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our observations. Especially if they run between tire 

 hills, as our rivers do. Nor have they any clouds to 

 furnish rivers with water. For if they had, we should 

 sometimes see one part of the moon darkened by them 

 and sometimes another, whereas we have always the 

 same prospect of her. 



" It is certain moreover that the moon has no air or 

 atmosphere Surrounding it. For then we could never 

 see the very outeimost rim of the moon so exactly as we 

 do when any star goes under it, but its light would ter- 

 minate in a faint, gradual shade, and there would be a 

 sort of down as it \vere about it. Not to mention, that 

 the vapours of our atmosphere consist of water ; and 

 consequently where there are no seas, there can be no 

 such atmosphere. Tin's is tlie grand difference between 

 the moon and us. Were there seas and rivers therein^ 

 we might easiiy believe that ithsd all the other furniture 

 which belong to our earth. But how can plants or ani- 

 mals, all whose nourishment comes from liquid bodies, 

 thrive in a dry waterless soil. 



" Does then the moon serve for nothing but to give 

 us light in the night ? And do ail these moons round 

 Jupiter and Saturn answer no other purpose I \ do not 

 know what to say, bet-.ause I know of kuothing like them 

 to found a conjecture upon. Perhaps they may have 

 some piaatb and animals, which have some nourishment 

 of a different kind irorn'oursi Perhaps they may have 

 moisture enough to cause a mist or dew, which may 

 suthce tor the herbs that grow there. But these are mere 

 guesbes, or rather doubts. And vet they are the best 

 we can make, concerning either our moon or those 

 which attend Jupiter and Saturn." 



\\hat benefits do we receive from our moon ? First 

 the supplying light in the nigl?t time, ior at least t-.ue 

 fouiths of the ,ear. Now how comiTo* table and delight- 

 ful a thing thi- iv travelers and v< yagers can best tell. 

 Curios*tv, ambition, luxury, and sometimes necessity, 

 have made it unavoiuahic, t!ial some part of mankind 

 should be travelling by iaiui and sea, in the night sea- 



