Page:Mathematical collections and translations, in two tomes - Salusbury (1661).djvu/380

 and distant from it a yard or thereabouts. This being placed, I will seek in the Plain the place from whence one of the stars of Charls's Waine, in passing by the Meridian, cometh to hide it self behind the beam so placed, or in case the beam should not be so big as to hide the star, I will finde a station where one may see the said beam to cut the said star into two equal parts; an effect that with an * exquisite Telescope may be perfectly discerned. And if in the place where the said accident is discovered, there were some building, it will be the more commodious; but if not, I will cause a Pole to be stuck very fast in the ground, with some standing mark to direct where to place the eye anew, when ever I have a mind to repeat the observation. The first of which observations I will make about the Summer Solstice, to continue afterwards from Moneth to Moneth, or when I shall so please, to the other Solstice; with which observation one may discover the elevation and depression of the star, though it be very small. And if in that operation it shall happen, that any mutation shall discover it self, what and how great benefit will it bring to Astronomy? Seeing that thereby, besides our being assured of the annual motion, we may come to know the grandure and distance of the same star.

I very well comprehend your whole proceedings; and the operation seems to me so easie, and so commodious for the purpose, that it may very rationally be thought, that either Copernicus himself, or some other Astronomer had made trial of it.

But I judg the quite contrary, for it is not probable, that if any one had experimented it, he would not have mentioned the event, whether it fell out in favour of this, or that opinion; besides that, no man that I can find, either for this, or any other end, did ever go about to make such an Observation; which also without an exact Telescope could but badly be effected.

I am fully satisfied with what you say. But seeing that it is a great while to night, if you desire that I shall passe the same quietly, let it not be a trouble to you to explain unto us those Problems, the declaration whereof you did even now request might be deferred until too morrow. Be pleased to grant us your promised indulgence, and, laying aside all other discourses, proceed to shew us, that the motions which Copernicus assigns to the Earth being taken for granted, and supposing the Sun and fixed stars immoveable, there may follow the same accidents touching the elevations and depressions of the Sun, touching the mutations of the Seasons, and the inequality of dayes and nights, &c. in the self same manner, just as they are with