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. IX. Of the true Systeme of the Ʋniverse.

I. The C ••er∣nico▪Carte∣sian Hypo∣thesis ex∣plained. DES Cartes supposeth that Matter indefinitely extended, and by motion imprest upon it, di∣vided into various Particles, did run together into several Vortexes or Whirl-Pools, whirling about some certain Points with a most swift motion; that the more subtil matter gathered together about the * 1.1Center of these Vortices, constitutes the fixt Star; that the matter which is a degree bigger, makes the Heavens; and that the more solid Bodies (such as is the Earth and the rest of the Planets) hanging poisd in this fluid matter, comply with the motion of the Vortex about the fixt Star, and may over and above this, be whirld about their own Axis; as we often see that Bodies, carried in a fluid Stream, are turn'd round by a motion of their own, that is, proper to themselves, and not derived from the Stream wherein they are carried.

II. The first Heaven. Moreover Des Cartes divides all the Vortexes, that comp••se this World into two Heavens. In the first, he supposeth all the Matter of Heaven in which the Planets move, to run round continual∣ly in manner of a great Vortex, or mass of fluid Matter whirling round, in the Center whereof is the Sun, S, and that those Parts that are nearer to the Sun, move more swiftly, than those that are more remote, and that all the Planets (of whose number also the Earth T is,) have their course continually amidst the Parts of that Caelestial Matter.

III. The second Heaven. The second Heaven comprehends an immense number of other Vortexes, which surround this Vor∣tex or first Heaven A, B, C, which in their Cen∣ters have the several fixt Stars. And because we are uncertain at how great a distance the fixt Stars are from us, and cannot conceive them so remote as to contradict the Phaenomena, we will not con∣tent our selves with placing them above Saturn, but will take the liberty to conceive them much higher; seeing that it is apparent from the Coele∣stial motions, that they are so far distant from us, that Saturn compar'd to them, seems to be very near us. Des Cartes to illustrate the Truth the more about the motion of the Planets, and espe∣cially of the Comets, made no difficulty to assign an immense distance between Saturn and the fixt Stars.

IV. The di∣stance of the fixt Star•• from the Sun. Neither is this in the least contrary to Reason, forasmuch as we know that Mercury is above two hundred Diameters of the Earth distant from the Sun; Venus above Four hundred; Mars Nine hundred or a Thousand; Jupiter above Three thousand, and Saturn Five or Six thousand. And proportionably we may extend the Space between Saturn and the fixt Stars, to any distance how vast soever. For tho the Region of the fixt Stars, be commonly reputed the utmost Bounds of the World, yet its Figure cannot be certainly deter∣mined by us, seeing we can perceive nothing of its Internal nor External Superficies.

V. Saturn is the First of the Planets. The first of the Planets and nearest to the fix'd Stars is Saturn, who sometimes appears as if he had three Bodies, sometimes Long or Tall, some∣times Sphaerical, sometimes Oval, with Ears and Ear-rings. For tho' Saturn like the other Stars, be of a Round Figure, yet is he surrounded with a broad Circle or Ring; standing at an equal di∣stance from him; the proportion of the Semidia∣meter of the Planet, being to the distance of the Ring, as 3 to 5: but the entire Diameter of the Ring, to that of Saturn is about the proportion of 11 to 5. The Ring is thin, but broad, and if continued, would pass through the Center of Sa∣turn. This Planet being most remote from the Sun, the Center of this our World, and being moved in a large Vortex, is almost 30 years in finishing his Circuit in our Heaven ABC.

VI. Saturns three Satel∣lites. Three Satellites or Guards, are observed to move about him, the First whereof is distant from the Center of Saturn, one Diameter of the fore∣said Ring, and performs his Circuit about Saturn in the Space of 4 days, 12 hours and 27 minutes. He is seen through a Telescope of 35 Foot, in his furthest digression from Saturn, but is impercep∣tible when nearer to him. The Second is much more illustrious, and may be descried by any mo∣derate Telescope, and is distant from Saturn four Diameters of the said Ring, and whirls round him in the time of 16 days and 23 hours. The Third is distant from him 10 Diameters of the Ring, and performs his Circumvolution in the Space of about 80 days.

VII. The Second is Jupiter. The next to Saturn is Jupiter, who absolves his Course in almost 12 years. He hath four less Planets, as so many little Moons to be his Com∣panions, to which GALILAEUS gave the name of the Medicaean Stars, because he first discovered them in the Dominions of the Duke of Florence. Their special names are, the Jovial Saturn, Eu∣ropa, Ganymedes, Calisto; whereof the First or remotest wheels about Jupiter in 16 days; the Second in 7 Days; the Third in 85 hours, and the Fourth in 42 hours.

VIII. T•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is Ma••••. The Third Planet Mars is carried about a in greater Vortex than the Earth, and in a less than Jupiter; and finisheth his Revolution in near two years. In the midst of this Planet CAMPA∣NELLA by the help of Prospectives discovered a Black Mountain, higher than the Mountains of the Moon: From whence, as likewise from the Spots, wherewith his Face is sprinkled, CASSINUS gathered, that Mars was whirld about his own Center in the Space of 24 hours and 49 minutes. There is also a round Ring somewhat resembling a Rainbow, but of a Redder Colour, which surrounds the Foot of that Mountain.

IX. The Fourth is the Earth The fourth place is taken up by the Earth, which absolves its Course together with the Moon, (which she carries about in her Vortex) within the Space of a Natural year. All the Matter that reacheth from the Earth to the Moon, is called Elementary Mat∣ter; and because this Matter contains many parts, which are moved more swiftly than the Rest, it follows that they must all of them be unequally determined to recede from the Center of their Mo∣tion, and that those which are more swiftly moved, withdrawing themselves with greater force, do by this means thrust the other parts downwards: Which is the cause of Gravitation, as hath been said before.

X. The Earth is not pla∣ced in the Center of the World. Now that the Earth is not placed in the Center of the World, but rather is as far distant from the Center, as from the Sun, appears from hence; that all the Planets are sometimes nearer, and at other times farther from the Earth; and that with such a vast difference, that Venus when she is far∣thest from us, is at a six-fold greater distance, than when she is nearest; and Mars is eight times farther distant in the one State, than in the other, which could never be, if the Earth were the Center of the World.

XI. The Fifth is Venus. The Fifth is Venus, who runs her course in 224 days. She is carried below the Earth, surrounding the Sun, which may be concluded from the changes of her Figure and appearance, proceeding from the Illumination thereof.

XII. The Sixth is Mercury. Next to Venus is Mercury, finishing his Course about the Sun S in the Space of 80 days, or as others will have it in 87. He very rarely appears, being for the most part obscur'd by the Suns Rayes. Hence GALILAEUS conceives, that Saturn for his slowness, and Mercury, for his almost conti∣nual occultation, ought to be accounted the last of the Planets. Now forasmuch as Mercury doth not appear, but in his farthest Elongation from the Sun, he is seldom seen Round through a Telescope; but sometimes as it were cut in two, as the Moon in her Quarters, sometimes more Gibbous, and at other times hollow; and being nearest unto the Horizon, and obscur'd by Vapours, its Figure or Bulk can scarcely be discovered.

XIII. The Sun is the Center of the whole com∣pass of the Heavenly Matter. In the midst of this great Vortex the Sun is placed, as in the Center of the World unmoved, and like a Prince seated in his Royal Throne, Il∣lustrating all the Bodies about him, both Cherish∣ing, and Quickning them with his Heat. TRIS∣MEGISTUS calls him the Visible God, and SO∣PHOCLES gives him the Epithet of Beholding all things. But notwithstanding what we have said of his being unmoved, he may whirl about his own Axis, in the of Space of 24 days, which Astronomers conclude from the most constant Mo∣tion of its Spots.

XIV. All the Planets are moved from West to East. Tho' all the Planets with regard to their dif∣ferent Degrees of Solidity be unequally distant from the Sun, the Center of our Vortex, A, B, C; yet is this common to them all, that they perform their Periodical Motions after the same manner, viz. from West to East, or from A, through B, towards C, according to the succession of the Signs of the Zodiack. Save only that the Earth is carried with a threefold Motion, and as the chief∣est Star amongst the Planets, hath the Moon for her Attendant: So that the Vortex, which hath the Earth for its Center, carries the Moon about the Earth in a Months Space, the Earth it self being whirld about every day, round its own Axis. Thus in the same time, that the Earth and Moon finish their Common Circle, or Great Orb once, the Earth is 665 times whirld about its own Axis, and the Moon twelve times carried about the Earth.

XV. An Obje∣ction an∣swerd. The Common Objection against this Hypothesis is, that the Horizon in all parts of the World, di∣vides all the great Circles into equal Parts, so that always one half of the Equinoctial is above it, and the other half under it, and consequently al∣ways 6 Signs of the Zodiack above the Horizon and as many under it; whence it must follow, that the Earth is in the Center of the World, and not the Sun.

To which I answer, that this proves indeed, that the Earth is in the midst of all the great Circles of the Sphere, but not that she is in the Center of the World, because it is our Imagination only, that re∣presents these Circles about the Earth. Accord∣ingly it would be a false consequence to say, that the Earth is in the Center of the World, because the Parts and Degrees of the Earth, do corres∣pond proportionably to the Parts and Degrees of Heaven; for on the contrary it follows that these Circles are equally distant and proportional in their Parts, with regard to the Earth, seeing that it is our Imagination which conceives them round its Center.

XVI. The Pla∣nets may more pro∣perly be said to Rest in their Vortex than to be moved. Notwithstanding the Earth and all the other Planets be carried by the Celestial matter that surrounds them from West to East, yet they may more properly be said to Rest than to move. For seeing that Local motion is nothing else but the Translation of one Body, from the Neighbourhood of those Bodies, which immediately touch it, and are considered as immoveable, into the Neighbour∣hood of other Bodies, and that neither the Earth, nor any of the other Planets, are translated from the Neighbourhood of those parts of Heaven that im∣mediately touch it, and are lookt upon as immove∣able, the Earth and Planets acording to the Truth of the thing are not moved, that is, have no mo∣tion properly so called.

XVII. Neither the Diur∣nal nor Annual Motion do properly belong to the Earth. Yea, if we give head to the Definition of motion we shall easily discern, that that which we call the Diurnal motion doth not belong to the Earth, by it self considered, but as it is an Aggregate of Earth, Seas and Air, seeing it is to be lookt upon at al∣together at Rest, whilst it is whirld about by the stream of the Heavenly matter wherein it swims; like as a Man who sleeps in a Ship, is said to Rest, whilst the Ship is carried from one place to another. We shall also perceive, that the Annual motion of the Earth, whereby it is carried about the Sun from West to East, through the Signs of the Zo∣diack, cannot be ascribed to her, but to the Coele∣stial matter, which carries this vast Mass round the Sun.

XVIII. The Orbs of the Pla∣nets are not exactly Circular. Moreover we are to mind that the Circuits the Planets make about the Sun, are not perfectly Cir∣cular: For as we see that in some parts of Rivers, where the Water whirling about, makes a Vortex, and carry many Straws along with it, some of them at the same time are whirld round about their own Centers, and are moved more swiftly as they are nearer to the Center; and tho' they incline to move Circularly, yet do not always describe exact Cir∣cles;

so we may without difficulty imagine all the same things concerning the Planets. As is mani∣••••••t from their nearer and further distances from the Sun, and from their Descent and Ascent in the Zodiack, being sometimes above the Ecliptical 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and at other times under it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Figure 19.