e strength and power of reason: wherefore I should
rather thinke that he had some by-respect, which made him first assent
to this opinion, and afterwards strive to prove it. Perhaps it was
because hee feared to displease his scholler _Alexander_, of whom 'tis
related[1] that he wept to heare a disputation of another world, since
he had not then attained the Monarchy of this, his restlesse wide heart
would have esteemed this Globe of Earth not big enough for him, if there
had beene another, which made the Satyrist say of him,

_AEstuat infoelix angusto limite mundi._[2]

"That he did vexe himselfe and sweate in his desires, as being pend
up in a narrow roome, when hee was confin'd but to one world."

Before he thought to seate himselfe next the Gods, but now when hee had
done his best, hee must be content with some equall, or perhaps
superiour Kings.

[Sidenote 1: _Plutarch. de tranq. anim._]

[Sidenote 2: _Iuvenal._]

It may be, that _Aristotle_ was moved to this opinion, that hee might
thereby take from _Alexander_ the occasion of this feare and discontent,
or else, perhaps, _Aristotle_ himselfe was as loth to hold the
possibility of a world which he could not discover, as _Alexander_ was
to heare of one which he could not conquer. Tis likely that some such
by-respect moved him to this opinion, since the arguments he urges for
it are confest by his zealous followers and commentators, to be very
sleight and frivolous, and they themselves grant, what I am now to
prove, that there is not any evidence in the light of naturall reason,
which can sufficiently manifest that there is but one world.

But however some may object, would it not be inconvenient and dangerous
to admit of such opinions that doe destroy those principles of
_Aristotle_, which all the world hath so long followed?

This question is much controverted by the _Romish_ Divines; _Campanella_
hath writ a Treatise[1] in defence of it, in whom you may see many
things worth the reading and notice.

[Sidenote 1: _Apologia pro Galilaeo._]

To it I answer, that this position in Philosophy, doth not bring any
inconvenience to the rest, since tis not _Aristotle_, but truth that
should be the rule of our opinions, and if they be not both found
together, wee may say to him, as hee said to his Master _Plato_,

+amphoin gar ontoin philoin, hosion protiman ten aletheian+.[1]

"Though _Plato_ were his friend, yet hee would rather adhere to
tru