Page:Mathematical collections and translations, in two tomes - Salusbury (1661).djvu/222

 It is not enough, Sagredus, that the subjects be noble and great, but the businesse consists in handling it nobly. And who knoweth not, that in the dissection of the members of a beast, there may be discovered infinite wonders of provident and prudent Nature; and yet for one, that the Anatomist dissects, the butcher cuts up a thousand. Thus I, who am now seeking how to satisfie your demand, cannot tell with which of the two shapes I had best to appear on the Stage; but yet, taking heart from the example of Simplicius, his Authour, I will, without more delays, give you an account (if I have not forgot) how I proceeded. But before I go any further, I must not omit to tell you, that I much fear that Simplicius hath not faithfully related the manner how this his Authour found, that the Cannon bullet in coming from the concave of the Moon to the centre of the Earth, would spend more than six dayes: for if he had supposed that its velocity in descending was equal to that of the concave (as Simplicius saith he doth suppose) he would have shewn himself ignorant of the first, and more simple principles of Geometry; yea, I admire that Simplicius, in admitting the supposition which he speaketh of, doth not see the monstrous absurdity that is couched in it.

Its possible that I may have erred in relating it; but that I see any fallacy in it, I am sure is not true.

Perhaps I did not rightly apprehend that which you said, Do you not say, that this Authour maketh the velocity of the bullet in descending equall to that which it had in turning round, being in the concave of the Moon, and that comming down with the same velocity, it would reach to the centre in six dayes?

So, as I think, he writeth.

And do not you perceive a shamefull errour therein? But questionlesse you dissemble it: For it cannot be, but that you should know that the semidiameter of the Circle is lesse than the sixth part of the circumference; and that consequently, the time in which the moveable shall passe the semidiameter, shall be lesse than the sixth part of the time; in which, being moved with the same velocity, it would passe the circumference; and that therefore the bullet descending with the velocity, wherewith it moved in the concave, will arrive in lesse than four hours at the centre, supposing that in the concave one revolution should be consummate in twenty four hours, as he must of necessity have supposed it, for to keep it all the way in the same vertical line.

Now I thorowly perceive the mistake: but yet I would not lay it upon him undeservedly, for it's possible that I