The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INTELLECTUAL GLOBE. 58r
to be a part of a sphere in which it is fastened, greatest density, which are of aqueous matter, but
as it were, by a nail, and the ether a vehicle in through the moon never. But in certain eclipses
which it is carried. For either the body of the of the moon there is still visible a light, though
star cuts the ether, or the ether itself is carried an obscure one, in the new and full moon,
round in the same rotation. This notion, then, none, except of the part illuminated by the sun.
is a mere invention, like that fabric of orbs upon Moreover, foul and feculent flames, of which kind
orbs which they describe. For if they revolve of substance Empedocles supposed the moon to
otherwise than simultaneously, it is still necessa- consist, are no doubt subject to change, but thin
ry that the star cut the ether. For that supposed inequalities are not fixed in a part, but generally
arrangement of adjacent orb, so that the concave moving. Whereas the spots in the moon are
of the outer falls in with the convex of the inte- thought to be stationary. To this we add that
rior orbit, yet on account of the curve of both, those spots are discovered by the telescope to
the one does not interfere with the other in its have their partial minute inequalities, so that we
revolutions, though differing from its own, has no now find a variety of figures in the moon; and
foundation in fact; since the body of the ether that Selenogracphy, a map of the moon projected
is unbroken, just as that of the air is: and yet by Gilbertus, we have lived to see executed by
because of the great varieties found in each, their the labours of Galileo and others. And if we can
various regions are most properly discriminated suppose the moon composed of some solid subfor the purpose of instruction. Wherefore the stance analogous to earth, or a sort of sediment
sixth question, according to this our explanation of heaven, (for some such notions have been
of it, is a fit subject for inquiry. mooted,) we must consider again, whether it be
Then follows another question, and not an easy in this respect solitary. For, in the conjunction
one, with respect to the substance of the stars of Mercury with the sun, there is sometimes
themselves. We first inquire whether there be visible a spot or partial eclipse. But those dusky
other globes or masses of solid and impacted spots which are discovered in the Antarctic
matter besides the earth itself 1 Forthe theory is hemisphere, and are fixed in position, the same
proposed without any extravagance, in our trea- as the galaxy, inspire still greater doubts as to
tise De Facie in Orbe Lzenx, that it is not probable, opaque orbs, even in the higher regions of the
that in the distribution of matter, nature had heavens. For in respect that it is alleged as the
bound up whatever solid matter there was in the cause of such appearances, that the heaven is in
globe of the earth, since there is such a host of those places thin, and, so to speak, porous, that
other orbs of a sublimated and expanded matter. is less probable, because a visible diminution and
And Gilbertus carried this theory so extravagantly loss of substance could by no means strike our
far, (in which, however, he had several precursors, senses from so great a distance, since the rest
or rather guides among the ancients,) as to assert also of the body of the ether is invisible, and not
not only that the earth, but various other globes, discernible, except by a comparison with the
solid and opaque, were dispersed through the bodies ofthe stars. It were perhaps a more proexpanse of heaven among the luminous globes. bable conjecture to consider them as dark spaces
And his opinion did not stop here, but he thought occasioned by want of light; because in that part
that the latter, namely, the sun, and the most of heaven there are found fewer stars, just as they
resplendent and brightest stars were composed of are found thicker about the galaxy, so that the
a certain solid and, though more shining, equili- one place presents a continuity of light, the other
brate matter; confounding primitive light with of shade. For in the Antarctic hemisphere, the
the matter of light, which is supposed to be its heavenly fires appear to be more distinctly preimage, (for he thought our sea too darted forth sented than in ours, there being larger stars,
light to a certain measureable distance;) but Gil- though fewer, and wider interstellar spaces. The
bertus admitted the existence of no conglobation, statements, too, with respect to these spots are
except of crass matter, of which the finer and scarcely worthy of entire credit, at least no such
thinner substances, its envelope, are only effluvia, great pains have been taken in observing, as to
and lost parts, and to them succeeds a vacuum. authorize us as yet to infer consequences from the
Yet the idea respecting the moon, that it is of observations made. What more affects the presolid matter, might strike the most accurate and sent question is, that there may be opaque globes
sober-minded inquirer into nature. For it is a dispersed through ether, which to us are quite
refractor, not a vehicle of light, and is, so to speak, imperceptible. For the moon, also, in its first
devoid of light of its own, and full of vicissitude, quarter, so far as it is irradiated by the sun, is
all which are properties of solid bodies. For we indeed visible,-in its horns, that is, and the thin
see the ether itself, and the atmosphere, which rim its circular outline,-but, at full, not at all, —
are thin bodies, receive, but by no means rever- being lost in the general aspect of the rest of
berate the light of the sun, which the moon does. ether: and those small wandering satellites disFor such is the force of the sun's rays as to covered by Galileo, if we are to believe the actraverse and pierce through the clouds of the count about Jupiter, are drowned to our view'aI
VOL. II. —74