Now to conclude this Difcourfe; for those that defire to make farther Scrutiny into this Hypothefts, I would have them to Read (befides the above named Authors) Dr. John Wilkins, late Lord Bishop of Chefter, his Learned Difcourfe concerning a New PLANET, tending to prove, that 'tis probable our EARTH is out of the PLANETS; Wherein he infifts upon these following Particulars; Viz.

I. That the feeming Novelty and Singularity of this Opinion, can be no fufficient Reafon to prove it Errroneous.

II. That the Places in Scripture which feem to intimate the Diurnal Motion of the Sun, or Heavens, are fairly capable of another Interpretation.

III. That the Holy Ghoft in many places of Scripture, does plainly conform his Expreffions to the Error of our Conceits; and does not speak of fundry things as they are in themselves, but as they appear

unto us.

IV. That divers Learned Men have fallen into great Abfurdities, whilft they have looked for the Grounds of Philofophy from the Words of Scripture.

V. That the Words of Scripture, in their Proper and strict Constru Яtions, do not any where affirm the Immobility of the Earth.

VI. That there is not any Argument from the Words of Scripture, Principles of Nature, or Obfervations in Aftronomy, which can fufficiently evidence the Earth to be in the Center of the Universe.

VII. 'Tis probable that the Sun is in the Center of the World. VIII. That there is not any fufficient Reason to prove the Earth incapable of those Motions which Copernicus afcribes unto it. IX. That it is more probable the Earth does move, than the Hea

vens.

X. That this Hypothefis is exactly agreeable to common Appear

⚫ances.

F

CHAP

CHAP. IX.

Of the Eclipfes of the Sun and MooN, the causes of them, and how and when they happen.

T

I. Of the Eclipfe of the SUN.

HE Eclipfe of the Sun is nothing else but the direct Interpofition of the body of the Moon between our fight and the Sun, for the Moon being a denfe, folid, and opacious Body, and not tranf parent, coming betwixt the Sun and the Earth, (which is always in a conjunction) doth thereby hide more or lefs of the Suns bright fhining Body from our fight; but yet the Sun is not Eclipfed in every conjunction, but when it falleth in, or near to the Head or Tail of the Dragon. And it may fometimes fo fall out, that the Sun may fuffer two Total and Central Eclipfes in the fpace of 6 months, one of which happening before the Suns Apogeon, and the other after, in which cafe there may happen no Full Moon Eclipfed that Year, according to the Rule: Fieri poteft ut duo interlunia nodis proxima & feré centralia unius femeftris intervallo accidant; unum quidem ante folis Apogeum, alterum poft illud; quo cafu intra totum annum lunarem nullum continget plenilunium Eclipticum. But it cannot be Univerfal (as the Moons Eclipfe is) but may appear in one Climate a great Eclipfe, in another it may be leffer, and in other fome no Eclipfe at all, and that at the self fame Inftant, because the Eclipfe of the Sun dependeth principally on the Parallax of the Moon, which is different in every Cli mate, (as hereafter, God willing, in another Work) and feeing that the Sun far exceedeth the Earth in bignefs, and the Earth far exceedeth the Moon, therefore the Cone of the Earths fhadow cannot take away, or hide the whole body of the Sun from all parts of the Earth; but one part only fhall obferve the fame to be total, or of the like quantity. Hence it may appear that the Sun lofeth no Light, but only we are deprived of the fame by the interpofition of the Moons Terreneal Body, (as is faid before) and therefore Aftronomers define, that it is Interceptio luminis folaris profecta ex interpofitu Luna inter folem atque afpectum noftrum. So that Suidas well obferves, That folis Eclipfis fit, quando Luna in ipfum incurrit; and for the better underftanding of what is faid, behold this Figure following.

A Type

1

'A Type of the Sun's Eclipfe according to Ptolomy.

By this Type it appears, that to him that stands in C, the whole body of the Sun is hidden from his fight; to him that stands in B, half the Sun is only hidden; but to him that dwelleth in A, there is no part of the Sun hid from his fight. Now there are fome that think, that in the fpace of 19 years all the Lunations and Eclipfes return again to their old course, and happen the fame again: And of this Opinion is Pliny, in the 2d Book 13th Chap. of his Natural Hiftory, where he fays, Elapfis ducentis viginti duobus menfibus Eclipfes in orbes fuos redire. Now fome there be, who fays that Pliny's meaning was, That all the variety of Eclipfes are finished in that space of time. But this is but an Idle glofs; for albeit in the fame space of time, the Head of the Dragon goeth once about the Zodiack, and the Eclipfes may happen thereby near the fame time and place again, yet notwithstanding they are not therefore the fame, that is to fay, of the fame quantity and duration; for certain is the Rule, Cali motus inter fe funt incommenfurabiles, nec unquam Phanomema eodem prorfus modo recurrere poffunt.

A

II. Of the Eclipfe of the MOON."

Verral B

luna

DI

THE Moon having no Light but what the receiveth of the Sun, can never be Eclipfed but at the Full, but when fhe is Diame trically opposite to the Sun, and the Earth, in the midst between them both. Hence the Philofophers rightly defined it, that is, Priva tio Luminis in Luna orta à diametrali terra inter Solem & Lunam oppofitione. And Lucan also, Lib. 1. Pharfal. fheweth the cause of the Moons Eclipfe.

cornuque coacto,

Jam Phebe toto cum redderet orbe
Terrarum fubita percussa expalluit umbra.

Therefore the Moon being full of Light, and exactly oppofite to the Sun in the Head or Tail of the Dragon, may be totally Eclipfed, and deprived of Light by the fhadow of the Earth; for the Earth being a thick and folid Body, cafteth its fhadow to that part which is oppofite to the Sun (whom it is that enlightneth the Moon, and all the Etherial Region (fuo Lumine) unless that point oppofite to him.) When therefore the Moon at her Full, and oppofition to the Sun, entreth into that obfcure part, on which the fhadow of the Earth falleth, fhe doth thereby lofe the Suns Light, and is obfcure and dark; which we call an Eclipfe. And here obferve and be affured, that there is no Star what foever that can enter this fhadow but the Moon alone, in regard of her propinquity to the Earth, for it is gathered

D 2

by

by fundry Obfervations made by the best Aftronomers, that the fhadow of the Earth is Conical the quantity of the extent (a centro Terre) being 250 Semi-diameters, and the Moon being fartheft remote in Apogeo, is diftant from the Earth but 58 Semi-diameters; from hence therefore it appears, that the Moon may enter into the faid fhadow, but not any of the other Planets; and although Venus and Mercury are fometimes within the faid limits, yet they are always nigh the Sun, and are never oppofite to him; fo that this Maffy Globe of the Earth can never interpofe thereby, to hide the Suns glorious Beams from them. As for Mars, he is (in his mean motion) from the Earth 1745 Semi-diameters; to which place the Cone of the Earths fhadow never extendeth. And although the Moon is oppofite to the Sun every month, fhe is not therefore Eclipfed in every oppofition but then only, when at the oppofition fhe is found in or near the Ecliptick, having then little or no Latitude.

Moreover, the Aftronomers (the better to meafure the quantity of the Eclipfe) do divide the Diameter as well of the Sun as of the Moon, into 12 equal parts, which they call Points or Digits, and the more Digits the Eclipfe is, the greater is the Eclipfe. Yet in the Eclipfes of the Moon, we must know that the Diameter of the fhadow is far greater than the Diameter of the Moon. Hence the Moon, being in the middle of the faid fhadow which anfwereth the Line of the Eliptick exactly, the whole body of the Moon is not only obfcured 12 Digits, but the obfcuration is inlarged much by the plunging of the Moon (as it were) into the faid dark fhadow, and her long continuance there; and therefore in Lunar Eclipfes, we reckon the number of Digits according to the quantity of the fhadow of the Earth, which may fometimes extend to almoft 23 Digits.

A Type of the Moon's Eclipfe according to Ptolomy. Wherefore we ufually reckon three forts of Eclipfes, the firft partial, when her whole Body is not darkened, but fome part thereof. The fecond, when her whole Body is darkened exactly; and this is called a total Eclipfe, but without continuance. The third, when fhe happens into the fhadow of the Earth more than 12 Digits; and this is called a total Eclipfe with continuance, or ftay in darknefs: All the difference whereof arifeth principally from the Latitude of the Moon, and her diftance from the Ecliptick Line. But of these things (Deo permittente) more amply hereafter in another Work.

In this Diagram you may obferve when the Eclipfe is total, when partial, and when there is none at all in the oppofition.

More concerning the Eclipfes.

The two foregoing Schemes declare the reafon of the

Sol

Jena

luna

Eclipfes

Eclipfes of the Sun and Moon according to the Ptolomean Syftemi, where the Earth is fuppofed to be the Center of the Univerfe: But this Scheme demonftrates the fame by the Copernican System, where the Sun is fuppofed to be the Center of the Univerfe, in which Scheme or Figure,

A Type of the Sun and Moon's Eclipfe according to Copernicus.

K

B

B

I. For the Eclipfe of the Sun:

A, Represents the Sun, and Center of the World.

B, K, R, B, The Annual Orb of the Earth.

R, The Body of the Earth.

S, Z, V, S, The Orb of the Moon.

O, The place of the Moon when she is in Conjunction with the Sun.

V, X or Z, Her Place when fhe is in Oppofition:

D, The Conical Point of the Earths Shadow, which is greater or leffer, according to the distance of the Earth from the Sun.:

Now, by this Figure it appears, that to him that ftands upon the Earth at N, the whole Body of the Sun is hidden from his fight by the interpofition of the Moon at O. But to him that is at R, there is but half the Sun obfcured. And lastly, To him that lives at M, there is no part of the Suns Body hid from him; but he, at the fame Inftant, may behold his whole Body free from any interpofition of the Moon, as is plainly represented in the Figure.

II. For the Eclipfe of the Moon.

When the Moon is in exact Oppofition to the Sun, and void of Latitude, as fhe is when placed at X, for then the Center of the Earths Shadow, whereby fhe lofeth the whole Light of the Sun, by the direct interpofition of the Earth between the Sun and Her; whereby She is to

tally