BOOK If.] History of Nature. 61 



the Earth. Many there be, however, who have taught that 

 the Clouds are elevated to the Height of 900 Stadia. These 

 Points are undiscovered, and beyond Man's Reach ; but they 

 may now be delivered to others, as they have been taught : 

 in which, notwithstanding, one infallible Reason of a geome- 

 trical Collection cannot be rejected, if a man would search 

 deep into these Matters. Neither need a Man to seek an 

 exact Measure hereof (for to desire that is a foolish Idleness), 

 but only to make an Estimate of Probability. For, whereas 

 it is clear by the Course of the Sun, that the Circle through 

 which he passeth containeth three hundred, threescore, and 

 almost six Degrees ; and it is a Rule that the Diameter 

 formeth a third Part of the Circumference, and little less 

 than a seventh Part of a third : it is plain, that deducting 

 one Half thereof (because the Earth, situated in the Centre, 

 cometh between), about the sixth Part of this great Circuit 

 which he maketh about the Earth (so far as our Mind doth 

 comprehend), is the very Height from the Earth up to the 

 Sun, but the twelfth Part to the Moon, because she runneth 

 so much a shorter Circuit than the Sun ; whereby it ap- 

 peareth, that she is in the Midst between the Earth and the 

 Sun. It is a Wonder to see how far the Presumption of the 

 Heart of Man will proceed when instigated by some little 

 Success, as in the abovenamed Matter. The Reason whereof 

 ministereth plenteous Occasion of Impudency, for they who 

 dared to give a Guess at the Space between the Sun and the 

 Earth are so bold as to do the like from thence to Heaven. 

 For, presuming that the Sun is in the Midst, they have at 

 their Fingers' Ends the very Measure of the whole World. 

 For how many seven Parts the Diameter hath, so many 

 twenty-two Parts hath the whole Circle : as if they had got- 

 ten the certain Measure of the Heaven by the Plumb-line. 

 The Egyptians, according to the Reckoning which Petosiris 

 and Necepsos have invented, do collect, that every Degree in 

 the Circle of the Moon, which is the least (as hath been said) 

 of all other, containeth thirty-three Stadia, and somewhat 

 more; in Saturn^ the greatest of all, double as much ; and in 

 the Sun, which we said was the midst, the Half of both Mea- 



