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then he will observe, whether he can see them appear upon the Belt, as upon a darker ground, especially, the third of them, which is sensibly greater, and more Luminous, than the rest. He hopeth also, that in time, the shadow of Saturns Moon will be seen upon Saturn, although we are yet some years to stay for it, and to prepare also for better Glasses.
From this rare Observation, he inferrs the Proportion of the Diameter of the Satellites to that of Jupiter; and judgeth, that no longer doubt can be made of the turning of these 4. Satellites, or Moons about Jupiter, as our Moon turns about the Earth, and after the same way as the rest of the Celestial Bodies of our Systeme do move: whence also a strong conjecture may be made, that Saturns Moon turns likewise about Saturn.
Hence he also taketh occasion to intimate, that we need not scruple to conclude, that if these two Planets have Moons wheeling about them, as our Earth hath one that moves about it, the conformity of these Moons with our Moon, does prove the conformity of our Earth with those Planets, which carrying away their Moons with themselves, do turn about the Sun, and very probably make their Moons turn about them in turning themselves about their Axis; and also, that there is no cause to invent perplex'd and incredible Hypotheses, for the receding from this Analogie since (saith he) if this be truth, the Prohibitions of publishing this doctrine, which formerly were caused by the offence of Novelty, will be laid aside, as one of the most: zealous Doctors of the contrary Opinion hath given cause to hope, witness Eustachius de Divinis, in his Tract against Monsieur Hugen's Systeme of Saturn, p. 49. where we are inform'd, that that learned Jesuit, P. Fabry, Penitentiary of S Peter in Rome, speaks to this purpose:
* Ex vellris, iifque Coryphæis non femel quæfitum est, utrum aliquam haberent demonstrationem pro Terræ motu adstruendo. Nunquam ausi sunt id afferrre elbutrum Nligitur obstat qui loca illa in sensu literali Ecclesia intelligat, & intelligenda esse declaret, quamdiu nulla demonstratione contrarium evincitur; |
* It hath been more than once asked of your Chieftains, whether they had a Demonstration for asserting the motion of the Earth? They durst never yet affirm they had, wherefore nothing hinders, but that that Church may understand those Scripture-places, that speak of this matter, in a literal sence, and declare they should be so understood, as long as the contrary is not evinced by any demonstrations; |
