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A simplified refutation of various popular arguments against terrestrial motion, based on the Principia.
f. 39r 'I/ Scripture abused to prove the immoveableness of the globe of ye Earth'
f. 40r 'II/ Mathematicks abused to prove the Globe of the Earth immoveable'
f. 41r 'III/ Accurate skill in geometry and Mechanicks required to decide the Question'
in English
In determining the true systeme of the world the main
Question is whether the earth do rest or be moved. For
deciding this some bring texts of scripture, but in my
opinion misinterpreted, the Scriptures speaking not in the
language of Astronomers (as they think) but in that of e
common people to whom they were written. So where tis
said that aGod hath made y the Prophet intended not to teach Mae
thematicians the spherical figure of the wholeb Psal. 98.8
ableness of the whole earth & sea in the heavens but
to tell the vulgar in their own dialect that God had
made the great continent of Asia Europe & Africa so
fast upon its foundations in the great Ocean that it
cannot be moved therein after the manner of a flo
Island. For this Continent was the whole habitable
world anciently known & by e
accounted bc
compassing it. ee
ocean at their rising & went down into it again at their setting.
mentioned in scripture & there described to be d
have ef& gg Prov. 8.27
Egypt others at Delphos, others at Ierusalem. And this
world the Prophets consider as established in the Ocean upon
sure & immoveable foundations at eThe heavens were of old & the earth standing out of y [that is in the midst of the Ocean like an e
Island] by the word of God.. 2 Pet. 3.5. Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth & the heavens are the work of thine hands Psal 102.25. Prov.
8.29. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth. Declare if thou hast understanding who hath laid the measures thereof or who hath stretched theline over it. or Whereupon are the foundations thereof fix'd or who hath laid the corner stone thereof, when the starrs of the morning praised me together, &c. Iob 38.4. when he appointed the foundations of the earth, then was I by him. Prov. 8.27, 29.The earth is the Lord's & all that therein is the compas of the world & they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas & established it upon the floods Psal 24.1, 2 &
136.6. Thou hast laid the foundation of the round world Psal. 89.12.
✝When he set a circle upon the face of the deep [that is, formed it
circular about the earth] – when he gave to the sea his decree that y. Prov. 8.27, 29.etHe laid the foundations of the earth that it never should move at any time: Thou encompassedst it w Psal. 104.5. So then th
the round world spoken of in scriptures is such a world as hath
foundations
Earth & Sea but only the habitable dry land. For the
whole Globe hath no foundations, but this
in the seas. And since this world by reason of the firmness
of its foundations is said in scripture to be immoveable
this immoveableness cannot be of e
only of its parts one amongst another & signifies nothing
more then that those parts are firmly compacted together
so that the dry land or Continent of Europe Asia & Africk
cannot be moved upon the main body of ech
tis founded. For this immoveableness of e
to that it's motion spoken of in Iob. He removeth the mountains & they feel not when he overthroweth them in his wrath: He removeth the earth out of her place that the pillars thereof do shake Iob. 9.6
There is another sort of arguments against the
motion of er
if the earth could not be moved thoutr
many ways sensible of its motion. But this way of
arguing proceeds from want of skill & judgment in
Mathematical things, & therefore is insisted upon only
by the common people & such practical mathematicians who have skill enough only to write Collections. Were the earth moved uneavenly by joggs such motion
would be easily perceived, but an eaven motion such as the
earth's is supposed, ought to be imperceptible. For
any systeme of bodies the motions of e
same whether the ship rest or be under sail. In both
cases things fall perpendicularly down by the mast
& projectiles fly alike towards all quarters. Nor can
a blinded Marriner tell whether the ship move
fast or slow or not at all. And there is the same
reason of the System of the earth sea & air with
the things therein. We cannot tell by r
whether they all rest or move on eavenly to
gether.
Such arguments as these being insufficient to
determin the Question, 'tis fit we should lay aside
these & the like vulgar prejudices & have recourse
to some strickt & proper way of reasoning. Now
the Question being about motion is a mathematical
one & therefore requires skill in Mathematicks to
decide it. And seeing it is difficulter to argue demon
stratively about magnitude & motion together then
about magnitude alone, there is greater skill
required here then in pure Geometry so that none
but able Mathematicians may pretend to be competent
judges of this matter. The great difficulty of
this part of Mathematicks seems to be the reason
that e
In this last age since the revival & advancement
of these studies, some able Mathematicians as Gali
leo & Hugenius have carried it on further then e
Ancients did. r
enough for his purpose has spent the two first of
his three books in demonstrating new Propositions
about force & motion before he begins to con
sider the systeme of the world. Then in his third
Book he teaches that systeme from the Propositions
demonstrated in the two first. The designe of this
of this Systeme