Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

ly towards the continents, would look as thofe in the moon do.

That a reader unacquainted with the geography of the moon, may apprehend what I have faid here and elsewhere, concerning the parts and appearances of the moon, I have reprefented them in Fig. 10 and 11. In Fig. 10. the face of the full moon is reprefented, its bright and dark parts with most of the names given them by Hevelius, whofe Lunar Geography is justly the moft followed. In Fig. 11. I have represented the appearance of the moon's edge on this laft Nov. 4, 1714, foon after the quadrature, for the explication of what is faid concerning the evenness of the furface of the lunar spots in book v. chap. 4. It may be there obferved, that the furfaces of all the feas appear strait and level, only the top of here and there a rock or ifland prefents itself at a small distance. Thus the fur face of the Hyperborean fea between a and b appears even and level, although through a telefcope that fea looks but like a great lake or marth. So do the parts of the Mediterrranean about d, from h, to i, except when they are interrupted by rocks or land; as they are at b, g, b, and c. At the laft of which places, begins a ridge of hills encompaffing the northern part of

[blocks in formation]

the Mediterranean, which makes a pretty fhew in the telescope.

And now confidering how accomplished the moon, and all the other planets are for habitation, how folemn an apparatus is in them for this fervice; and confidering also that these accoutrements relate to their respective planets only, and in all probability are of little or no use to our earth; with great reafon therefore the maintainers of the new fyftem conclude thofe planets, yea all the planets of the fun and of the fixt ftars alfo, to be habitable worlds; places, as accommodated for habitation, fo stocked with proper inhabitants.

But now the next queftion commonly put is, What creatures are they inhabited with? But this is a difficulty not to be refolved without a revelation, or far better inftruments than the world hath hitherto been acquainted with. But if the reader fhould have a mind to amufe himfelf with probable gueffes about the furniture of the planets of our folar fyftem, what countries it is probable are there, what vegetables are produced, what minerals and metals are afforded, what animals live there, what parts, faculties, and endowments they have, with much more to

the

To

the fame purpose; he may find a pleasant entertainment enough in the great Mr. Chriftian Huygens's Cofmotheoros, and fome other authors that have written on the fubject. which I fhall refer him, rather than give either him or myself any farther trouble about these matters, which are merely conjectural.

Thus having, for the fake of the unskilful reader, given an account of the three systems principally concerned in the following book, and having alfo, for the fake of the doubting reader, infifted more largely than ordinary upon the two laft of those fyftems, little remaineth for the putting an end to this long preface, but to make my excuse (if it needs any) for affigning the diameters and distances of the heavenly bodies in English miles, rather than other larger measures, which would perhaps have come nearer the truth. But this was alfo for the fake of fuch as are not very converfant in aftronomical matters and dimenfions: who can better understand you, when you fay, it is fo many miles, than fo many degrees, minutes, or feconds, or femidiameters of the earth, or the other planets.

And now for a conclufion, I fhall only intreat all my readers to join with me in their earnest prayers,

0.3

1

prayers, that as this work is defigned for the good of mankind, particularly for the conviction of infidels and irreligious, for the promotion of the fear and honour of God, and the cultivating of true religion, fo it may have its defired effect.

W. DERHAM,

A

A

SURVEY

O F THE

HEAVEN S.

[ocr errors]

INTRODUCTION.

HE pfalmift faith, h« The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament fheweth," publickly declareth, telleth forth, or preacheth his handy work, as the Hebrew word fignifies that "day unto day uttereth "fpeech, and night unto night, fheweth, or "tells forth, knowledge." Which language of

h Pfalm xix. 1, 2, 3.

fignificat aliquid verbis efferre, coram nuntiare, annun ciare, Conrad. Kircher. Concord. col. 226. vol. ii. It is derived

[blocks in formation]

1

« AnteriorContinua »