An entire body of philosophy according to the principles of the famous Renate Des Cartes in three books, (I) the institution ... (II) the history of nature ... (III) a dissertation of the want of sense and knowledge in brute animals ... / written originally in Latin by the learned Anthony Le Grand ; now carefully translated from the last corrections, alterations, and large additions of the author, never yet published ... by Richard Blome.

CHAP. XI. How the Heavens were disposed at first, and of their divers Motions.

I. Three things are to be sup∣pos'd here. IT will not be difficult to demonstrate the first Disposition of the Heavens, or that order which the Heavenly Orbs now observe, and did from the Beginning, by supposing only a few things, which we have proved in the Fourth Part.

II. The First. First, That there is no Vacuum in Nature; for seeing that Space is not distinct from a Body, it must necessarily follow, that wheresoever Space is found, there must be a Body also.

III. The Second. That there can be no penetration of Dimensions; for seeing that the Conception of a Body involves Extension, and by it excludes all other Bodies out of the same place with it, it is evident that many Bodies cannot be contain'd in the same place.

IV. The Third. Whatsoever is moved, is moved in a Circle; for seeing all places are fill'd with Bodies, it is clear, that one Body cannot be removed out of the Neighbourhood of some Bodies, into the Neighbourhood of others, without being mov'd in a Circle. So that when any Body enters into a place, the Body that was there before leaves it, and enters into the place of the next, and so on to the last; which at the same instant of time enters into the place the first Body hath left.

V. What we are to un∣derstand by the words Vortex, Center, Ecliptick, Poles and Axis. It will not be amiss for us also to explain what we intend by the Words, Vortex, Center, Ecliptick, Poles and Axis. By the word VORTEX we understand, a vast number of parts of Matter, which move together about the same Center. By the Center of a Vortex we mean, the point about which all the parts of Matter that constitute the Vortex do move. And because when a Vortex turns round, all the Points of the Surface describe Crooked lines, which resemble Circles, except two that turn about themselves, we call those two Points the POLES; and the Circle, which is equally distant from the two Poles, we call the ECLIPTICK; and the Right line, which reacheth from one Pole to the other, passing through the Center of the Vortex, we call the AXIS.

VI. How the Vortexes came first to be. These things premis'd, we say that the Parts of the Universe, being in the Beginning of the Crea∣tion put into motion, must naturally run themselves into several Vortexes; for these Particles being of different bulk and figure, and unable to move for∣wards in Right lines, because of their various de∣termination, they were forced to move in Circles, and by this means did constitute Vortexes of a stupendous Magnitude, according to the Quantity of the Matter. For it is an unquestion'd Truth amongst Philosophers, that a Body which is dash'd against another, must of necessity rebound back from it, and so be carried in a Circle, that it may continue its motion, which may be proved by many Experiments. For the Vortexes of the Air, or those of the Water, which we see in Rivers, are caused, because the Vapours that make the Wind, and the running Waters, being beat back by occurring Bodies, are hindred from moving strait forwards: and therefore being reflected on one side, must necessarily turn round, because the subsequent Air, or Water, is successively push'd forwards after the same manner as the first, and so must twist in and be carried Circularly.

VII. The Divi∣sibility of Matter being sup∣pos'd, the Vortexes could not but be made this way. That this was the Original of the Vortexes is unquestionable, by those who admit the Matter of the World to have been divided into particles of different Magnitude and Figure; and that they had as much motion from the beginning, as there is now found in the whole Universe. Because these Particles dashing one against another, must needs be carried round about divers Points, and so run together into divers Vortexes. So that all the Par∣ticles that were whirl'd about the Sun S, did con∣stitute the Vortex, terminated by A, YB, M, and * 1.1that others which roul'd about the fix'd Stars L, C, O, K, compos'd other Vortexes.

VIII. That there are but two visible Heavens. We admit only two visible Heavens; the first, that whose Center the Sun S is, in which we live, and wherein Venus, Mercury, the Earth and the rest of the Planets are contained, and in which they are roul'd about with various motions. And the Second Heaven is that which contains innume∣rable Vortexes ZLZ, MCM, YOY, TKT, which have fix'd Stars in their several Centers, and on every side surround the First Heaven S. Whatsoever reacheth beyond these Heavens, does not fall under our Senses, tho' we conceive it Immense, and not confin'd within any Limits, being therefore called an Expansion or Firmament, from its vast and Indefinite Extension.

IX. How the Vortexes came to be divided, and what the Form of them is. The Disposition therefore, and ordering of the several Bodies of this World was made, when the Planets, and all other Bodies that lay confounded together in the Chaos, were separated by the subtil Matter flowing between them, and got into several places, according to the thickness and solidity of the Matter. Whence it is evident, that the Forms of the Vortexes, are the very first and most simple Forms that were ever introduced into the Matter; they are the First, because they are the immediate product of the Laws of Motion; and the most Simple, because they suppose none before them; and because all other Forms depend on them, as on their Principles.

X. How these Vortexes can per∣form their Motions without hindring one ano∣ther. There is one Difficulty seems to arise from the Disposition of these Great Bodies, viz. how these Vortexes could fall into such a motion, as that one should not hinder the other. For it is hard to conceive how Bodies of so great a Bulk should not interfere with one another in their Circumvolution, seeing that according to the Laws of Nature, the motion of one Body is turned aside by the meeting of ano∣ther.

XI. The Diffi∣culty an∣swer'd. This Difficulty may be answer'd by shewing, that these Vortexes may be so placed, that their Motions will rather further than hinder each other; that is, if we conceive them so ranged, that the Ecliptiek of one, (or that part of the Vortex, which whirling about its Axis describes the largest Circle) do correspond to the Poles of the other: For by this means they will so agree together, and move so freely, as not in the least to hinder one ano∣ther.

XII. The Vor∣texes must be so di••∣posed, as that the Poles of one Vortex may touch the Eclip∣tick of anoth••r. Yea, if we examin the matter, we shall find that the Heavenly Vortexes cannot be so, but that the Poles of one must touch the Ecliptick of another. As suppose the first Vortex, whose Center is S, be moved from A, toward Y; another Vortex contiguous to it, whose Center is O, and another whose Center is C, must touch it in those Parts that are most remote from both the Poles A and B, of the Vortex S. For if we should suppose the Poles of two Vortexes to touch one another, they will either by a like determination of motion be carried the same way, and so will run one into another; or they must by a different determination be carried oppositly to one another, and so clashing in their motions, they will never be able to continue them long; and there∣fore to the end their Motions may not interfere together, the Vortexes must be so ranged, that the Pole of one Vortex may not touch that of another, but the Ecliptick, or those parts which are most remote from them; forasmuch as by this means they support and preserve one another.

XIII. Those Parts of a Vor∣tex which are nearest to the Cen∣ter, are most swiftly moved. The First Heaven, in which the Sun S is the Center, and by the force of whose motion the other Planets are wheel'd about, is most swiftly turn'd round by it; for the Sun being with great celerity whirl'd about its own Axis AB, carries the nearest parts along with it, and imparts his motion unto them: So as that the parts nearest to him are more swiftly moved, than those that are more remote, and so on to the Region of Saturn HNQR, where the parts of the Heaven are mo∣ved slowest of all. The Reason whereof is, be∣cause those parts that are nearer to the Center of the Vortex, are less than those further off, and consequently are more swiftly moved. And that the parts towards S, are less than those that are about HNQR, is evident; for that if they were bigger or equal, by being so near the Center of the Sun, they must needs be more swiftly mo∣ved, and by consequence possess themselves of Higher places.

XIV. Those parts of the Vor∣tex which are above the Region of Saturn, are more strongly moved. According to this Proportion therefore, the mo∣tion of the Celestial Matter, grows by degrees more slow to a certain term, beyond the Region of Saturn HNQR, where the highest or utmost parts of this our Vortex begin to be more swiftly moved, not by the Sun, as is apparent enough; but from the Neighbouring Vortexes, which sur∣round the First Heaven; for they being unequal, do variously shake the Surface of the First Heaven, and thereby conduce to the swiftness of those Parts. This great degree of their swiftness, appears from the swift motion of the Comets.

XV. The Motions of the Vor∣texes are Circular. From what hath been said, we may gather these two things: First, That the Vortexes are circularly moved; for being hindred by other Bodies, from proceeding in a Right motion, they are forc'd to change the same into a Circular, and therefore must continually be whir'd round.

XVI. It is not necessary that the Vortexes should be exactly Round. Yet is it not necessary that these Vortexes there∣fore should be exactly Round; for tho' they coun∣terballance one another by their equal Force, yet is not this Force equally dispers'd through all their parts; because those which are about the Ecliptick of one Vortex, are always more strong than those that are towards the Poles of another: Which makes (since the Ecliptick of one Vortex com∣monly meets with the Poles of others) the parts that are about that Ecliptick, to advance more towards the Poles of other Vortexes, than the parts which are about the Poles of other Vortexes, do advance towards this Ecliptick. We see also in the precedent Figure, that the Neighbouring Vortexes make the Vortex S, which is between them, irre∣gular.

XVII. The Hea∣vens are moved continually. Secondly, We may gather from what hath been said, that the Motions of the Vortexes are perpe∣tual, since there is nothing that can be assign'd that should change or diminish their motions. For a Body therefore only ceaseth to move, because by running against another Body, it imparts its motion unto it, which cannot happen to the Heavens, because they have no Bodies at Rest, or slowly Moved, to which they may communicate their Motion, and so come to lose it. For the Law of Nature requires, that every thing, inasmuch as it is single and undivided, should remain in the same state, nor ever be changed, but from External Causes; and since no such Causes are in the Hea∣vens, but all the Vortexes do comply together, we are rather to conclude, that they maintain and pre∣serve one another.

XVIII. A small Vortex may preserve it self, amongst others that are great∣er. As to the Bigness of the Vortexes, we have no reason to think, that all those which were the re∣sult of the First Division of the Matter, were all of them Equal. For as the only Reason we have to believe, that the vast number of Vortexes are not confounded one with another, is, because their Forces are equal and opposite; we may also well imagin, that a Vortex, which is less than those that are about it, will for all that preserve its station amongst them, if we consider that the Defect of its Bulk may easily be made up by its greater degree of Swiftness in motion. This Inequality of the Vortexes is represented to the Eye in this Figure, where the Vortex S, tho' greater, cannot destroy that of O, nor K, tho' lesser than it.

XIX. What Bo∣dies are said to be Heavy. We may gather from what hath been said, why gross and Earthly Bodies, are Heavy about the Centers of the Vortexes; tho' Light, when they are at a distance from them. For seeing these Bo∣dies derive their motion from the subtil Matter wherein they swim; which Matter is actually turn'd Round, and inclin'd to move forwards in strait Lines; it by this means communicates its Circular motion to those thicker Bodies, which it carries along with it; but not the Force it has in proceeding in right Lines, save only so far as that Force accompanies the motion it imparts to them.

But because the subtil Matter, which is about the Center of the Vortex, hath much more agitation than is required to Circular motion, (for every of the Particles, besides the Circular or Common motion, are also variously moved) it so happens that those Bodies which have less motion, have also less force to continue their motion by Right lines, and by this their weaker force, are forc'd to give way to those, which with greater force press on towards Strait lines, and therefore must tend to∣wards the Center of the Vortex, that is, become so much the more heavy, as they are more solid.

XX. What Bo∣dies are said to be light. But when Earthly Bodies are at a great distance from the Center of their Vortex, seeing the Cir∣cular motion of the subtil Matter is very intense, forasmuch as it employs almost all its motion in its Revolution about the Center of the Vortex, they have the more agitation, as they are more solid, because they follow the motion of the subtil Mat∣ter in which they swim; and therefore have more force to continue their motion according to a Right line: so that the grosser Bodies, at a certain di∣stance from the Center of the Vortex, are by so much lighter, as they are more solid. For by the word Lightness, we understand nothing else, but the Endeavour wherewith the Bodies that are moved Round, tend to withdraw from the Center of their motion; as by the word Heaviness we understand that strift, whereby less agitated Bodies, or less solid, are thrust down towards the Center of their motion, by such as have more force than they to withdraw from it.

XXI. The Planets are not Heavy. From hence it is evidently deducible, that the Earth about its Center is very solid, but less to∣wards the Circumference; as also that the Water and Air must continue in that situation wherein we see them, and that consequently they are Heavy. For seeing all these Bodies are more solid than the Matter of the First or Second Element, they cannot avoid being push'd towards the Cen∣ter by it: Whereas the Moon, being at a conside∣rable distance from the Center of the Vortex of the Earth, is not look'd upon as Heavy, tho' it be a solid Body; as neither Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn, which cannot fall down towards the Sun.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Figure 20.