A

SPECIMEN

OF

ANIMATED ASTRONOMY, &c.

1.

INTRODUCTION.

HE Hiftory of the Celestial Bodies fhould be fimple, and unmix- Nakednejs ed with Mens Conceits, or Opinions; and candidly drawn up, and simpliwithout any city, required Tincture of Præoccupation, or fondness for Theory; in the History fo as, feparately and nakedly, to exhibit thofe Phænomena, which" of the Heaare, at prefent, bundled and drefs'd up into Theories and Syftems. We vens. would, therefore, have this Hiftory wrote in fuch a manner, as if no Decree had pass'd; nor any thing been dogmatically afferted in all Aftronomy and Aftrology: And only the Obfervations, in both, had been taken, and the Experiments made, and fet down with Accuracy, Judgment and Perfpicuity. But there is nothing of this kind found among us . Pliny has only glanced at the Subject curforily, and fomewhat rudely. But perhaps a tolerable Hiftory of the Celestial Bodies might, with the affiftance of the modern Obfervations, be drawn from the Works of Ptolemy, Copernicus, and other learned Aftronomers; only fuch a Hiftory would entirely want the Light of Experiments .

2. It

For the reafon of the Title, See De Augmentis Scientiarum, Sect. IV. 4, &c. It were to be wifh'd that more of it cou'd be found at prefent : But Men feem now fo thoroughly perfuaded, that they have a true Aftronomical Syftem, on a mathematical Foundation, as fcarce to admit of its being called in queftion. However, it may not be amifs for Pofterity to receive our Doubts as well as our Doctrines.

f Which are what muft fhew the true Caufes of things, in the Syftem and Frame of the Universe.

genuine Phi

The Design of 2. It may, perhaps, feem ftrange, that we fhould here bring the Sy this Enquiry fems that have been raised, improv'd, and enlarg'd with so much Labour, is forming a back to their original, artless forms, and fimple obfervations: But we have lofophy of the a much greater Work in view; tho without any intention of lofing the Heavens. leaft of former Difcoveries. For we here propofe, not only the business of Aftronomical Calculations, and fure Aftrological Predictions; but a genuine Philofophy, for informing the Understanding; not only a difcovery of the motions and revolutions of the celeftial Bodies, but also their fubftance, influence, powers and qualities of all kinds: And this according to the natural and found reafons of things themfelves; without levity, credulity, or any fuperftitious regard to Traditions: Intending fuch a Philofophy as fhall not invent Solutions, plaufibly adapted to the Phenomena; but fhew what is the real Fact, or Truth, in Nature.

Theories are

and one.

3. 'Tis eafy to perceive, that both they who affert the Rotation, and endless, but they who affert the Stability of the Earth, plead and produce Phenomena on Truth fimple both fides, with almost equal uncertainty. But the Author of the new Aftronomical Syftem of our time', who makes the Sun the centre of the fecondary movement; and the Earth the centre of the primary; as if the Planets peform'd their Revolutions round the Sun (which fome of the Ancients fufpected of Mercury and Venus) would have excellently folved the difficulty, had he verified and confirmed the fuppofition. And we make no queftion but other Conftructions and Theories of like kind, may be invented by men of a sharp and fubtile genius; but the Perfons who offer us fuch Theories, are not greatly concerned, whether they be perfectly true; and only fuppofe them for the convenience of calculation, and the forming of Aftronomical Tables w. Our Defign, therefore, differs greatly from theirs; as tending not to the discovery of Theories, and real Solutions, which may be various and numerous; but the truth of things, which is fimple and one: And to this discovery of Truth, the way is open'd by a genuine and pure Hiftory of Phenomena; but block'd up by one that is perverted and infected with Opinions.

The Enquiry

on the immu

4. We muft, however, openly profefs, that our hope of difcovering to be founded the truth, with regard to the Celestial Bodies, depends not folely upon fuch table Laws a Hiftory, raised after our own manner; but much more upon the obfervaof Nature. tion of the common Properties, or the Paffions and Appetites of the matter of both Globes. For as to the Separation that is fuppofed betwixt the atherial and fublunary Bodies, it feems to us no more than a Fiction, and a degree of Superftition, mix'd with Rashness: For it is certain, that numerous

Effects,

s Doubtless this is a juft and worthy End of the Enquiry: But what true fteps have been taken towards this End; and how far we are at prefent from it, may deserve Confideration.

Viz. Tycho Brahe.

Was not this Suppofition thought to be well verified, and confirmed, to many in its Time?

This feems rather a candid Conftruction of the Author, than the Intention of the Theorifts; who generally defire the World should take their Solutions for true Difcoveries. See hereafter, Sect. I. 9.

Effects, as expanfion, contraction, impreffion, yielding, collection, attraction, repulfion, affimilation, union, and the like, have place, not only here upon the furface; but alfo in the bowels of the Earth, and regions of the Heavens *. And no more faithful guide can be ufed or confulted, than thefe properties of matter, to conduct the understanding to the depths of the Earth, which are abfolutely not feen at all, and to the fublime regions of the Heavens, which are generally feen, but falfely; on account of their great Distance, the refraction of the Air, the imperfection of Glaffes, &c. The Ancients, therefore, excellently reprefented Proteus as capable of various fhapes, and a moft extraordinary Prophet, who knew all things, both the paft, the future, and the Secrets of the prefent: For he who knows the univerfal properties of Matter, and by that means understands what may, be, cannot but know what has been, is, and fhall be the general state and iffue of things y. Our chiefeft hope and dependance in the confideration of the Celestial Bodies, is therefore placed in phyfical Reasons; tho not fuch as are commonly fo call'd; but thofe Laws, with regard to the Appetites of Matter, which no diverfity of place or region can abolish, break thro', disturb, or alter2.

5. We would not, however, on this account, have Mens Diligence at An Exhorall flacken'd, in obferving and recording the Phænomena of the celeftial tation to proBodies; for when a larger ftock of these fhall be procured, every thing fecute Telef afterwards will be the readier and better establish'd. And here we cannot vations, &c. copical Obfer but congratulate Mankind upon the care, industry and alacrity of certain Artificers, and Men of Letters; who have lately attempted a new intercourse or traffick with the celeftial Bodies, by the means of Telescopes, and optical Inftruments; as it were, by fo many boats and fhips in the way of Navigation. This is an attempt, which we judge extremly noble, and worthy of Mankind; both in its beginning and end: the rather, because the obfervers are no lefs commendable for their fidelity, than their enterprize; as having ingenuously and clearly laid down how each Particular appeared to themselves. All that remains, therefore, is only for them to perfevere with great Severity of Judgment, and change of Inftruments; increafing the number of the evidence, or eye-witnesses; and to try each particular over and over again, in different manners; and lastly to raise objections to themselves, and open and explain to others, all the Objections that may be brought on the contrary fide of the queftion, without defpifing even the flighteft fcruple; left it Should happen to them, as it did to Democritus, in the cafe of the figs, which bad a honey-tafie; wherein the old Woman proved wifer than the Philofopher:

* On this feems founded Sir Ifaac Newton's third Regula Philofophandi; viz. That those Qualities of Bodies which are incapable of Augmentation and Diminution, and hold true in all the Bodies whereon Experiments may be made, ought to pass for general Qualities, refiding in all Bodies indifferently. See his Principia, Lib. III. in init. See alfo hereafter, Sect. I. 1.

See an Attempt towards enumerating thefe univerfal properties of Matter in the Sylva Sylvarum; under the Article CHARACTERS OF MATTER.

2 Such as Refifiance, Gravity, Impenetrability, &c.

How far Telescopes and other optical Inftruments are improvable to the purpofes of Aftronomy, has not, perhaps, been hitherto fully confider'd, efpecially Sir Ifaac Newton's Reflecting Telescope, with regard to the Metal and the Structure.

VOL. II.

D

For

Three Particulars to be

Heavens ;

viz.

(1.) The End.

For a mighty flender and ridiculous Error may be the cause of great and wonderful Speculations ↳.

6. In order to lay the foundation for a pure and genuine Hiftory of the regarded in a Celestial Bodies, we will (1.) propose certain capital philofophical Queries Hiftory of the annexing thereto fuch Ufes, as may probably be drawn from a confideration of the Celeftial Phenomena: And this to fhew the fcope of fuch a Hiftory as we propofe; that they who would affift in its compilement, may perceive its tendency, and all along bear in mind the Queftions; whereby they may be directed to procure fuch a History as fhall ferve to determine thefe Queftions; and afford other the like fruits and uses for the service of Mankind. The Questions we mean are fuch, as, according to the proper office of Hiftory, enquire into the Facts of Nature; and not into their Caufes. (2.) In the next place, we shall diftinctly fhew wherein the Hiftory of the Heavens confifts; what are its parts; what things are to be learn'd, or carefully fought after; what experiments to be made, and procured; and what obfervations to be used and confidered: Thus laying down, as it were, certain Heads of Induction, or Articles of Enquiry, conAnd (3.) The cerning the celeftial Bodies. (3.) Laftly, we fhall give Directions, how the things fought for fhould be confider'd, when obtain'd; how they are to be exhibited; and how recorded: Left, otherwife, the diligence ufed in the first Enquiry, fhould come to nothing; or, what is worse, the fucceeding structure be built upon a weak and treacherous foundation.

(2.)

The Matter.

Manner.

PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS about the Syftem of the World, to be clear'd up in the PARTICULAR HISTORY OF THE HEAVENS.

The Reasons 1.

for proceeding
here by an

Induction of
Questions.

MA

ANY will here fuppofe me raifing the Ashes of Questions. long fince bury'd, to join them with others of later Date: Buc as the Philofophy we at prefent enjoy, about the Heavens, has no ftability in it; as 'tis our fix'd Refolution to fubmit every thing to our

new

Let it, therefore, be freely queftion'd even at this Day, whether the Earth has a Diurnal and Annual Rotation? Whether all the Stars are folid Bodies? Whether a Comet may occafion a Deluge? Whether we have a juft Theory of the Moon? Whether the Cause of the Tides is justly affign'd? c. And this, if it were only to procure more rigid and perfect Demonftrations: For thefe things are not, perhaps, fo perfectly fettled, as neceffarily to exclude all modeft, and fcientifical Doubting.

After the fame manner, perhaps, as the Author's particular Enquiries into Winds, Life and Death, &c. are conducted.

Here are three Parts propofed, but only the first is profecuted, and that imperfectly, as mention'd in the Preface. 'Tis pity the other two were not finifhed: For, tho Aftronomy has been ftrenuously cultivated fince the Author's Time; yet the manner of Treatment here laid down, has not been fufficiently obferved.