e
proficient knowledge of the literary, scientific, and philosophical
writings of the age, that he found the beliefs associated with the
Ptolemaic theory adopted without doubt or hesitation by the numerous
authors whose works he perused. His knowledge of Italian enabled him to
become familiar with Dante--one of his favourite authors, whose poetical
writings were deeply read by him, and who, in the elaboration of his
poem, the 'Divina Commedia,' included the entire Ptolemaic cosmology.

In England the Copernican theory had few supporters, and the majority of
those who represented the intellect and learning of the country still
retained their adherence to the old form of astronomical belief. We
therefore find that Milton followed the traditional way of thinking by
adopting the views associated with the Ptolemaic theory.

According to the Ptolemaic system, the Earth was regarded as the
immovable centre of the universe, and surrounding it were ten
crystalline spheres, or heavens, arranged in concentric circles, the
larger spheres enclosing the smaller ones; and within those was situated
the cosmos, or mundane universe, usually described as 'the Heavens and
the Earth.' To each of the first seven spheres there was attached a
heavenly body, which was carried round the Earth by the revolution of
the crystalline.

1st sphere: that of the Moon.

2nd sphere: that of the planet Mercury.

3rd sphere: that of the planet Venus.

4th sphere: that of the Sun; regarded as a planet.

5th sphere: that of the planet Mars.

6th sphere: that of the planet Jupiter.

7th sphere: that of the planet Saturn.

8th sphere: that of the fixed stars.

[Illustration: FIG. 1]

The eighth sphere included all the fixed stars, and was called the
firmament, because it was believed to impart steadiness to the inner
spheres, and, by its diurnal revolution, to carry them round the Earth,
causing the change of day and night.

The separate motions of the spheres, revolving with different
velocities, and at different angles to each other, accounted for the
astronomical phenomena associated with the orbs attached to each.
According to Ptolemy's scheme, the eighth sphere formed the outermost
boundary of the universe; but later astronomers added to this system two
other spheres--a _ninth_, called the _Crystalline_, which caused
Precession of the Equinoxes; and a _tenth_, called the _Primum Mobile_,
or First Moved, which brought about the alternation