A voyage to the world of Cartesius written originally in French, and now translated into English.

The third Argument.

This third Difficulty is well grounded on M. Descartes's Principles, and brings such weighty Consequences against the System of his World, as though all the rest were insignifi∣cant, would alone unravel the finest Contexture in it. He supposes the Earth to have a Vortex particular to it self in the great Vortex of the Sun. A Priviledge also he confers on Iupiter, but denies the Moon. He explains this Suppo∣sition in a plain and very familiar way, exem∣plifying it by those great Whirl-pools we some∣times see in Rivers. In the midst of these great Whirl-pools there are several little ones, that at∣tend the Motion of the bigger, and are carryed round their Centre, and at once whirl Chips and Straws about their own. Nothing could be bet∣ter thought on for the making us understand how the Earth and Iupiter, when carried about the Sun by the Matter of the Grand Solary Vor∣tex, at the same time cause the other Planets to circuit about themselves; how the Moon is forc'd about the Earth, and four little Planets a∣bout Iupiter. But as Ill-luck would have it, ex∣amining that Hypothesis by the Principles of our Philosopher, we found it absolutely impossible.

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