revolves, not the whole heaven, and this motion gives opportunity for the
growth and decrease of things, and for the generating of things animate,
and awakens internal heat for the bringing of them to birth. Whence matter
is quickened for receiving forms; and from the primary rotation of the
Earth natural bodies have their primary impetus and original activity. The
motion then of the whole Earth is primary, astral, circular, around its own
poles, whose verticity arises on both sides from the plane of the aequator,
and whose vigour is infused into opposite termini, in order that the Earth
may be moved by a sure rotation for its good, the Sun also and the stars
helping its motion. But the simple straight motion downwards of the
Peripateticks is a motion of weight, a motion of the aggregation of
disjoined parts, in the ratio of their matter, along straight lines toward
the body of the Earth: which lines tend the shortest way toward the centre.
The motions of disjoined magnetical parts of the Earth, besides the motion
of aggregation, are coition, revolution, and the direction of the parts to
the whole, for harmony of form, and concordancy.

* * * * *

CHAP. V.

Arguments of those denying the Earth's motion, and
_their confutation._

Now it will not be superfluous to weigh well the arguments of those who say
the Earth does not move; that we may be better able to satisfy the crowd of
philosophizers who assert that this constancy and stability of the Earth is
confirmed by the most convincing arguments. Aristotle does not allow that
the Earth moves circularly, on the ground that each several part of it
would be affected by this particular motion; that whereas now all the
separate parts of the Earth are borne toward the middle in straight lines,
that circular motion would be violent, and strange to nature, and not
enduring. But it has been before proved that all actual portions of the
Earth move in a circle, and that all magnetick bodies (fitly disposed) are
borne around in an orbe. They are borne, however, toward the centre of the
Earth in a {226} straight line (if the way be open) by a motion of
aggregation as though to their own origin: they move by various motions
agreeably to the conformation of the whole: a terrella is moved circularly
by its innate forces. "Besides" (says he), "all things which are borne in
an orbe, afterwards would seem to be abandoned by the first motion, and to
be bo