And if there be such a world in the Moone, 'tis requisite then that
their seasons should be some way correspondent unto ours, that they
should have Winter and Summer, night and day, as wee have.
Now that in this Planet there is some similitude of Winter and Summer is
affirmed by _Aristotle_ [1] himselfe, since there is one hemispheare
that hath alwaies heate and light, and the other that hath darknesse and
cold. True indeed, their daies and yeeres are alwaies of one and the
same length, but tis so with us also under the Poles, and therefore that
great difference is not sufficient to make it altogether unlike ours,
nor can we expect that every thing there should be in the same manner as
it is here below, as if nature had no way but one to bring about her
purposes. Wee may easily see what great differences there are amongst
us, betwixt things of the same kinde. Some men (say they) [2] there are,
who can live onely upon smells, without eating any thing, and the same
Plant, saith _Besoldus_, hath sometimes contrary effects. _Mandragora_
which growes in _Syria_ inflames the lust, wheras _Mandragora_ which
grows in other places doth coole the blood & quench lust.
[Sidenote 1: _De gen. animal. l. 4. 12._]
[Sidenote 2: _Plat. de fac._
_De natura populorum. c. 3._]
Now if with us there be such great difference betwixt things of the same
kinde, we have no reason then to thinke it necessary that both these
worlds should be altogether alike, but it may suffice if they bee
correspondent in something onely, however it may be questioned whether
it doth not seeme to be against the wisedome of providence, to make the
night of so great a length, when they have such a long time unfit for
worke? I answere no, since tis so, and more with us also under the
poles; and besides, the generall length of their night is somewhat
abated in the bignesse of their Moone which is our earth. For this
returnes as great a light unto that Planet, as it receives from it. But
for the better proofe of this, I shall first free the way from such
opinions as might otherwise hinder the speede of a clearer progresse.
_Plutarch_[1] one of the chiefe patrons of this world in the Moone, doth
directly contradict this proposition; affirming, that those who live
there may discerne our world as the dregges and sediment of all other
creatures, appearing to them through clouds and foggy mists, and that
altogether devoid of light, being base and unmoveable, so that they
might well imagine the darke place of damnation to be here situate, and
that they onely were the inhabiters of the world, as being in the midst
betwixt Heaven and Hell.
[Sidenote 1: _Plut. de fac. lunae._]
To this I may answere, 'tis probable that _Plutarch_ spake this
inconsiderately, and without a reason, which makes him likewise fall
into another absurditie, when he sayes our earth would appeare
immoveable, whereas questionlesse though it did not, yet would it seeme
to move, and theirs to stand still, as the Land doth to a man in a
Shippe; according to that of the Poet:
_Provehimur portu, terraeque urbesque recedunt._
And I doubt not but that ingenuous Authour would easily have recanted if
hee had beene but acquainted with those experiences which men of latter
times have found out, for the confirmation of this truth.