Page:Mathematical collections and translations, in two tomes - Salusbury (1661).djvu/63

 per se; but if the conclusion be false, a man may proceed in infinitum, and never meet with any truth already known; but very oft he shall meet with some impossibility or manifest absurdity. Nor need you question but that Pythagoras along time before he found the demonstration for which he offered the Hecatomb, had been certain, that the square of the side subtending the right angle in a rectangle triangle, was equal to the square of the other two sides: and the certainty of the conclusion conduced not a little to the investigating of the demonstration, understanding me alwayes to mean in demonstrative Sciences. But what ever was the method of Aristotle, and whether his arguing à priori preceded sense à posteriori, or the contrary; it sufficeth that the same Aristotle preferreth (as hath been oft said) sensible experiments before all discourses; besides, as to the Arguments à priori their force hath been already examined. Now returning to my purposed matter, I say, that the things in our times discovered in the Heavens, are, and have been such, that they may give absolute satisfaction to all Philosophers; forasmuch as in the particular bodies, and in the universal expansion of Heaven, there have been, and are continually, seen just such accidents as we call generations and corruptions, being that excellent Astronomers have observed many Comets generated and dissolved in parts higher than the Lunar Orb, besides the two new Stars, Anno 1572, and Anno 1604, without contradiction much higher than all the Planets; and in the face of the Sun it self, by help of the Telescope, certain dense and obscure substances, in semblance very like to the foggs about the Earth, are seen to be produced and dissolved; and many of these are so vast, that they far exceed not only the Mediterranian Streight, but all Affrica and Asia also. Now if Aristotle had seen these things, what think you he would have said, and done Simplicius?

I know not what Aristotle would have done or said, that was the great Master of all the Sciences, but yet I know in part, what his Sectators do and say, and ought to do and say, unlesse they would deprive themselves of their guide, leader, and Prince in Philosophy. As to the Comets, are not those Modern Astronomers, who would make them Cœlestial, convinced by the * Anti-Tycho, yea, and overcome with their own weapons, I mean by way of Paralaxes and Calculations, every way tryed, concluding at the last in favour of Aristotle, that they are all Elementary? And this being overthrown, which was as it were their foundation, have these Novellists any thing more wherewith to maintain their assertion?

Hold a little, good Simplicius, this modern Author, what saith he to the new Stars, Anno 1572, and 1604, and to