( 512« ) 
Nor does he doubt, but thefe Changes in the Fixt Stars 
have been frequent in other tinaes • unregarded therefare 
becaufe it fcem'd to men too abfurd.that fuch glorious parts 
of Nature^ as the Heaveqs aqd Stars are^ fhould alfo be 
fabjedito luch viciffitudes and alterations j as if themani. 
fold Wifdom and Power of the Great Creator and Supream 
Governor of the Univerfe did not as well fhioe forth from 
the one, as the other. ^ 
ffit be obje<9:ed5that the Appearance and Dit appearance 
of thofe Scars may be afcribed to their Elongation &om, 
and Proximity to Qur Eyes : He anfwers, firfly That of ali 
the Celeftial Motions there being obferv'd none but what 
areCircular or at leaft approaching toCircular,if we fliould 
think fo of the Fixt Stars that appear anew, then the Plane 
of that Circle being over the Planeof our Eye, the Upper 
pgrtof that Circle muft needs be remoter from the Lower 
partjfor Stars of the fecond Magnitude, more than fix times 
at leaft 3 that i$ to fay, that the Star in difappearing to our 
Eye maft be removed at leaft fix times farther off than when 
it appeared brighteft : In which cafe we muft needs fee that 
sJcar raoye in an apparent ftraight line , or ia an Arch of a 
great Circje of above 1 9 d<^grees 5 which is moft con« 
irary to all GbfervatioHj by which it is notorioias5that none 
of them do recede from their apparent firft ^\^cc^Secondly^ 
Thar not only in the lately mention'd Hypothefis of the Cir» 
qle, but aifp fuppafing the Mptjonpf Inch 5*c^r$ through a 
ftraight line paffing dircdiy over our Eye , the faid di* 
ftancesof thofe «^tars, fix times multiplyed by us, would 
not be fufficient to falve the Phenomenon of being feen for a 
determinate time^ and then to difappear s butit would be; 
requiuceto fuppofein a maijner aia iofiqit^ profundity off 
the Stellar Sphere : an Exorbitancy: not to be admittedj^. 
where no other reafon urgeth to do it than ^the falving of 
luch Appeaiances^Al! which he largely explaineth in his difc 
courfe:» concluding it with a Confideration, which imports^ 
Jiiat, fince Aftronomers do noiv generally agree^ thatthe 
