i8 The 3^aturalland Mora/I 



Of i^dritfotles opinion y touching the new Worlde, and 

 abufid him to make him deny it. CHAP. 9. 



BEfides all the former reafons , there was yet an o- 

 ther, which mooved the Ancients to bcleeve it to 

 beimpoffiblefor men to paffe to this new world : the 

 which they held} for that befidcs the vaftnefleof the 

 great Ocean, the heate of that Region, which they call 

 the burning Zom^ was fo cxceflive, as it would not 

 fuffer any man, how venturous orlaborious fo-ever,to 

 pafle by feaor land,from one Pole to an other. Forjal- 

 though thefcJPhilQibphers have themfelves affirmed, 

 that the earth was round, ( as in effedjtisj^andthat 

 vnder the 2. Poles therewas habitable land yet could 

 they not conceyvc, that the Region, containing all 

 that lyeth betwixt the two Tropickes, (which is the 

 greateft of the fiveJZwe s or Regions 5 by the which the 

 Cofmographers and Aftrologers divide rhe Worlde) 

 might be inhabited by man. The reafon they give to 

 maintaine this Zone to be inhabitable, was/or the heat 

 of the Sunne,which makes his courfe diredly over this 

 Region,and approcheth fo neere,as it is fet on fire,and 

 To by confequence, caufeth a want of waters and pa- 

 ftures. ^risioiU was of this opinion, who although 

 hcwereagreatPhilofopher, yet was hee decey ved in 

 this poynt : for the cleering whereof , it fhall be good 

 to obferve his reafons,and to note wherein he hath dif- 

 courfed well, and wherein he hath erred. This Philo- 

 fopher makes a queftion of the Meridional! or Sou- 

 therne vvinde , whether wee fliould bclccvc it takes his 



beginning 



