368 Thoughts on the ProbaL-iUty, Expedienci/ and Utility 



but e\-en from the learned ; and vsome very able astronomers at- 

 tenipted to overturn and refute it, Galileo Galilei wrote an ad- 

 mirable treatise in its support, in which he very fully removed 

 most of the popular objections. This, however, exposed him to 

 the rigour of the Inquisition, and he was obliged to abjure the 

 doctrine of the earth's motion. Our noble |)hilosopher, the deep 

 and acute Lord Verulam, could not absolutely confide in the truth 

 and certainty of the Copernican system ; but seems to think, that 

 its facilitating astronomical calculations was its principal recom- 

 mendation, as if this had not been also a very strong presump- 

 tion at least, if not a proof, of its veracity. It was from this con- 

 sideration that the church of Rome at length thought fit so far 

 to relax in her decisions, as to permit the maintaining the earth's 

 motion in physical and philosophical disquisitions. But Sir Isaac- 

 Newton, who built upon this basis his experiinenfeal philosophy, 

 has dispersed all doubts on tliis subject, and shown liow tiie most 

 sublinie discoveries may be made by the reciprocal aids of saga- 

 city and observation. On these grounds, therefore, all inquiries 

 of this nature ought to proceed, without paying an implicit sub- 

 mission to the mere speculative notions even of the greatest 

 men ; but pursuing steadily the path of truth, under the direc- 

 tion of the light of experience. 



It may be urged, in excuse of the ancients, and even of our 

 ancestors in former times, that, as they were unassisted by facts, 

 thev could only employ guess and conjecture, and that conse- 

 quentlv their conclusions were from thence erroneous. But to 

 waive the visible impropriety of deciding in points where obser- 

 vation was so obviously necessary, without its direction ; let us 

 see whether this |>lea of alleviation may not be controverted in 

 both cases. Cornelius Nepos reports that some Indians being 

 cast on shore in Germany were sent by a prince of the Suevi to 

 Quintws Metelhis Celer, then the Roman proconsul in Gaul. A 

 very learned writer, in discussing this point, has shown, that it 

 was possible for t\\c?Q Indians to have come by two different routs 

 into the Baltic. He thinks, however, that it is very iii)))robabIe 

 thev came by either, and supposess, that they were either Nor- 

 wegians, or some other wild people, to whom, from their savage 

 appearance, tliey gave the name of Indians, fkit though this 

 observation may well enough apply to the Romans, who at that 

 time had no knowledge of these northern people, yet it is not 

 easy to conceive, that tiie ^uevi could fall into this mistake ; or, 

 if thev did not, that they should attempt to impose upon the 

 Romans. It appears inconteslably, that in the time of King .'Al- 

 fred, the northern seas were constantly navigated upon the same 

 motives they are now; that is, for the sake of catching whales 

 and sea-horses. Nicholas of Lynn, a Carmelite friar, sailed to 

 the most distant islands in the north, and even as high as the 



Pole. 



