Democritus Platonissans Part 6

76

To weet that long ago these Earths have been Peopled with men and beasts before this Earth, And after this shall others be again And other beasts and other humane birth.

Which once admit, no strength that reason bear'th Of this worlds Date and Adams efformation, Another Adam once received breath And still another in endlesse repedation, And this must perish once by finall conflagration.

77

Witnesse ye Heavens if what I say's not true, Ye flaming Comets wandering on high, And new fixt starres found in that Circle blue, The one espide in glittering _Ca.s.siopie_, The other near to _Ophiuchus_ thigh.

Both bigger then the biggest starres that are, And yet as farre remov'd from mortall eye As are the furthest, so those Arts declare Unto whose reaching sight Heavens mysteries lie bare.

78

Wherefore these new-seen lights were greater once By many thousand times then this our sphear Wherein we live, 'twixt good and evil chance.

Which to my musing mind doth strange appear If those large bodies then first shaped were.

For should so goodly things so soon decay?

Neither did last the full s.p.a.ce of two year.

Wherefore I cannot deem that their first day Of being, when to us they sent out shining ray.

79

But that they were created both of old, And each in his due time did fair display Themselves in radiant locks more bright then gold, Or silver sheen purg'd from all drossie clay.

But how they could themselves in this array Expose to humane sight, who did before Lie hid, is that which well amazen may The wisest man and puzzle evermore: Yet my unwearied thoughts this search could not give o're.

80

Which when I'd exercis'd in long pursuit To finden out what might the best agree With warie reason, at last I did conclude That there's no better probabilitie Can be produc'd of that strange prodigie, But that some mighty Planet that doth run About some fixed starre in _Ca.s.siopie_ As _Saturn_ paceth round about our Sun, Unusuall light and bignesse by strange fate had wonne.

81

Which I conceive no gainer way is done Then by the siezing of devouring fire On that dark Orb, which 'fore but dimly shone With borrowed light, not lightened entire, But halfed like the Moon.

And while the busie flame did sieze throughout, And search the bowels of the lowest mire Of that _Saturnian_ Earth; a mist broke out, And immense mounting smoke arose all round about.

82

Which being gilded with the piercing rayes Of its own sun and every neighbour starre, It soon appear'd with shining silver blaze, And then gan first be seen of men from farre.

Besides that firie flame that was so narre The Planets self, which greedily did eat The wastning mold, did contribute a share Unto this brightnesse; and what I conceit Of this starre doth with that of _Ophiuchus_ sit.

83

And like I would adventure to p.r.o.nounce Of all the Comets that above the Moon, Amidst the higher Planets rudely dance In course perplex, but that from this rash doom I'm bett off by their beards and tails farre strown Along the skie, pointing still opposite Unto the sun, however they may roam; Wherefore a cl.u.s.ter of small starres unite These meteors some do deem, perhaps with judgement right.

84

And that these tayls are streams of the suns light Breaking through their near bodies as through clouds.

Besides the Optick gla.s.se has shown to sight The dissolution of these starrie crouds.

Which thing if 't once be granted and allow'd, I think without all contradiction They may conclude these Meteors are routs Of wandring starres, which though they one by one Cannot be seen, yet joyn'd, cause this strange vision.

85

And yet methinks, in my devicefull mind Some reasons that may happily represse These arguments it's not uneath to find.

For how can the suns rayes that be transmisse Through these loose knots in Comets, well expresse Their beards or curld tayls utmost incurvation?

Beside, the conflux and congeries Of lesser lights a double augmentation Implies, and 'twixt them both a lessening coarctation.

86

For when as once these starres are come so nigh As to seem one, the Comet must appear In biggest show, because more loose they lie Somewhat spread out, but as they draw more near The compa.s.se of his head away must wear, Till he be brought to his least magnitude; And then they pa.s.sing crosse, he doth repair Himself, and still from his last losse renew'd Grows till he reach the measure which we first had view'd.

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And then farre distanc'd they bid quite adiew, Each holding on in solitude his way.

Ne any footsteps in the empty Blew Is to be found of that farre-shining ray.

Which processe sith no man did yet bewray, It seems unlikely that the Comets be Synods of starres that in wide Heaven stray.

Their smallnesse eke and numerositie Encreaseth doubt and lessens probabilitie.

88

A cl.u.s.ter of them makes not half a Moon, What should such tennis-b.a.l.l.s do in the skie?

And few 'll not figure out the fashion Of those round firie meteors on high.

Ne ought their beards much move us, that do lie Ever cast forward from the Morning sunne, Nor back cast tayls turn'd to our Evening-eye, That fair appear when as the day is done.

This matter may lie hid in the starres shadowed Cone.

89

For in these Planets conflagration, Although the smoke mount up exactly round, Yet by the suns irradiation Made thin and subtil no where else its found By sight, save in the dim and duskish bound Of the projected Pyramid opake, Opake with darknesse, smoke and mists unsound.

Yet gilded like a foggie cloud doth make Reflection of fair light that doth our senses take.

90

This is the reason of that constant site Of Comets tayls and beards: And that their show's Not pure Pyramidall, nor their ends seem streight But bow'd like brooms, is from the winds that blow, I mean Ethereall winds, such as below Men finden under th' Equinoctiall line.

Their widend beards this aire so broad doth strow Incurvate, and or more or lesse decline: If not, let sharper wits more subtly here divine.

91

But that experiment of the Optick gla.s.se The greatest argument of all I deem, Ne can I well encounter nor let pa.s.se So strong a reason if I may esteem The feat withouten fallacie to been, Nor judge these little sparks and subtile lights Some auncient fixed starres though now first seen, That near the ruin'd Comets place were pight, On which that Optic instrument by chance did light.

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Nor finally an uncouth after-sport Of th' immense vapours that the searching fire Had boyled out, which now themselves consort In severall parts and closely do conspire, Clumper'd in b.a.l.l.s of clouds and globes entire Of crudled smoke and heavy clunging mists; Which when they've staid awhile at last expire; But while they stay any may see that lists So be that Optick Art his naturall sight a.s.sists.

93

If none of these wayes I may well decline The urging weight of this hard argument, Worst is but parting stakes and thus define: Some Comets be but single Planets brent, Others a synod joyn'd in due consent: And that no new found Meteors they are: Ne further may my wary mind a.s.sent From one single experience solitaire, Till all-discovering Time shall further truth declare.

94

But for the new fixt starres there's no pretence, Nor beard nor tail to take occasion by, To bring in that unluckie inference Which weaken might this new built mysterie.

Certes in raging fire they both did frie.

A signe whereof you rightly may aread Their colours changeable varietie First clear and white, then yellow, after red, Then blewly pale, then duller still, till perfect dead.