ts
credit; but yet we should know that nothing is in its selfe strange,
since every naturall effect has an equall dependance upon its cause, and
with the like necessity doth follow from it, so that 'tis our ignorance
which makes things appeare so, and hence it comes to passe that many
more evident truths seeme incredible to such who know not the causes of
things: you may as soone perswade some Country peasants that the Moone
is made of greene Cheese (as wee say) as that 'tis bigger than his
Cart-wheele, since both seeme equally to contradict his sight, and hee
has not reason enough to leade him farther than his senses. Nay, suppose
(saith _Plutarch_) a Philosopher should be educated in such a secret
place, where hee might not see either Sea or River, and afterwards
should be brought out where one might shew him the great Ocean telling
him the quality of that water, that it is blackish, salt, and not
potable, and yet there were many vast creatures of all formes living in
it, which make use of the water as wee doe of the aire, questionlesse he
would laugh at all this, as being monstrous lies & fables, without any
colour of truth. Just so will this truth which I now deliver appeare
unto others; because we never dreamt of any such matter as a world in
the Moone, because the state of that place hath as yet been vailed from
our knowledge, therefore wee can scarcely assent to any such matter.
Things are very hardly received which are altogether strange to our
thoughts and our senses. The soule may with lesse difficulty be brought
to believe any absurdity, when as it has formerly beene acquainted with
some colours and probabilities for it, but when a new, and an unheard of
truth shall come before it, though it have good grounds and reasons, yet
the understanding is afraid of it as a stranger, and dares not admit it
into its beliefe without a great deale of reluctancy and tryall. And
besides things that are not manifested to the senses, are not assented
unto without some labour of mind, some travaile and discourse of the
understanding, and many lazie soules had rather quietly repose
themselves in an easie errour, then take paines to search out the truth.
The strangenesse then of this opinion which I now deliver will be a
great hinderance to its beliefe, but this is not to be respected by
reason it cannot bee helped. I have stood the longer in the Preface,
because that prejudice which the meere title of the booke may beget
cannot