A Discovery of New Worlds/The First Night
THE
First Night.
We went one Evening after Supper to walk in the Park, the Air was cool and refreshing, which made us sufficient amends for the excessive heat of the Day, and of which I find I shall be obliged to make you a Description, which I cannot well avoid, the fineness of it leading me so necessarily to it.
The Moon was about an hour high, which shining through the Boughs of the Trees, made a most agreeable Mixture, and checker'd the Paths beneath with a most resplendent white upon the green, which appeared to be black by that Light; there was no Cloud to be seen that could hide from us, or obscure the smallest of the Stars, which lookt all like pure polisht Gold, whose Luster was extreamly heightened by the deep Azure Field on which they were placed: These pleasant Objects set me a thinking, and had it not been for Madam la Marquiese, I might have continued longer in that silent Contemplation; but the Presence of a Person of her Wit and Beauty hindered me from giving up my Thoughts intirely to the Moon and Stars. Do not you believe, Madam, said I, that the clearness of this Night exceeds the Glory of the brightest day? I confess, said she, the Day must yield to such a Night; the day which resembles a fair Beauty, which though more sparkling, is not so charming as one of a brown Complexion, who is a true Emblem of the Night. You are very generous, Madam, said I, to give the advantage to the brown, you who are so admirably fair your self: Yet without dispute, day is the most beautiful thing in Nature; and most of the Heroines in Romances, which are modelled after the most perfect Idea fancy can represent by the most ingenious of mankind, are generally described to be fair. But, said she, Beauty is insipid, if it want the pleasure and power of charming; and you must acknowledge that the brightest day that ever you saw could never have engaged you in so agreeable an Ecstasie, as you were just now like to have faln into by the powerful attractions of this Night.
I agree to what you say, Madam, said I, but I must own at the same time, that a Beauty of your complexion would give me another sort of transport than the finest Night with all the advantages obscurity can give it.
Though that were true, said she, I should not be satisfied; since those fair Beauties that so resemble the day, produce not those soft Effects of the other. How comes it, that Lovers who are the best Judges of what is pleasing and touching, do always address themselves to the Night, in all their Songs and Elegies? I told her, that they most certainly paid their acknowledgments to the Night; for she was ever most favourable to all their Designs. But, Sir, replied the Marquiese, she receives also all their Complaints, as a true Confident of all their Entrigues; from whence proceeds that? The silence and gloom of the Night, said I, inspires the restless Sigher with thoughts very passionate and languishing, which the busier day diverts a thousand little ways (though one would think the Night should charm all things to repose) and though the day affords Solitudes, dark Recesses, Groves and Grottoes, equally obscure and silent as the Night it self; yet we fansy that the Stars move with a more silent mothan the Sun, and that all the Objects which the Heavens represent to our view, are softer, and stay our sight more easily; and flattering our selves that we are the only Persons at that time awake, we are vain enough to give a loose to a thousand thoughts extravagant and easing. Besides, the Scene of the Universe by day-light appears too Uniform, we beholding but one Great Luminary in an Arched Vault of Azure, of a Vast Extent, while all the Stars appear confusedly dispersed, and disposed as it were by chance in a thousand different Figures, which assists our roving Fancies to fall agreeably into silent thoughts. Sir, replied Madam la Marqueise, I have always felt those effects of Night you tell me of, I love the Stars, and could be heartily angry with the Sun for taking them from my sight. Ah, cry'd I, I cannot forgive his taking from me the sight of all those Worlds that are there. Worlds, said she, what Worlds? And looking earnestly upon me, asked me again, what I meant? I ask your Pardon, Madam, said I, I was insensibly led to this fond discovery of my weakness. What weakness, said she, more earnestly than before? Alass, said I, I am sorry that I must confess I have imagined to my self, that every Star may perchance be another World, yet I would not swear that it is so; but I will believe it to be true, because that Opinion is so pleasant to me, and gives me very diverting Idea's, which have fixed themselves delightfully in my Imaginations, and 'tis necessary that even solid Truth should have its agreeableness. Well, said she, since your Folly is so pleasing to you, give me a share of it; I will believe whatever you please concerning the Stars, if I find it pleasant. Ah, Madam, said I, hastily, it is not such a Pleasure as you find in one of Mullier's Plays; it is a Pleasure that is———I know not where, in our Reason, and which only transports the Mind. What, replied she, do you think me then incapable of all those Pleasures which entertain our Reason, and only treat the Mind? I will instantly shew you the contrary, at least as soon as you have told me what you know of your Stars. Ah, Madam, cry'd I, I shall never indure to be reproach'd with that neglect of my own happiness, that in a Grove at ten a Clock of the Night, I talk'd of nothing but Philosophy, to the greatest Beauty in the World; no, Madam, search for Philosophy some where else.
But 'twas in vain to put her off by Excuses, from a Novelty she was already but too much prepossest with: There was a necessity of yielding, and all I could do was to prevail with her to be secret, for the saving my Honour; but when I found my self engaged past retreat, and had a design to speak, I knew not where to begin my discourse, for to prove to her (who understood nothing of Natural Philosophy) that the Earth was a Planet, and all the other Planets so many Earths, and all the Stars Worlds, it was necessary for the explaining my self, to bring my Arguments a great way off; and therefore I still endeavoured to perswade her that 'twas much better to pass the time in another manner of Conversation, which the most reasonable People in our Circumstances would do; but I pleaded to no Purpose, and at last to satisfie her, and give her a general Idea of Philosophy, I made use of this way of arguing.
All Philosophy is grounded on two Principles, that of a passionate thirst of knowledge of the Mind, and the weakness of the Organs of the Body; for if the Eye-sight were in perfection, you could as easily discern there were Worlds in the Stars, as that there are Stars: On the other hand, if you were less curious and desirous of knowledge, you would be indifferent, whether it were so or not, which indeed comes all to the same purpose; but we would gladly know more than we see, and there's the difficulty: for if we could see well and truly what we see, we should know enough; but we see most Objects quite otherwise than they are; so that the true Philosophers spend their time in not believing what they see, and in endeavouring to guess at the knowledge of what they see not; and in my Opinion this kind of life is not much to be envied; but I fansy still to my self that Nature is a great Scene, or Representation, much like one of our Opera's; for, from the place where you sit to behold the Opera, you do not see the Stage, as really it is, Since every thing is disposed there for the representing agreeable Objects to your sight, from a large distance, while the wheels & weights, which move and counterpoise the Machines are all concealed from our view; nor do we trouble our selves so much to find out how all those Motions that we see there,are performed; and it may be among so vast a number of Spectators, there is not above one Enginier in the whole Pit, that troubles himself with the consideration how those flights are managed that seem so new and so extraordinary to him, and who resolves at any rate to find out the contrivance of them: You cannot but guess, Madam, that this Enginier is not unlike a Philosopher; but that which makes the difficulty incomparably greater to Philosophers, is, that the Ropes, Pullies, Wheels and Weights, which give motion to the different Scenes represented to us by Nature, are so well hid both from our sight and understanding, that it was a long time before mankind could so much as guess at the Causes that moved the vast Frame of the Universe.
Pray, Madam, imagine to your self, the Ancient Philosophers beholding one of our Opera's, such an one as Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, and many more, whose Names and Reputations make so great a noise in the World; and suppose they were to behold the flying of Phaeton, who is carried aloft by the Winds, and that they could not discern the Ropes and Pullies, but were altogether ignorant of the contrivance of the Machine behind the Scenes, one of them would be apt to say—It is a certain Secret Virtue that carries up Phaeton. Another, That Phaeton is composed of certain Numbers, which make him mount upwards. The third—That Phaeton has a certain kindness for the highest Part of the Theatre, and is uneasie when he is not there. And a fourth—That Phaeton was not made for flying, but that he had rather fly, than leave the upper part of the Stage void: Besides a hundred other Notions, which I wonder have not intirely ruined the Reputation of the Ancients. In our Age Des Cartes, and some other Moderns would say—That Phaeton's flight upward is because he is hoisted by Ropes, and that while he ascends, a greater weight than he descends.
And now men do not believe that any corporeal being moves it self, unless it be set on Motion, or pusht by another Body, or drawn by Ropes; nor that any heavy thing ascends or descends, without a counter-poise equal with it in weight to balance it; or that 'tis guided by Springs. And could we see Nature as it is, we should see nothing but the hinder part of the Theatre at the Opera. By what you say, said Madam la Marquiese, Philosophy is become very Mechanical. So very Mechanical, said I, that I am afraid men will quickly be ashamed of it; for some would have the Universe no other thing in Great, than a Watch is in Little; and that all things in it are ordered by Regular Motion, which depends upon the just and equal disposal of its Parts: Confess the Truth, Madam, have not you had heretofore a more sublime Idea of the Universe, and have not you honoured it with a better Opinion than it deserved? I have known several esteem it less since they believed they knew it better; and for my part, said she, I esteem it more since I knew it is so like a Watch: And 'tis most surprising to me, that the course and order of Nature, how ever admirable it appears to be, moves upon Principles and Things that are so very easie and simple. I know not, replied I, who has given you so just Idea's of it, but 'tis not ordinary to have such; most People retain in their minds some false Principle or other of Admiration, wraped up in obscurity, which they adore: They admire Nature, only because they look on it as a kind of Miracle, which they do not understand; and 'tis certain that those sort of People never despise any thing, but from the moment they begin to understand it: But, Madam, I find you so well disposed to comprehend all I have to say to you, that without further Preface, I need only draw the Curtain, and shew you the World.
From the Earth where we are, that which we see at the greatest distance from us, is that Azure Heaven, or that vast Vault, where the Stars are placed as so many Golden Nails, which are called fixt, because they seem to have no other motion, but that of their proper Sphere, which carries them along with it, from East to West, between the Earth and the last, or lowest Heaven; are hung at different heights, the Sun, the Moon, and five other Stars, which are called Planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. These Planets not being fixt to any one Sphere, and having unequal Motions, they are in different Aspects, one to another, and according as they are in conjunction, or at distance, they make different Figures; whereas the fixt Stars are always in the same Position, one towards another: As for Example, Charles's-Wain, or the Constellation of the Great Bear, which you see, and which consists of Seven Stars, has always been, and will still continue the same; but the Moon is sometimes near the Sun, and sometimes at a great distance from it, and so through all the rest of the Planets: It was in this manner that the Celestial Bodies appeared to the Ancient Chaldean Shepherds, whose great leisure produced these first Observations, which have since been so well improved; and upon which all Astronomy is founded: For Astronomy had its beginning in Chaldea, as Geometry was invented in Egypt, where the inundations of the River Nile, having confounded and removed the Limits and the Land-marks of the several Possessions of the Inhabitants, did prompt them to find out sure and exact Measures, by which every one might know his own Field from that of his Neighbours: So that Astronomy is the Daughter of Idleness, Geometry is the Child of Interest; and should we inquire into the Original of Poetry, we should in all appearance find, that it owes its beginning to Love.
I am extreamly glad, said the Marquiese, that I have learned the Genealogy of the Sciences, and I find that I must content my self with Astronomy, Geometry, according to what you have said, requiring a Soul more interested in worldly Concerns, than I am, and for Poetry, 'tis most proper for those of a more Amorous Inclination; but I have all the leisure and time to spare that Astronomy requires: Besides that I live now happily retired in the Fields and Groves, and lead a sort of Pastoral Life, so very agreeable to Astronomy. Do not deceive your self, Madam, said I; 'tis not a true Pastoral Life, to talk of Planets and fix'd Stars: Be pleased to consider, that the Shepherds in the Story of Astræa did not pass their time in that kind of divertisement; they had business of a softer, and more agreeable Nature. Oh, said she, the Life of the Pastorals of Astræa is too dangerous: I like that of the Chaldean Shepherds better, of whom you spoke but now: Go on with them, for I will hear nothing from you, but Chaldean: So soon as that Order, and these Motions of the Heavens were discovered, what was the next thing to be considered? The next thing, said I, was, to guess how the several parts of the Universe were to be disposed and ranged in order; and that is what the Learned call, The making a System: But before, Madam, I explain to you the first System, be pleased to observe, that we are all naturally made like a certain Athenian Fool, of whom you have heard; who fansied that all the Ships that came into the Port of Piraa, belonged to him; for we are so vain as to believe, that all this vast Frame of Nature was destined to our use: For if a Philosopher be asked, for what all this prodigious number of fixed Stars serve (since a very few would supply the business of the whole) he will tell you gravely, that they were made to please our sight. Upon this Principle, at first, Man believed, that the Earth was immoveably fixed in the Centre of the Universe, whilst all the Celestial Bodies (made only for her) were at the pains of turning continually round, to give Light to the Earth: And that it was therefore above the Earth, they placed the Moon; above the Moon, Mercury; then Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn; and above all, the Sphere of the fixed Stars: The Earth, according to this Opinion, was just in the middle of the several Circles, described by the Planets; and the greater these Circles were, the further they were distant from the Earth; and by consequence, they took a longer time in compleating their round; which is certainly true. I know not, said the Marquiese, why you should not approve of this Order of the Universe, which seems to be so clear and intelligible; for my part, I am extreamly pleased and satisfied with it. Madam, said I, without Vanity, I have very much softned and explained this System: Should I expose it to you such as it was first invented by its Author Ptolemy, or by those that have followed his Principles, it would frighten you: The motion of the Planets being irregular, they move sometimes fast, sometimes slow; sometimes towards one side, sometimes to another; at one time near the Earth, at another far from it. The Ancients did imagine I know not how many Circles, differently interwoven one with another; by which they fansy'd to themselves, they understood all the irregular Phænomena's, or Appearances in Nature. And the Confusion of these Circles was so great, that at that time, when men knew no better, a King of Arragon, a great Mathematician (not over devout) said, That if God had call'd him to his Council when he form'd the Universe, he could have given him good Advice. The thought was impious, yet 'tis odd to reflect, that the confusion of Ptolemy's System gave an occasion for the sin of that King: The good Advice he would have given, was, no doubt, for surpassing these different Circles, which had so embarrass'd the Celestial Motions; and, it may be also, with regard to the two or three superfluous Spheres, which they had plac'd above the fixed Stars. The Philosophers, to explain one kind of motion of the heavenly Bodies, did fansie a Sphere of Christal above that Heaven which we see, which set the inferior Heaven on motion; and if any one made a new discovery of any other Motion, they immediately made a new Sphere of Christal: in short, these Christalline Heavens cost them nothing. But why Spheres of Christal, said Madam la Marquiese? Would no other Substance serve? No, said I, Madam; for there was a necessity of their being transparent, that the Light might penetrate; as it was requisite for them to be solid Beams. Aristotle had found out, that Solidity was inherent in the Excellency of their Nature; and because he said it, no body would adventure to question the truth of it. 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