n and the vast extent of the universe to rotate in a
whirl, it yet remains that the earth performs a diurnal change. For in no
third way can the apparent revolutions be explained. This day, then, which
is called natural, is a revolution of some meridian of the Earth from Sun
to Sun. It revolves indeed in an entire course, from a fixed star round to
that star again. Those bodies which in nature are moved with a circular,
aequable and constant motion, are furnished, in their parts, with various
boundaries. But the Earth is not a Chaos nor disordered mass; but by reason
of its astral virtue, it has boundaries which subserve the circular motion,
poles not mathematical, an aequator not devised by imagination, meridians
also and parallels; all of which we find permanent, certain and natural in
the Earth: which by numerous experiments the whole magnetick philosophy
sets forth. For in the earth there are poles set in fixed bounds, and at
them the verticity mounts up on either side from the plane of the Earth's
aequator, with forces which are mightier and praepotent from the common
action of the whole; and with these poles the diurnal revolution is in
agreement. But in no turnings-about of bodies, in none of the motions of
the planets are there to be recognized, beheld, or assured to us by any
reasoning any sensible or natural poles in the firmament, or in any
_Primum_ {221} _Mobile_; but those are the conception of an unsettled
imagination. Wherefore we, following an evident, sensible and tested cause,
do know that the earth moves on its own poles, which are apparent to us by
many magnetick demonstrations. For not only on the ground of its constancy,
and its sure and permanent position, is the Earth endowed with poles and
verticity: for it might be directed toward other parts of the universe,
toward East or West or some other region. By the wondrous wisdom then of
the Builder forces, primarily animate, have been implanted in the Earth,
that with determinate constancy the Earth may take its direction, and the
poles have been placed truly opposite[246], that about them as the termini,
as it were, of some axis, the motion of diurnal turning might be performed.
But the constancy of the poles is regulated by the primary soul. Wherefore,
for the Earth's good, the collimations of her verticities do not
continually regard a definite point of the firmament and of the visible
heaven. For changes of the aequinoxes take place from a certain de