I. S’.

SECT. IV.
of the World.
a Plut. flac. 1. I b Cic. Acad.
qae!i. 4. c L«ert. d Plut.
Tflere {a) are infinite Worlds in the infi¬ nite fpace, according to all circumftances ; C ^ ) fome of which are not only like to one ano¬ ther, but every way fo perfedly and ablblutely equal, that there is no difference betwixt them. r ( ^ ^ Thefe all are generated and corrupted. cstoj^p )j. World ( d ) inanimate fe), round,
fstob phyf. ( f ) compaffed about with a coat, as it were, in- 1.21. g Laert.
h
Magnenus tneans, I know ?iOt,
•when he fatth, page 42 acrU ah to non fit mentio tanquarn de Element^) proprie di- ^
3o : upon which the whole fe- cond chap¬ ter of his f si difp-a- tatmi ts founded. i Ariftot.
terwoven with Stars.
(g ) The atoms being ( as we faid J rafidly car- rye d through the Uni'verje ; by this means all things were made. Fire, Water ^ ( h } Air, Earth.
To ( i ) the fire, He and Leucippfss aferibed a round figure; but Air, W'ater, and the reft, he diffinguifhed only by greatnefs and littienefs, becaufe their nature is the Pan-fpermia, or uni- verfal dilfemination of the Elements or Atoms
SECT. V.
Of the Heavens.
The (a) Sun and Moon confiff of fmooth little bodies which are carried round, (b) T hit arch He held, Vjxth Anaxagoras, that
the Sun is a burning plate or ftone ; Laertius adds, he faid of Anaxagoras, that thofe opinions dec«lo.,.^. -^^hich h( delivered concerning the Sun and Moon.
3 , ■ 1 * 1 , , , ,
b plac.2. "IS, hut more ancient ^ and that he had
2o. fioln them.
c Cic. de ( c) He conceived the Sun to be very big ; fnib.i. for, adds Cicero, he was exceeding skilful in Geometry.
d Plut. fd ) The Moon is a fiery Firmament ; con- plac.z.iq. taining Plains, Mountains, Valleys. tt Plut. fff) pje placed the Stars in this order; firff, p ac. 2. 15. Stars, then the Planets, then the Sun,
Lucifer, and tfte Moon.
( f) All the Stars move from Eaft to Weft. {g) Thofe which are neareft to rhe Earrh are lefs apt to be carried about by the rapid circum¬ volution of Heaven. Whence itcomes to pafs, that the Sun and the inferior Stars efpecially the Moon, move much flower than the reft.
{h) He held, as Anaxagoras , that Comets arc the co-apparidcn of Planets, which coming near one another feein to be all one.
SECT. VI.
of Air, Earth, Water.
WHen (a) in a narrow Vacuum there are many little bodies , there followeth wind ; and contrary, the Air is qhiec and calm, when in a great Vacuum therearebut a few little bodies. For as in a Market-place or ftreet, as long as the people are but few, they walk with¬ out any trouble, but when they run into fbme narrow place, they juftie and quarrel with one another; fo in this fpace which encompaffeth us, when many bodies croud intoone place,they mutt neceffarily juftie one another, and be thruff for- v,'ard,and driven back,arid entang1ed,and fqueez- ed,of which is made the Wind, when they which contefted yield ; and, having been long tgfs’d up and down uncertainly, (brink; but when a few bodies ffir up and down in a large fpace, they can neither drive, nor be driven impetuoufly.
(b) The Earth at fuff: wandred up and down, as well by reafon of its fraallnefs as lightnefs; .but in time growing thick and heavy, it fetled down immovable, (c) Its breadth is the caufe of its fetlednefs, for (d) \_it it of the fa^iion of a difo, hollow in the midfbf and ] it divides not but covers the Air, which is beneath it, as appears in broad bodies, which are not eafily ftirred by the Winds, but flick faff ; Thus doth the Earth, by reafon of itr breadth, to the Air ; and the Air, not having a place whereto it might go, fufficient to receive it, refteth underneath, as water within velfels which cover it. That the Air can uphold a great weight, they demonftrate many ways.
(e) Now by reafon that this Air is weaker towards the South, the Earth, as it groweth and increafeth bendeth to that fide; for the Northern parts are intemperate, the Southern temperate , whence they produce more and fairer fruits.
( f) Fie impureth the caufe of Earthquakes to water: for the Earth being full of wa¬ ter, and receiving to it much rain-water, this caufeth the Earthquake: For, there coming more, becaufe it is not able to receive it, for¬ cing its caverns, it maketh it (hake, and being dryed and attradled into empty places from the more full, in its palFage caufeth that motion.
{h) The Sea continually decreafeth, and at laft will dry up.
( i ) The overflowing of Nilus is caufed by the melting and diffialion of the Snow in the Northern parts under the Summer Tropick ; from the vapours. Clouds are condenfed, which being driven towards the South, and to eASgypr, by the Etefiah winds, they are diflblved into great and vehement (bowers, wherewich are filled as well the Lakes, as the River Nilui.
SECT.
f mt. p.'ac 2.16. g Lucrct.
h Ariff, Meteor, 6.
a Senee. nat. quafi. SJ.
b plut. pU:e.
c Arill.de Ctsle. 2.13, d Plut. plat. 3.30.
e plut. plac.'i. 12.
f Plut; plac. 3. ly. g Arifl. Meteor. 2. 7-
h Ar tji.
i Plut, plac. 3.1.