Part II. in the Creation. 193 



the common Receptacle the Sea. And thefe 

 Lakes of Water being far diftantone from ano^ 

 ther, there could be no Commerce between far 

 remote Countries, but by Land. 



4. A Spherical Figure is mod commodious 

 for Dinetial Motion, or Revolution, upon its 

 ov/n Axis; for in that, neither can the Medium 

 ^t all refift the Motion of the Body, becaufe it 

 ftands not in its way, no Part coming into any 

 Space but what the Precedent left, neither doth 

 one Part of the Superficies move fafter than ano- 

 ther: Whereas were it Angular, the Parts about 

 the Angles would find ftrong Refiftance from 

 the Air, and thofe Parts alfo about the Angles 

 would move much fafter than thofe about the 

 Middle of the Planes, being remoter from the 

 Center than they. It remains therefore that this 

 Figure is the moft commodious for Motion. • 



Here I cannot but take Notice of the Folly 

 and Stupidity of the Epicurea?2Sy who fancied 

 the Earth to be flat and contiguous to the Hea- 

 vens- on all Sides, that it defcended a great way 

 with long Roots 5 and that the Sun was new 

 made every Morning, and not much bigger than 

 it feems to the Eye, and of a flat Figure, and 

 many other fuch grofs Abfurdities as Children 

 among us would be afliamed of. 



Sesondly.y I come now to fpcak of the Motion 

 of the Jiarth, That the E^rth (fpeaking ac- 

 i:Q.rding to Philofophical Accuratenefs) doth 



O move 



