PRELUDE TO THE EPOCH OF COPERNICUS. 387 



motion, did not really disprove such an opinion. 

 But according to the state of the science of motion 

 before Copernicus, all reasonings from such prin- 

 ciples were utterly vague and obscure. 



We must not omit to mention a modern who 

 preceded Copernicus, in the assertion at least of the 

 heliocentric doctrine. This was Nicholas of Cusa, 

 (a village near Treves,) a cardinal and bishop, who, 

 in the first half of the fifteenth century, was very 

 eminent as a divine and mathematician ; and who 

 in a work, De Doctd Ignorantid, propounded the 

 doctrine of the motion of the earth ; more, how- 

 ever, as a paradox than as a reality. We cannot 

 consider this as any distinct anticipation of a pro- 

 found and consistent view of the truth. 



We shall now examine further the promulgation 

 of the Heliocentric System by Copernicus, and its 

 consequences. 



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