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Book I.
$\scriptstyle {\underbrace {\quad \quad \quad } }$cate it to. I could wiſh indeed that all the World might not be my Judges, but that I might chuſe my Readers, Men like you, not ignorant in Aſtronomy and true Philoſophy; for with ſuch I might promiſe my ſelf a favourable hearing, and not need to make an Apology for daring to vent any thing new to the World. But becauſe I am aware what weak Hands it’s likely to fall into, and what a ſevere Sentence I May expect from thoſe whoſe Ignorance or Zeal is too great; it may be worth the while to guard my ſelf beforehand againſt the Aſſaults of thoſe fort of People.

The Objections of ignorant Cavillers prevented.There’s one ſort who knowing nothing of Geometry or Mathematicks, will laugh at it as a whimſical and ridiculous Undertaking. It’s an incredible Thing to them to talk of meaſuring the Diſtance and Magnitude of the Stars: And for the Motion of the Earth, they count it, if not a falſe, at leaſt a precarious Opinion; and no wonder then if they take what’s built upon ſuch a ſlippery Foun-

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