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. I. Of the Globe of Earth.

I. Why the Earth, as containing the Water, is called a Terraque∣ous Globe. THE Earth, forasmuch as it con∣tains in its Cavities the Waters, and together with them constitutes one Globe, is called the Terraque∣ous Globe.

For when we take a Voyage by Sea, sailing in the Atlantick Ocean, and passing through the Magellan Straits, towards the South Sea, and so on to the East and Aethiopick Seas, we find that all these Seas are encompast with Shores. And in like manner, when we travel by Land, we shall find the Land bounded, on one side with the Atlantick and Aethiopick Seas, and on the other with the South Seas; and again, this way with the Eastern and Arabian; and that way with the Tartarian, Atlantick and Aethiopick Seas.

II. The Earth is but a Point, com∣pared with the vast extent of Heaven. Tho' the Earth be of that vast extent, that its compass is of about 7000 French Leagues; or ac∣cording to the later investigation of WILLO∣BRORDUS SNELLIUS, of 24624 Miles: Yet if we will believe Astronomers, it is no more than a Point, compared with the vast Cir∣cumference of Heaven.

Neither is this Assertion of theirs without ground: For so great is the distance betwixt the Earth and the fixt Stars, that it cannot be cer∣tainly determined, as exceeding all Calculation; and can scarcely be apprehended by our Imagina∣tion. The distance of the Planets may be discern∣ed by their Parallax, or that variation of Aspect they afford to several Spectators in distant places; but the Fixt Stars are at so prodigious a distance, that no Parallax is to be found in the beholding of them, and the Semidiameter of the Earth, with relation to them, is as nothing. So that if some one of us should be supposed to continue in the place of the Earth, whilst it was carried up to∣wards Heaven; there is no question, but at its first rising, it would shew like a vast Globe; but as it mounted higher, would still decrease to our sight; till being got up as high as Jupiter, it would appear no bigger than one of the lesser Stars; and rising higher towards the Fixt Stars, would become invisible to us. And therefore the Earth which contains so many Seas, so many King∣doms, so many Islands, yet is no more than a point, with respect to the Heavens. Yea, when compared to our Vortex, which hath the Sun in its Center, we shall find it so inconsiderable, that they who make Sundials, suppose the top of the Pins of them to be placed in the center of the Earth, whence they cast their shadows upon the surface of it; as if the difference were so small, that it comes to the same thing, whether they cast their shadows from the Center, or the surface of it, the distance being so very inconsiderable in comparison to the Suns distance.

III. How vain Men are, that make such pother and fight∣ing about a silly point of Earth. This may give us an estimate of the folly of Men, who for one point of Earth, wage so many Bloody Wars, yea, for the 1000th or 100000th part of it. This forsooth, as PLINY saith, is the matter of our Glory. Here we enjoy our Honour; here we exercise our Dominion; here we have our Riches and Possessions; here mankind continually Bustles, Toyls and Turmoyls it self; here we wage Wars, and soak the Earth with one anothers Blood; and our Swords destroy our own kind. But not to speak now of the publick feuds, and fury of whole Nations against each other: Here it is that we endeavour to lay one clod of Earth to anotherl; and after having purchased all the poor pittances of our Neighbours about us, what a brave purchase have we made after all? And what great Reason have we to boast in being Posses∣sors of not so much as the thousand thousandth part of a point? But this is to sing a Song to a Deaf∣man; return we therefore to our Earth.

IV. How the Earth hangs pois'd in the Air, without any thing to support it. The Earth hangs in the midst of Heaven, without any Pillars to uphold it; and, as if it were immoveable, doth ever keep the same distance from the Heavenly Orbs.

This happens to the Earth, ••ot 〈…〉〈…〉 Center of the Universe, as it is comm••nly su••∣posed, and that all the Celestial Orbs, are rolled about its Circumference: For should we grant this to be, yet would the difficulty still remain, why the Earth▪ d••es not re••l from its pl••ce why it doth not e••ther mount upwards, o•• fa•• down. For if it be Heavy by Nature, how comes it to pass that it doth not rush downwards? If it be Light, why does it not fly upwards? Conclude we therefore, that the Earth doth hang pois'd in the mi••st of the A••r, by means o•• the subtil matter, which cont••••u••lly whirls ro••nd 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and p••••reeth all the por••s o•• it. For see••••g ••hat the Heavenly matter, which on all sides surrounds the Earth, is whirl'd about it with one and the same degree of Swiftness, which far exceeds that where∣with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Eart•• ••s moved▪ it cann••t but hind•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from fa••••ing, or mounting highe••. For as ••ir••s are upheld by the Air from falling; so the Earth and the Moon, wh••ch circ••••ate in th•• same Vortex, are supported by the same Ma••ter that ca••••ies them along, and hindred from Reeling any way from their Centers.

V. Why the Eart•••• by its weight, doth not come nearer to the Sun. The Earth, notwithstanding its weight, yet is not driven to the Circumference of the Sun's Vortex; but being kept within its bounds by the Heavenly Globuli that surround it, continues at a certain distance, viz. in the midst, between Mars and Mercury, without passing any fur∣ther.

The Reason is, because the Planets, amongst which the Earth is, by reason of their different degrees of solidity, are more or less removed from the Center of their Vortex: So that Saturn, who is at the greatest distance from the Sun, is more solid than all the rest. And the Earth, tho' it seem to be a close and compact Body, yet is not of that solidity, as to sway it more towards the Circum∣ference of its Vortex; forasmuch as Mars, who is much less than the Earth, yet is also more solid, by reason of the closer entanglement of its parts. For tho' the Earth, as to its surface, be very com∣pact and solid, yet with respect to its bulk, it may well be accounted light; because the surface of it is not above 2 or 3 Mile in thickness, which is very inconsiderable, if compared to those vast Cavities it hides within its Bowels. And there∣fore as little Ships, such as have no great force, are easily kept in the River, and carried by its motion: So likewise the Earth, being fallen into the Vortex of the Sun, always keeps the same place, in which, by reason of its solidity it is ranged, and cannot be pusht any further towards the Circumference of the Sun's Vortex.

VI. The Mag∣netical virtue of the Earth, doth but weakly affect Iron. The Earth communicates a Magnetick force to Iron; but the same is so weak, that it easily loseth it, and admits the contrary. Thus when we turn the End of a Bar of Iron, as yet not endued with any Magnetick virtue towards the Earth, immediately in that End which is inclin'd towards the Ground, it will obtain the force of the Sou∣thern Pole in these Northern parts, which in a moment it will lose again, and obtain the con∣trary; if that End which was towards the Earth be turned upwards, and the other End inclined downwards.

The Reason whereof is the weakness of the Magnetick ••or•••• that is in the Earth: For seeing th•••• the str••••t•• Part••••les, which proceed from out of the Earth, do retur•• ••hi••••er again through the inner Crust o•• its upper Region, whence the Me∣tals are dug up, it so happens that very few, or none of them return through our Air; those only ••••cepted, who do not find▪ a Passage in the said i••••er Crust o•••••• for them. Hence it i•• th•••• Load∣••••••nes, that h••v•• fit pores f•••• the reception of the said particles, have also a greater force to attract Iron; because the striate Particles meet with pores in the Load-stone, which are ranged in like man∣ner, as ••••e those of the in••er Crust of the Earth: Where••••, when they p••••s through the Air▪ or throug•• other Bodies of ••he outward Crust 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Earth, where they find no such pores, they move wi••h more difficulty, and consequently also fewer of them come to us.

VII. They who Travel from North to South, find the Northern parts to be withdrawn from their sights. Pe••son•• that Travel from North to South, ••ind that the Northern parts of Heaven sink lower and lower, and by degrees withdraw from their sight; but they who pass from So••••h to North, do find the Nor••••ern parts of Heaven to be ••••••sed higher; so that after having Trav••lled 73 Italian miles in length, or 24 common French Leagues, the Northern Pole will be raised a Degree higher.

This Experiment proves the Earth to be Round; for if the Earth were plain, no such Change could be perceived. For tho' we should suppose a Man to be plac'd directly under the P••l••, yet would there be no change in the elev••••ion or height of the Pole; for if he should wi••hdraw from it in a Right Line, the depression wi•••• not be equal, nor after he hath Travelled onwards 73 Miles, would he find one Degree left behind, but the withdrawing will become still less and less, because of the continual decreasing of the Angle: So as that at last 73 Miles would scarcely make a depression of 1 minute of a Degree: Which is contrary to daily Experience.

VIII. The Moun∣tains do not hinder the Round∣ness of the Earth. The Roundness of the Earth is not hindred by those high Mountains that are found on the sur∣face of it, many of which rise much higher than the Clouds, as Olympus, Athus, and the Peak of Teneriff. Because the Roundness that is attributed to the Earth is not Mathematical, as if the Lines drawn from the Center to its Circumference were all perfectly Equal; but only Physical, that is, such a Roundness, as is suitable and convenient for the Universe; forasmuch as these Inequalites are of so great moment, that they do not come into any consideration, when compar'd with the vast ampli∣tude of the Body. For seeing that the Semidiameter of the Earth▪ is of 860 miles, the proportion of the greatest height of the Mountains, to the Semi∣diameter of the Earth, will be as one 1 to 860. And forasmuch as there be but very few Mountains that are perpendicularly so high, and that the most of them are scarcely one Quarter of a Mile in Height, it is evident that they can no more spoil the Roundness of the Earth, than some small Un∣evennesses in the Round Balls made by Artificers, do hinder their being Round. For indeed, there is not a Body to be found in the whole Universe that is perfectly and absolutely Round, that is, which hath an exact Geometrical Roundity.

IX. The Varia∣tion of the Altitude of the Pole, proves the Roundness of the Earth. This Physical Roundness of the Earth may be demonstrated by the following Experiment: When a Man travels North or South, he will find the Altitude or Elevation of the Pole to vary conti∣nually, whether he go a Plain-way, or Up-hill and Down-hill: So that if being at the Foot of a Mountain, and having observed the Elevation of the Pole, he Travel the whole day towards the South, he will not perceive the Elevation of the Pole to be increased, but rather decreased, by that time he comes to the top of the said Mountain. Neither will he in like manner find the same Alti∣tude decreased, but diminished, if having taken the Elevation of the Pole at the top of the Mountain, he goes down again to the bottom of it. Which is an evident Proof, that the Devexity or bending downwards of the Earth, is every where percep∣tible, and that a perpendicular falling upon any different Points, whether of Acclivity or Declivity, do all tend downwards by different Lines, that will meet at last in the Center.