In Father Borghesi's second volume, there is a separate chapter entitled
"An Exposition of the Latest Theory of the Universe." This follows the
introduction to the reader, and in it Father Borghesi proposed:
That you might rightly conceive my new system of the world and
mechanically, as it were, construct it, imagine for yourself,
beneath that most happy seat of the Blessed and above all other
heavens, a kind of spherical convexity, everywhere equidistant
from the center of the earth, and endowed with absolutely no
motion.
On the inside, at two points diametrically opposite each other,
this convexity has two most sturdy poles (to speak
mechanically), projecting towards the center (which you call
the poles of the heavens), and the largest immobile semicircle,
in some manner is drawn from the center of one pole to the
center of the other. This semicircle in the middle, namely at a
point equidistant from each pole, is thought to be secured by
some sign, for example, by that "o," for arranging more
perceptibly the seat of the sun (as will be shown later). This
much must be conceived first.
You must understand that imposed on these poles is the first
mobile [Primum Mobile], everywhere convex, and divided, into 12
equal parts [Dodecatemoria], by the 6 greatest circles,
intersecting each other at the centers of the poles. Then it is
divided by another equally great circle, everywhere equidistant
from the poles, into two hemispheres. One hemisphere of 12
parts, proceeding in order from west [setting] to east [rising]
should be assigned the respective signs of the zodiac; that is,
one to Aries, the next to Taurus, and so on, etc. The circle
which cuts those 12 parts transversely in the middle, you call
the ecliptic. Then, these capital spaces of the Primum Mobile
are subdivided by degrees, minutes, etc., both in longitude and
in latitude, so that this heaven represents a kind of great
spherical net, extended to capture the longitude and latitude
of the stars, and Mobile on the aforementioned poles. Note,
however (and this is almost the leading point of the system),
in that circle of longitude which divides the sign of Gemini
from Cancer and Arcitenens [Sagittarius] from Capricorn, you
must conceive two points, directly opposite each other and
removed about twenty-three and a half degrees from the poles:
Boreal [the northern] between Gemini and Cancer; Austral [the
southern] between Sagittarius and Capricorn. These two points
by some power (imagine it is magnetic power), equal between
them, hold the terraqueous orb suspended in the middle, by
acting on the axis of the same orb (imagine it is iron) in such
a way that the earth is continually drawn to those two points
as to two opposite centers. It is never nearer to one, for as
it is about to move towards one, the opposite power is
constantly drawing it back. Thus, both those points and the
axis of the earth are always held in one common line, wherever
those points happen to be carried by the rotation of this
heaven.
Again, it is necessary for you to conceive in this heaven,
first, two great circles, bisecting each other at right angles
in the centers of these two magnets. One of these circles,
passing through the first point of Aries and Libra in the
ecliptic, is called equinoctial colure: the other circle,
passing consequently between the first point of Cancer and
Capricorn, is called solstitial colure. Beneath these are
likewise imagined many other great circles, in the centers of
the magnets dividing crosswise in the shape of an "X." But if,
receding from these magnets, you describe circles (parallel to
each other and ever greater and greater, up to the greatest
circle which you will perceive is called the equator),
equidistant from each magnet and obliquely splitting the
ecliptic in the equinoctial colure, you can then behold a
great, new, woven net in this heaven of the Primum Mobile. This
net most beautifully expands to extract the straight ascent and
descent of the stars, etc., from the vast ocean of the heavens,
catching the straight ascent in the greatest circles and, in
other unequal circles, parallel to each other and obliquely
cutting across, most safely catching the descent.
Immediately below the Primum Mobile place the heaven of the
fixed stars (and, that the idea might be clearer), revolving
separately on the same poles on which the Primum Mobile
revolves. Through this heaven, the filaments of the little
nets, etc., seem to the eyes of you on earth as if they shine.
In this heaven, you should conceive in their fixed places, the
fixed stars, a proportionate, inviolable distance from each
other, and, indeed, if you will, the heavenly images, etc.,
depicted, and all carried along at the same time with their
heaven by one motion.
Conceive a straight line running from the center of the earth
to that sign "o" noted in the semicircle of the supreme
immobile heaven. On this line, greatly below the heaven of the
fixed stars, place the center of the solar epicycle, holding an
area in common with the ecliptic and subject to absolutely no
motions, but at such a distance from the center of the earth
that the semidiameter of the earth has little, if any,
proportion with the distance of the solar epicycle from the
earth. Around the sun, moving continually in this epicycle (its
immobile palace) through the degrees of the anomaly, you can
revolve, with motions proportionate to the system, the five
planets: Mercury and Venus (the nearest barons of the sun),
then Mars, Jupiter and, most remote, Saturn, with its
respective satellites, etc., eccentrically surrounding the
earth itself and the moon in their immense ambit and wandering
by their proper motions through the zodiac.
Nevertheless, not far from the earth you should imagine
fabricated, as from most refined crystal, the heaven of the
moon everywhere equidistant from the center of the earth and
revolving separately on the same poles (prolonged even to this
place) on which the Primum Mobile and the heaven of the fixed
stars revolve. In the middle of this, that is, in some point
equally removed from the poles, you place the center of the
lunar epicycle, movable also by the common rotation of the
lunar heaven. I refrain from the other movements of the moon in
latitude, etc., as also those of the five planets, etc., which
the theory in no way excludes, lest by a variety of congested
motions explained too abundantly, either you might be confused
about the fundamental concept of the system or, while adorning
the theory and trying to embellish the least things more
widely, you might reject also the things which are capital.
Here you already have the whole machine, but still inert and to
be animated for the first time by motions accommodated to the
system. Nevertheless, before I assign motion to the individual
parts of the world, so that the thing might later appear more
clearly to you, I arrange all things thus: first, as if by
hand, I turn the Primum Mobile until the Boreal magnetic point
comes to the level or the area of the semicircle described in
the supreme immobile convexity; then I turn the heaven of the
fixed stars until, for example, the heel of Castor (a star of
the third magnitude), almost in the ecliptic and indeed in our
time not far distant from the solstitial colure, likewise falls
nearly at the level of the aforesaid semicircle. Later, I turn
the lunar heaven until I bring the center of the lunar epicycle
to the same level. Then, I turn the earth until some
predetermined city, for example, Trent, situated in the
northern zone with a latitude of about forty-six degrees, is
brought to the oft-mentioned level.
From things arranged in this way and from what has gone before,
it is evident (with the motions of the luminaries in epicycles
left out, however, lest you be distracted by the explanation)
that at Trent, just as in the whole northern hemisphere, it is
the summer solstice; and, conversely, in the southern
hemisphere, it is the winter solstice. The reason is because
the northern magnetic point together with the northern half of
the earthly axis is at its highest point towards the sun,
immovably residing in a line sent through the level of the
highest semicircle; and, conversely, the southern magnetic
point with the corresponding half of the axis is most removed
from the same. It further follows, that noonday and the new
moon coincide, and the heel of Castor almost reaches the
summit, etc.
Now, beginning from this hypothetical situation of the whole
world as from the root of the motions, I move all things in
their circles so that the earth turns on its axis with a
revolving motion from west to east in each 24 hours of median
time. The lunar heaven completes one circle around its poles
likewise from west to east in the time of 29 terrestrial
revolutions, hours 12.44.3.13.1. The sphere of the fixed stars
on the same poles revolves once from east to west within 365
revolutions of the earth, hours 6.9.29.1. The Primum Mobile on
the poles (common to the heaven of the fixed stars and the
heaven of the moon), is moved once in the same way from east to
west, a little faster, however, than the heaven of the fixed
stars, yet within 365 revolutions of the earth, hours 5.48.56;
that is, within a median astronomical year.
Now, behold for yourself a new world supported on new poles and
provided with new motions and laws. Now you, reader and lover
of the stars, turn it, and revolve it as long as it pleases
you, and compare it astronomically and physically with the
Copernican or the Tychonian systems or with whatever one
pleases you more, and judge which one seems more consonant with
nature when all things are examined. But if you aren't able to
reconcile this theory with some astronomical observations or
physical experiments and think it should be eliminated from
the group of theories, see that I might know this while life is
still my companion, so that I might think with you, if this is
possible. Also, so that, in gratitude for the detected or
perhaps hidden error, I might speak or write, and you won't
have to shout in vain in bold ridicule and with no applause
after the fleeing shades of the dead and the mute ashes. But,
if you object that the daily motion of the revolving earth and
the annual motion of its whirling axis do not sufficiently
agree with certain texts of Sacred Scripture, and if those
things which the Copernicans and the Longomontanists say do not
convince you, then reject my whole system as an old wives'
tale.
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