PREFACE. THIS is an imperfect piece, and doubtless, never intended by the author to be published, till it had, in his usual manner, undergone a strict correction. The original makes part of the Scripta, or the author's Latin Posthumous Pieces published by Gruter; and is inconsiderately tacked to certain imperfect chapters of the De Augmentis Scientiarum, under the title of Descriptio Globi Intellectualis. The design, however, appears by the introduction, to have been compleatly formed in the mind of the author, though not executed in all its parts; nor perfectly indeed in any one. For the first part, which is the only one we have of it, wants the uses promised in the introduction. Had it been finished, it might have nobly supplied the " Animated Astronomy," set down for deficient in the De Augmentis ;* and, as it now stands, it exbibits the whole plan, executes some considerable proportion, and instructs a less able architect to carry on the work. The author proceeds in the cautious way of enquiry, by questions, and arguments on both sides; without undertaking to determine any thing in a subject that lies so remote from direct experiment. This method has, perhaps, been too much neglected by writers in astronomy; for questions are in the power of the querist, and may gradually lead to great and solid discoveries; whilst a dogmatical procedure, pretending to over-rule things, is often frustrated, or falsified by farther enquiry. * See the de Augmentis Scientiarum, Sect. IV. SPECIMEN OF ANIMATED ASTRONOMY,* &c. INTRODUCTION. THE history of the celestial bodies should be simple, and unmixed with mens conceits, or opinions; and candidly drawn up, without any tincture of pre-occupation, or fondness for theory; so as, separately and nakedly, to exhibit those phenomena, which are, at present, bundled and dressed up into theories and systems. We would, therefore, have this history wrote in such a manner, as if no decree had passed; nor any thing been dogmatically asserted in all astronomy and astrology: And only the observations, in both, had been taken, and the experiments made, and set down with accuracy, judgment, and perspicuity. But there is nothing of this kind found among us. † Pliny has only glanc *For the reason of the title, see De Augmentis Scientiarum, Sect. IV. It were to be wished that more of it could be found at present: but men seem now so thoroughly persuaded, that N ed at the subject cursorily, and somewhat rudely. But perhaps a tolerable history of the celestial bodies might, with the assistance of the modern observations, be drawn from the works of Ptolemy, Copernicus, and other learned astronomers; only such a history would entirely want the light of experiments. * It may, perhaps, seem strange, that we should here bring the systems that have been raised, improved, and enlarged with so much labour, back to their original, artless forms, and simple observations: But we have a much greater work in view; though without any intention of losing the least of former discoveries. "For we here propose, not only the business of astronomical calculations, and sure astrological predictions; but a genuine philosophy, for informing the understanding; not only a discovery of the motions and revolutions of the celestial bodies, but also their substance, influence, powers, and qualities of all kinds: And this according to the natural and sound reasons of things them they have a true astronomical system, on a mathematical foundation, as scarce to admit of its being called in question. However, may not be amiss for posterity to re ceive our doubts as well as our doctrines. * Which are what must shew the true causes of things, in the system and frame of the universe. |