of the
Reach even of theſe Aſſiſtances! eſpecially if we conſider the infinite
Power of God. Really, when I have been reflecting thus with my ſelf,
me-thoughts all our Arithmetick was nothing, and we are vers’d but in
the very Rudiments of Numbers, in compariſon of this great Sum. For
this requires an immenſe Treaſury, not of twenty or thirty Figures
only, in our decuple Progreſſion, but of as many as there are Grains of
Sand upon the Shore. And yet who can ſay, that even this Number exceeds
that of the Fix’d Stars? Some of the Ancients, and Jordanus Brunus
carry’d it further, in declaring the Number infinite: he would perſwade
us that he has prov’d it by many Arguments, tho’ in my opinion they are
none of them concluſive. Not that I think the contrary can ever be made
out. Indeed it ſeems to me certain, that the Univerſe is infinitely
extended; but what God has been pleas’d to place beyond the Region of
the Stars, is as much above our Knowledge, as it is beyond our
Habitation.
Or what if beyond ſuch a determinate Space he has left an infinite
Vacuum; to ſhow, how inconſiderable all that he has made is, to what
his Power could, had he ſo pleas’d, have produced? But I am falling,
before I am aware, into that intricate Diſpute of Infinity: Therefore I
ſhall wave this, and not, as ſoon as I am free of one, take upon me
another difficult Task. All that I ſhall do more is to add ſomewhat of
my Opinion concerning the whole World, as it is a Place for the
Reception of the Suns or fix’d Stars, every one of which, I have
ſhowed, may have their Planetary Syſtems about them.
[Every Sun has a Vortex round it, very different from thoſe of Cartes.]
I am of Opinion then that every Sun is ſurrounded with a Whirl-pool or
Vortex of Matter in a very ſwift Motion; tho’ not in the leaſt like
Cartes’s either in their Bulk, or manner of Motion. For Cartes makes
his ſo large, as every one of them to touch all the others round them,
in a flat Surface, juſt as you have ſeen the Bladders that Boys blow up
in Soap-ſuds do; and would have the whole Vortex to move round the ſame
way. But the Angles of every Vortex will be no ſmall hindrance to ſuch
a Motion. Then the whole Matter moving round at once, upon the Axis as
it were of a Cylinder, did not a little puzzle him in giving Reaſons
for the Roundneſs of the Sun: which however they may ſatisfy ſome
People that do not conſider them, really prove nothing of the Matter.
In this æthereal Matter the Planets float, and are carried round by its
Motion: and the thing that keeps them in their own Orbs is, that they
themſelves, and the Matter in which they ſwim, equally ſtrive to fly
off from the Center of this Motion. Againſt all which there are many
Aſtronomical Objections, ſome of which I touch’d upon in my Eſſay of
the Cauſes of Gravity. Where I gave another Account of the Planets not
deſerting their own Orbs; which is their Gravitation towards the Sun. I
ſhow’d there the Cauſes of that Gravitation, and cannot but wonder that
Cartes, the firſt Man that ever began to talk reaſonably of that
Matter, ſhould never meddle with, or light on it. Plutarch in his Book
of the Moon above-mentioned ſays, that ſome of the Ancients were of
Opinion, that the Reaſon of the Moon’s keeping her Orbit was, that the
Force of her Circular Motion was exactly equal to her Gravity, the one
of which pull’d her to, as much as the other forc’d off from the
Centre. And in our Age Alphonſus Borellus, who was of this ſame Opinion
in the other Planets as well as the Moon, makes the Gravitation of the
primary Planets to be towards the Sun, as that of the Secondary is
towards the Planets round which they move: Which Sir Iſaac Newton has
more fully explain’d, with a great deal of Pains and Subtilty; and how
from that Cauſe proceeds the Ellipticity of the Orbs of the Planets,
found out by Kepler. According to my Notion of the Gravitation of the
Planets to the Sun, the Matter of his Vortex muſt not at all move the
ſame way, but after ſuch a manner as to have its Parts carry’d
different ways on all Sides. And yet there is no fear of its being
deſtroyed by ſuch an irregular Motion, becauſe the Æther round it,
which is at reſt, keeps the Parts of it from flying out. With the Help
of ſuch a Vortex as this I have undertook in that Eſſay to explain the
Gravity of Bodies on this Earth, and all the Effects of it. And I
ſuppoſe there may be the ſame Cauſe as well of the Gravitation of the
Planets, and of our Earth among the reſt, towards the Sun, as of their
Roundneſs: A Thing ſo very hard to give an Account of in Cartes’s
Syſtem.
I muſt differ from him too in the Bigneſs of the Vortices, for I cannot
allow them to be ſo large as he would make them. I would have them
diſperſed all about the immenſe Space, like ſo many little Whirl-pools
of Water, that one makes by the ſtirring of a Stick in any large Pond
or River, a great way diſtant from one another. And as their Motions do
not all intermix or communicate with one another, ſo in my Opinion muſt
the Vortices of Stars be placed as not to hinder one anothers free
Circumrotations.
So that we may be ſecure, and never fear that they will ſwallow up or
deſtroy one another; for that was a mere Fancy of Cartes’s, when he was
a ſhowing how a fix’d Star or Sun might be turn’d into a Planet. And
’tis plain that when he writ it, he had no Thoughts of the immenſe
Diſtance of the Stars from one another; particularly, by this one
Thing, that he would have a Comet as ſoon as ever it comes into our
Vortex, to be ſeen by us. Which is as abſurd as can be. For how could a
Star, which gives us ſuch a vaſt Light only from the Reflection of the
Beams of the Sun, as he himſelf owns they do; how I ſay could that be
ſo plainly ſeen at a diſtance Ten thouſand times larger than the
Diameter of the Earth’s Orbit? He could not but know that all round the
Sun there is a vaſt Extenſum; ſo vaſt, that in Copernicus’s Syſtem the
magnus Orbis is counted but a Point in compariſon with it. But indeed
all the whole Story of Comets and Planets, and the Production of the
World, is founded upon ſuch poor and trifling Grounds, that I have
often wonder’d how an ingenious Man could ſpend all that pains in
making ſuch Fancies hang together. For my part, I ſhall be very well
contented, and ſhall count I have done a great Matter, if I can but
come to any Knowledge of the Nature of Things, as they now are, never
troubling my ſelf about their Beginning, or how they were made, knowing
that to be out of the reach of human Knowledge, or even Conjecture.
FINIS.
NOTE
[1] The Author invented the Pendulum for Clocks.
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