few that had so much as superficially perused it; but of those whom, I thought, had understood the same, not one; and moreover, I have enquired amongst the followers of the Peripatetick Doctrine, if ever any of them had held the contrary opinion, and likewise found none that had. Whereupon considering that there was no man who followed the opinion of Copernicus, that had not been first on the contrary side, and that was not very well acquainted with the reasons of Aristotle and Ptolomy; and, on the contrary, that there is not one of the followers of Ptolomy that had ever been of the judgment of Copernicus, and had left that, to imbrace this of Aristotle, considering, I say, these things, I began to think, that one, who leaveth an opinion imbued with his milk, and followed by very many, to take up another owned by very few, and denied by all the Schools, and that really seems a very great Paradox, must needs have been moved, not to say forced, by more powerful reasons. For this cause, I am become very curious to dive, as they say, into the bottom of this businesse, and account it my great good fortune that I have met you two, from whom I may without any trouble, hear all that hath been, and, haply, can be said on this argument, assuring my self that the strength of your reasons will resolve all scruples, and bring me to a certainty in this subject.
Simpl.But its possible your opinion and hopes may be disappointed, and that you may find your selves more at a losse in the end than you was at first.
Sagr.I am very confident that this can in no wise befal me.
Simpl.And why not? I have a manifest example in my self, that the farther I go, the more I am confounded.
Sagr.This is a sign that those reasons that hitherto seemed concluding unto you, and assured you in the truth of your opinion, begin to change countenance in your mind, and to let you by degrees, if not imbrace, at least look towards the contrary tenent; but I, that have been hitherto indifferent, do greatly hope to acquire rest and satisfaction by our future discourses, and you will not deny but I may, if you please but to hear what perswadeth me to this expectation.
Simpl.I will gladly hearken to the same, and should be no lesse glad that the like effect might be wrought in me.
Sagr.Favour me therefore with answering to what I shall ask you. And first, tell me, Simplicius, is not the conclusion, which we seek the truth of, Whether we ought to hold with Aristotle and Ptolomy, that the Earth onely abiding without motion in the Centre of the Universe, the Cœlestial bodies all move, or else, Whether the Starry Sphere and the Sun standing still in the Centre,the
