Page:Mathematical collections and translations, in two tomes - Salusbury (1661).djvu/121

 contrary, I commend the reading, and diligently studying of him; and onely blame the servile giving ones self up a slave unto him, so, as blindly to subscribe to what ever he delivers, and without search of any farther reason thereof, to receive the same for an inviolable decree. Which is an abuse, that carrieth with it another great inconvenience, to wit, that others will no longer take pains to understand the validity of his Demonstrations. And what is more shameful, than in the middest of publique disputes, whilest one person is treating of demonstrable conclusions, to hear another interpose with a passage of Aristotle, and not seldome writ to quite another purpose, and with that to stop the mouth of his opponent? But if you will continue to study in this manner, I would have you lay aside the name of Philosophers; and call your selves either Historians or Doctors of Memory, for it is not fit, that those who never philosophate, should usurp the honourable title of Philosophers. But it is best for us to return to shore, and not lanch farther into a boundlesse Gulph, out of which we shall not be able to get before night. Therefore Simplicius, come either with arguments and demonstrations of your own, or of Aristotle, and bring us no more Texts and naked authorities, for our disputes are about the Sensible World, and not one of Paper. And forasmuch as in our discourses yesterday, we retriev'd the Earth from darknesse, and exposed it to the open skie, shewing, that the attempt to enumerate it amongst those which we call Cœlestial bodies, was not a position so foil'd, and vanquish't, as that it had no life left in it; it followeth next, that we proceed to examine what probability there is for holding of it fixt, and wholly immoveable, scilicet as to its entire Globe, what likelihood there is for making it moveable with some motion, and of what kind that may be. And forasmuch as in this same question I am ambiguous, and Simplicius is resolute, as likewise Aristotle for the opinion of its immobility, he shall one by one produce the arguments in favour of their opinion, and I will alledge the answers and reasons on the contrary part; and next Sagredus shall tell us his thoughts, and to which side he finds himself inclined.

Content; provided alwayes that I may reserve the liberty to my self of alledging what pure natural reason shall sometimes dictate to me.

Nay more, it is that which I particularly beg of you; for, amongst the more easie, and, to so speak, material considerations, I believe there are but few of them that have been omitted by Writers, so that onely some of the more subtle, and remote can be desired, or wanting; and to investigate these, what other ingenuity can be more fit than that of the most acute and piercing wit of Sagredus?