50 History of Nature. [Boox II. 



CHAPTER XV. 



General Rules concerning the Motions and Lights of other 



Planets. 



THOSE three Planets which we say are above the Sun, 

 are hidden when they go their Course with him. They rise 

 in the Morning, and never depart farther than eleven De- 

 grees. Afterwards meeting with his Rays, they are covered : 

 and in their triple Aspect retrograde, they make their Morn- 

 ing Stations 120 Degrees off, which are called the first : and 

 by and by, in a contrary Aspect, 180 Degrees off, they rise 

 in the Evening, and appear as Evening Stars. In like Sort 

 approaching from another Side within 120 Degrees, they 

 make their evening Station, which also they call the second, 

 until he overtake them within twelve Degrees ; and so hide 

 them : and these are called the Evening Settings. The 

 Planet Mars, as he is nearer to the Sun, feeleth the Sun- 

 beams by a quadrant Aspect, from ninety Degrees : where- 

 upon that Motion took the Name called the first and second 

 Nonagenary, from both Risings. The same Planet keepeth 

 this stationary Residence six Months in the Signs : whereas 

 otherwise, of his own Nature, he would do it but two Months. 

 But the other Planets in both Stations continue not four 

 Months each. The other two inferior Planets are hidden 

 after the same Manner in the evening Conjunction : and 

 leaving the Sun in as many Degrees, they make their morn- 

 ing Rising : and from the farthest Bounds of their Distance, 

 they follow after the Sun : and after they have once over- 

 taken him, they set again in the Morning, and so outgo 

 him. And by and by keeping the same Distance, in the 

 Evening they rise again unto the same Limits which we 

 named before, from whence they return to the Sun, and by 

 the evening Setting they be hidden. The Star Venus like- 

 wise maketh two Stations, according to the two Manners of 

 her Appearance, Morning and Evening, when she is in far- 

 thest Bounds of her Distance. But Mercury keepeth his 

 Stations so small awhile, that they cannot be observed. This 



