BOOK II.] History of Nature. 53 



the Planets do rise and mount from the Earth upward into 

 Heaven. For very many have thought, although untruly, 

 that they climb in this Manner. But to the End that they 

 may be confuted, we must lay open an immense Subtlety, 

 which containeth all those Causes and Reasons abovesaid. 

 First, therefore, this is admitted, that these Stars in their 

 Evening Setting are nearest to the Earth, both in Latitude 

 and Altitude : and when they be farthest from the Earth, as 

 well in Latitude as Elevation, they appear in the Morning 

 before the Sun : as also that then they are Stationaries in the 

 middle Points of the Latitudes, which they call Ecliptics. 

 Likewise it is acknowledged, that so long as the Planets are 

 near to the Earth, their Motion increaseth : and as they de- 

 part on hi:h it decreaseth. And this Reason is confirmed 

 principally by the Elevations of the Moon. And it is beyond 

 a Doubt, that every Planet in its Morning Rising riseth 

 every Day higher than the former. The superior three 

 above the Sun diminish from their first Stations unto the 

 second. Which being so, it will plainly appear, that every 

 Planet rising before the Sun ascendeth to the Latitudes : so 

 that from the Time they begin, their Motion increaseth by 

 little and little more sparely. But in the first Stations, they 

 are at the highest Altitude : for then first the Numbers begin 

 to be withdrawn, and the Planets to go backward ; whereof 

 a particular Reason may be given in this Manner : the 

 Planets being smitten in that Part whereof we spoke, they 

 are both restrained by the triangular Beams or trine Aspect 

 of the Sun, to hold on a direct Course, and are raised up 

 aloft by the fiery Power of the said Sun. This cannot im- 

 mediately be understood by our Eyesight : and so they are 

 supposed to stand, and hence the Name of Stations is de- 

 rived. Then proceedeth forward the Violence of the Sun's 

 Beams, and the Vapour thereof, by Repercussion, forceth 

 them to go backward. And much more is this perceived 

 in their Evening Rising, when the Sun is wholly against 

 them, and they be driven to the very Top of their Absides, 

 and so not seen at all, because they are at the highest, and 

 are carried on by their least Motion, which is so much the 



