1. Newton was an Englishman who lived three centuries ago. 2. One day he
was walking in his orchard, and, noticing the falling apples, he stood
still ("ekhaltis") and began to wonder why they fall. 3. He studied the
cause of their falling, wishing to discover whatever laws of nature he
could. 4. He watched various falling objects, and tried to calculate
their velocity ("rapideco"). 5. Finally he recognized that force which
is called gravitation. 6. Of course ("kompreneble") gravitation had
always existed, but its laws were not noticed or clearly defined until
Newton studied the matter. 7. If gravitation should not exist any more,
no rain would fall, but instead of condensing, the moisture would remain
above our heads in eternal clouds. 8. But gradually the moisture and
the air itself, becoming rarefied, would fly away from the earth, being
held no longer by the force of gravitation. 9. The water in the rivers
would leave off flowing (cease to flow) on toward the sea, because now
the water flows from high to low places only on account of gravitation.
10. Instead of gravitating toward the sea, in fact, the water would flow
in every direction (245) out of the riverbeds, or would remain there,
without moving at all ("tute ne movante"). 11. Nothing on earth would
remain here very long, but everything would fly off the quickly moving
world, and leave it entirely bare. Soon, also, the earth itself would
break-into-pieces (245).