The Discovery of a World in the Moone Part 1

The Discovery of a World in the Moone.

by John Wilkins.

To the Reader.

_If amongst thy leisure houres thou canst spare any for the perusall of this discourse, and dost looke to finde somewhat in it which may serve for thy information and benefit: let me then advise thee to come unto it with an equall minde, not swayed by prejudice, but indifferently resolved to a.s.sent unto that truth which upon deliberation shall seeme most probable unto thy reason, and then I doubt not, but either thou wilt agree with mee in this a.s.sertion, or at least not thinke it to be as farre from truth, as it is from common opinion._

_Two cautions there are which I would willingly admonish thee of in the beginning._

1. _That thou shouldst not here looke to find any exact, accurate Treatise, since this discourse was but the fruit of some lighter studies, and those too hudled up in a short time, being first thought of and finished in the s.p.a.ce of some few weekes, and therefore you cannot in reason expect, that it should be so polished, as perhaps, the subject would require, or the leisure of the Author might have done it._

2. _To remember that I promise onely probable arguments for the proofe of this opinion, and therefore you must not looke that every consequence should be of an undeniable dependance, or that the truth of each argument should be measured by its necessity. I grant that some Astronomicall appearances may possibly be solved otherwise then here they are. But the thing I aime at is this, that probably they may so be solved, as I have here set them downe: Which, if it be granted (as I thinke it must) then I doubt not, but the indifferent reader will find some satisfaction in the maine thing that is to be proved._

_Many ancient Philosophers of the better note, have formerly defended this a.s.sertion, which I have here laid downe, and it were to be wished, that some of us would more apply our endeavours unto the examination of these old opinions, which though they have for a long time lien neglected by others, yet in them may you finde many truths well worthy your paines and observation. Tis a false conceit, for us to thinke, that amongst the ancient variety and search of opinions, the best hath still prevailed. Time (saith the learned _Verulam_) seemes to be of the nature of a river or streame, which carrieth downe to us that which is light, or blowne up, but sinketh that which is weighty and solid._

_It is my desire that by the occasion of this discourse, I may raise up some more active spirit to a search after other hidden and unknowne truthes. Since it must needes be a great impediment unto the growth of sciences, for men still so to plod on upon beaten principles, as to be afraid of entertaining any thing that may seeme to contradict them. An unwillingnesse to take such things into examination, is one of those errours of learning in these times observed by the judicious _Verulam_.

Questionlesse there are many secret truths, which the ancients have pa.s.sed over, that are yet left to make some of our age famous for their discovery._

_If by this occasion I may provoke any reader to an attempt of this nature, I shall then thinke my selfe happy, and this work successefull._

Farewell.

[Decoration]

The First Proposition, by way of Preface.

_That the strangenesse of this opinion is no sufficient reason why it should be rejected, because other certaine truths have beene formerly esteemed ridiculous, and great absurdities entertayned by common consent._

There is an earnestnesse and hungering after novelty, which doth still adhere unto all our natures, and it is part of that primative image, that wide extent and infinite capacity at first created in the heart of man, for this since its depravation in _Adam_ perceiving it selfe altogether emptied of any good doth now catch after every new thing, conceiving that possibly it may finde satisfaction among some of its fellow creatures. But our enemy the divell (who strives still to pervert our gifts, and beate us with our owne weapons) hath so contriv'd it, that any truth doth now seeme distastefull for that very reason, for which errour is entertain'd--Novelty, for let but some upstart heresie be set abroach, and presently there are some out of a curious humour; others, as if they watched an occasion of singularity, will take it up for canonicall, and make it part of their creede and profession; whereas solitary truth cannot any where finde so ready entertainement; but the same Novelty which is esteemed the commendation of errour and makes that acceptable, is counted the fault of truth, and causes that to bee rejected. How did the incredulous World gaze at _Columbus_ when hee promised to discover another part of the earth, and he could not for a long time by his confidence, or arguments, induce any of the Christian Princes, either to a.s.sent unto his opinion, or goe to the charges of an experiment. Now if he who had such good grounds for his a.s.sertion, could finde no better entertainement among the wiser sort, and upper end of the World; 'tis not likely then that this opinion which I now deliver, shall receive any thing from the men of these daies, especially our vulgar wits, but misbeliefe or derision. It hath alwaies beene the unhappinesse of new truths in Philosophy, to be derided by those that are ignorant of the causes of things, and reiected by others whose perversenesse ties them to the contrary opinion, men whose envious pride will not allow any new thing for truth which they themselves were not the first inventors of. So that I may iustly expect to be accused of a pragmaticall ignorance, and bold ostentation, especially since for this opinion _Xenophanes_, a man whose authority was able to adde some credit to his a.s.sertion could not escape the like censure from others. For _Natales Comes_ speaking of that Philosopher,[1] and this his opinion, saith thus,

_Nonnulli ne nihil scisse videantur, aliqua nova monstra in Philosophi introduc.u.n.t, ut alicujus rei inventores fuisse appareant._

"Some there are who least they might seeme to know nothing, will bring up monstrous absurdities in Philosophy, that so afterward they may bee famed for the invention of somewhat."

The same author doth also in another place accuse _Anaxagoras_[2] of folly for the same opinion,

_Est enim non ign.o.bilis gradus stult.i.tiae, vel si nescias quid dicas, tamen velle de rebus propositis hanc vel illam partem stabilire._

"'Tis none of the worst kindes of folly, boldly to affirme one side or other, when a man knows not what to say."

[Sidenote 1: _Mytholog. lib. 3. c. 17._]

[Sidenote 2: _Lib. 7. c. 1._]

If these men were thus censur'd, I may iustly then expect to be derided by most, and to be believed by few or none; especially since this opinion seemes to carry in it so much strangenesse, so much contradiction to the generall consent of others. But how ever, I am resolved that this shall not be any discouragement, since I know that it is not the common opinion of others that can either adde or detract from the truth. For,

1. Other truths have beene formerly esteemed altogether as ridiculous as this can be.

2. Grosse absurdities have beene entertained by generall opinion.

I shall give an instance of each, that so I may the better prepare the Reader to consider things without a prejudice, when hee shall see that the common opposition against this which I affirme cannot any way derogate from its truth.

1. Other truths have beene formerly accounted as ridiculous as this, I shall specifie that of the Antipodes, which have beene denied and laught at by many wise men and great Schollers, such as were _Herodotus_, St.

_Austin_, _Lactantius_, the _Venerable Bede_, _Lucretius_ the Poet, _Procopius_, and the voluminous _Abulensis_ with others. _Herodotus_ counted it so horrible an absurdity, that hee could not forbeare laughing to thinke of it. Ge?? d? ???? ??? pe???d?? ????a?ta?, p?????? ?d? ?a? ??d??a ???? ????ta? ?????s?e??? ?? ??ea??? te ?e??ta ???f??s?, p???? t?? te ??? ???sa? ?????te??a ?? ?p? t?????.

[Greek: Gelo de horon ges periodous grapsantas, pollous ede kai oudena noon echontas exegesamenon hoi okeanon te rheonta graphousi, perix ten te gen eousan kukloterea hos apo tornou.]

"I cannot choose but laugh, (saith he) to see so many men venture to describe the earths compa.s.se, relating those things that are without all sense, as that the Sea flowes about the World, and that the earth it selfe is round as an Orbe."

But this great ignorance is not so much to be admired in him, as in those learneder men of later times, when all sciences began to flourish in the World. Such was Saint _Austin_ who censures that relation of the Antipodes to be an incredible fable,[1] and with him agrees the eloquent _Lactantius_,[2]

_quid illi qui esse contrarios vestigiis nostris Antipodes putant?

num aliquid loquuntur? aut est quispiam tam ineptus, qui credat esse homines, quorum vestigia sunt superiora quam capita? aut ibi quae apud nos jacent inversa pendere? fruges & arbores deorsum versus crescere, pluvias & nives, & grandinem sursum versus cadere in terram? & miratur aliquis hortor pensiles inter septem mira narrari, quum Philosophi, & agros & maria, & urbes & montes pensiles faciunt? &c._

"What (saith he) are they that thinke there are Antipodes, such as walke with their feet against ours? doe they speake any likelyhood?

or is there any one so foolish as to believe that there are men whose heeles are higher than their heads? that things which with us doe lie on the ground doe hang there? that the Plants and Trees grow downewards, that the haile, and raine, and snow fall upwards to the earth? and doe wee admire the hanging Orchards amongst the seven wonders, whereas here the Philosophers have made the Field and Seas, the Cities and Mountaines hanging."

What shall wee thinke (saith hee in _Plutarch_) that men doe clyng to that place like wormes, or hang by their clawes as Cats, or if wee suppose a man a little beyond the Center, to bee digging with a spade?

is it likely (as it must bee according to this opinion) that the earth which hee loosened, should of it selfe ascend upwards? or else suppose two men with their middles about the center, the feete of the one being placed where the head of the other is, and so two other men crosse them, yet all these men thus situated according to this opinion should stand upright, and many other such grosse consequences would follow (saith hee) which a false imagination is not able to fancy as possible. Upon which considerations, _Bede_[3] also denies the being of any Antipodes,

_Neque enim Antipodarum ullatenus est Fabulis accommodandus a.s.sensus_,

"Nor should wee any longer a.s.sent to the Fable of Antipodes." So also _Lucretius_ the Poet speaking of the same subject, sayes:

_Sed va.n.u.s stolidis haec omnia finxerit error._[4]

[Sidenote 1: _De civit. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 9._]

[Sidenote 2: _Inst.i.tut. l. 3. c. 24._]

[Sidenote 3: _De ratione temporum, Cap. 32._]

[Sidenote 4: _De nat. rerum, lib. 1._]

That some idle fancy faigned these for fooles to believe. Of this opinion was _Procopius Gazaeus_,[1] but he was perswaded to it by another kinde of reason; for he thought that all the earth under us was sunke in the water, according to the saying of the Psalmist,[2] Hee hath founded the Earth upon the Seas, and therefore hee accounted it not inhabited by any. Nay _Tostatus_ a man of later yeeres and generall learning doth also confidently deny that there are any such Antipodes, though the reason which hee urges for it bee not so absurde as the former, for the Apostles, saith hee,[3] travelled through the whole habitable world, but they never pa.s.sed the Equinoctiall; and if you answer that they are said to goe through all the earth, because they went through all the knowne world, hee replies, that this is not sufficient, since Christ would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of his truth,[4] and therefore 'tis requisite that they should have travelled thither also, if there had been any inhabitants, especially since he did expressely command them to goe and teach all nations, and preach the Gospell through the whole world,[5] and therefore he thinkes that as there are no men, so neither are there seas, or rivers, or any other conveniency for habitation: 'tis commonly related of one _Virgilius_, that he was excommunicated and condemned for a Heretique by _Zachary_ Bishop of _Rome_, because hee was not of the same opinion. But _Baronius_ saies,[6] it was because hee thought there was another habitable world within ours. How ever, you may well enough discerne in these examples how confident many of these great Schollars were in so grosse an errour, how unlikely, what an incredible thing it seemed to them, that there should be any Antipodes, and yet now this truth is as certaine and plaine, as sense or demonstration can make it. This then which I now deliver is not to be rejected; though it may seeme to contradict the common opinion.

[Sidenote 1: _Comment. in 1. Cap. Gen._]

[Sidenote 2: _Psal. 24. 2._]

[Sidenote 3: _Comment. in_ 1. Genes.]