Page:Mathematical collections and translations, in two tomes - Salusbury (1661).djvu/130

 In my judgment this is found. Make the Earth the Primum mobile, that is, make it turn round its own axis in twenty four hours, and towards the same point with all the other Spheres; and without participating this same motion to any other Planet or Star, all shall have their risings, settings, and in a word, all their other appearances.

The business is, to be able to make the Earth move without a thousand inconveniences.

All the inconveniences shall be removed as fast as you propound them: and the things spoken hitherto are onely the primary and more general inducements which give us to believe that the diurnal conversion may not altogether without probability be applyed to the Earth, rather than to all the rest of the Universe: the which inducements I impose not upon you as inviolable Axioms, but as hints, which carry with them somewhat of likelihood. And in regard I know very well, that one sole experiment, or concludent demonstration, produced on the contrary part, sufficeth to batter to the ground these and a thousand other probable Arguments; therefore it is not fit to stay here, but proceed forwards and hear what Simplicius answereth, and what greater probabilities, or stronger arguments he alledgeth on the contrary.

I will first say something in general upon all these considerations together, and then I will descend to some particulars. It seems that you universally bottom all you say upon the greater simplicity and facility of producing the same effects, whilst you hold, that as to the causing of them, the motion of the Earth alone, serveth as well as that of all the rest of the World, the Earth deducted: but as to the operations, you esteem that much easier than this. To which I reply, that I am also of the same opinion, so long as I regard my own not onely finite, but feeble power; but having a respect to the strength of the Mover, which is infinite, its no lesse easie to move the Universe, than the Earth, yea than a straw. And if his power be infinite, why should he not rather exercise a greater part thereof than a lesse? Therefore, I hold that your discourse in general is not convincing.

If I had at any time said, that the Universe moved not for want of power in the Mover, I should have erred, and your reproof would have been seasonable; and I grant you, that to an infinite power, it is as easie to move an hundred thousand, as one. But that which I did say, concerns not the Mover, but onely hath respect to the Moveables; and in them, not onely to their resistance, which doubtlesse is lesser in the Earth, than in the Universe; but to the many other particulars, but even now considered. As to what you say in the next place, that of an infinite power it is better to exercise a great part than a small: I an-