Con gli occhi alzati contemplando intorno, HI. JERUS. Cant. xviii. St. 12, 13. Ignorance The Knowledge of the Syftem of the World has delivered us from Effects the Apprehenfions which Ignorance occafions; can we recal without which the Compaffion, the Stupidity of thofe People, who believed that by making of the Syfa great Noise when the Moon was eclipsed, this Goddess received Relief tem of the from her Sufferances, or that Eclipfes were produced by Inchantments (a)? produced. Cum fruftra refonant Era auxiliaria Luna. Met. iv. 333. Tib. El. 8. World has ed the Er The Knowledge of the Syftem of the World has diffipated the Errors of The KnowAftrology, by whofe foolish Predictions Mankind had been fo long abufed. ledge of the Syftem of The Adventure of 1186, fhould have covered with Shame the Aftrologers the World of Europe; they were all, Chriftians, Jews and Arabians, united to has diffipat anounce, feven Years before, by Letters published throughout Europe, rors of a Conjunction of all the Planets, which would be attended with fuch Aftrology. terrible Ravages, that a general Diffolution of Nature was much to be dreaded, so that nothing less than the End of the World was expected: this Year notwithstanding paffed as others. But a hundred Lies, each as well attefted, would not be fufficient to wain ignorant and credulous Men from the Prejudices of their Infancy. It was neceffary that a Spirit of Philosophy, and Research, fhould fpread itself among Mankind, open their Understandings, unveil the Limits of Nature, and accustom them not to be terrified without Examination, and without Proof. IV. The Comets, as it is well known, were one of the great Objects of Terror which the Knowledge of the Syftem of the World has, in fine, (a) Seneca, Hipolit. 787. Tacit. Ann. Plutarch in Pericle, et de defectu Oraculorum. The Know ledge of the Syftem of the World ufeful in greatest Im portance to thefe King doms. removed. It is not without Concern we find fuch strange Prejudices in Qual colle chiome fanguinoje borende, JERUS. Lib. 7. St. 52. The Charms of Poetry are actually employed in a Manner more philofophical and useful, witness the following fine Passage. Cometes que l'on craint à legal du tonnerre, Thus the profound Study of the Syftem of the World has diffipated abfurd Prejudices, and re-established human Reason in its inalienable Rights. V. To the Knowledge of the Syftem of the World, are owing the Improvements in Cofmography, Geography, and Navigation; the Obfervation of the Height of the Pole, taught Men that the Earth was round, the Eclipfes of the Moon taught how to determine the Longitudes of Geography the different Countries of the World, or their mutual Distances from and Naviga tion, and Eaft to Weft. The Discovery of the Satellites of Jupiter, has contriconfequent buted more effectually to improve geographical or marine Charts, than ly of the ten thousand Years Navigation; and when their Theory will be better known, the Method of Longitudes will be ftill more exact and more eafy. The Extent of the Mediterranean was almoft unknown in 1600, and To-Day, is as exactly determined as that of England or Ireland. By it the new World was difcovered. Chriftopher Columbus had a more intimate Knowledge of the Sphere, than any Man of his Time, fince it gave him that Certainty, and infpired him with that Confidence with which he directed his Courfe towards the Weft, certain to rejoin by the Eaft the Continent of Afia, or to find a new one. And nothing feems to be wished for, to render Navigation more perfect and fecure, but a Method for finding with Eafe, the Longitude at Sea, which is now obtained by the Means of the Moon: And if the Navigators of this Kingdom were initiated in Aftronomy, by able Teachers, as is practifed in other Parts of Europe, their Eftimation would approach within twenty Miles of the Truth, whilft in ordinary Voyages, the Uncertainty amounts to more than three hundred Leagues, by which the Lives and Fortunes of Thousands are endangered. The Utility therefore of the Marine to thofe Kingdoms, where Empire, Power, Commerce, even Peace and War, are decided at Sea, proves that of the Knowledge of the Syftem of the World. VI. the Kalen The actual State of the Laws, and of the ecclefiaftical Adminiftra- The Refor tion, is effentially connected with the Syftem of the World; St. Au- mation of guftine recommended the Study of it particularly for this Reafon; St. dar dependHyppolite applied himself to it, as alfo many Fathers of the Church, ed on it. notwithstanding our Kalendar was in fuch a State of Imperfection, that the Jews and Turks were astonished at our Ignorance. Nicholas V, Leon X, &c. had formed a Design of re-establishing Order in the Kalendar, but there were at that Time no Philofophers, whofe Reputation merited fufficient Confidence. Gregory the XIIIth, governed at a Time when the Sciences began to be cultivated, and he alone had the Honour of this Reformation. VII. Agriculture borrowed formerly from the Motions of the celeftial Is ufeful in Bodies, its Rules and its Indications; Job, Hefiod, Varro, Eudoxus, Agriculture Aratus, Ovid, Pliny, Columella, Manilius, furnish a thousand Proofs of it. The Pleyades, Arcturus, Orion, Syrius, gave to Greece and Egypt the Signal of the different Works; the rifing of Syrius anounced to the Greeks the Harvest; to the Egyptians the overflowing of the Nile. The Kalendar answers this Purpofe actualy. VIII. Ancient Chronology deduces from the Knowledge and Calculation of Is the Foun Eclipfes, the most fixed Points which can be found, and in remote Times dation of Chronology we find but Obfcurity. The Chinese Chronology is entirely founded upon Eclipfes, and we would have no Uncertainty in the ancient History of Nations as to the Dates, if there were always Philofophers. (See the Art of verifying Dates.) IX. of measur ing Time. It is from the Syftem of the World we borrow the Division of Time, Furnishes and the Art of regulating Clocks and Watches; and it may be faid, the Means that the Order and Multitude of our Affairs, our Duties, our Amusements, our Tafte, for Exactness and Precifion, our Habitudes have rendered this Measure of Time almost indifpenfable, and has placed it in the Number of the Neceffaries of Life; if inftead of Clocks and Watches, Meridians and folar Dials are traced, it is an Advantage that the Knowledge of the System of the World has procured us, Dial Is useful in Cultivated World. ling being the Application of fpherical Trigonometry; a Projection of the Sphere upon a Plane, or a Section of a Cone, according to the Forms given to a Dial. X. The Knowledge of the Changes of the Air, Winds, Rain, dry Weather, Motions of the Thermometer, Barometer, have certainly an effential and immediate Relation with the Health of the human Body; the Knowledge of the Syftem of the World will be of fenfible Utility, when, by repeated Obfervations, the phyfical Influences of the Sun and Moon upon the Atmosphere, and the Revolutions which refult will be dif covered. Galen advises the Sick not to call to their Affistance Phyficians, who are not acquainted with the Motions of the celeftial Bodies, because Remedies given at unfeasonable Times are useless or hurtful, and the ableft Physicians of our Days are convinced, that the Attractions which elevate the Waters of the Ocean twice a Day, influence the State of the Atmosphere, and that the Crisis and Paroxisms of Disorders correfpond with the Situation of the Moon in refpect of the Equator, Syfigies, and Apfides. See Mead, Hofman, &c. XI. Thofe Advantages which refult from the Knowledge of the Syftem of in all Ages the World, has caufed it to be cultivated and held in fingular Efteem by by all the civilized Na all the civilized People of the Earth. The ancient Kings of Perfia, tions of the and the Priests of Egypt, were always chofen amongst the most expert in this Science. The Kings of Lacedemon had always Philofophers in their Council. Alexander was always accompanied by them in his military Expeditions, and Ariftotle gave him ftrict Charge to do nothing without their Advice. It is well known how much Ptolemeus the fecond King of Egypt, encouraged this Science; in his Time flourished Hyparchus, Calimachus, Apollonius, Aratus, Bion, Theocrites, Conon. Julius Cafar was very curious in making Experiments and Obfervations, as it appears by the Difcourfe which Lucan makes him hold with Achore Priest of Egypt, at the Feast of Cleopatra. Has been the favorite Study of great Princes. The Emperor Tiberius applied himself to the Study of the Syftem of the World, as Suetonius relates; the Emperor Claudius forefaw there would be an Eclipfe the Day of his Anniverfary, and fearing it might occafion Commotions at Rome, he ordered an Advertisement to be published, in which he explains the Circumftances, and the Causes of this Phenomenon. It was cultivated particularly by the Emperors Adrian and Severus, by Charlemagne, by Leon V, Emperor of Conflantinople, by Alphonfo X, King of Caftile, by Frederick II, Emperor of the Weft, by Calife Almamon, the Prince Ulubeigh, and many other Monarchs of Afia. Among the Heroes who alfo cultivated it, are reckoned Mahomet II, Conqueror of the Greek Empire; the Emperor Charles V, and Lewis XIV. In fine, the Establishments of different Philofophical Societies in England, Scotland, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Ruffia, &c. have given the Monarchs, Nobility, and Gentry of those Countries, a Taste for the more refined Pleasures attending the Study of the Sciences, and particularly of the System of the World, an Example worthy to be imitated by thofe of this Kingdom. established Befides those renowned Societies which have all contributed to the Schools Progress of every Branch of human Knowledge, and particularly of the in the difSyftem of the World, there has been established in the different Parts of ferent Parts Europe public Schools, conducted by Men of fuperior Talents and Abi- of Europe lities, who make it their Business to guide and inftruct the young No- ing young bility and Gentry in this noble Science, and furnish those who difcover Noblemen fingular Difpofitions with every Means of Improvement. for inftruct and Gentle men of For Syftem of An illuftrious Englishman, Henry Saville, founded in the University of tune in what Oxford two Schools, which have been of vaft Utility to England; the regards the Masters have been Men all eminent in this Science, John Bainbridge in the World. 1619, John Greaves in 1643, Seth Ward, Chriftopher Wren, Edward Foundation Bernard in 1673, David Gregory in 1691, Briggs, Wallis, and J. Caf- of Henry well in 1708, Keill in 1712, Hornsby, &c. Saville. The Schools established at Cambridge, among whofe Masters were FoundaBarrow, Newton, Cotes, Wiflon, Smyth, and Long, all celebrated Aftro- tions of nomers. Lownds and Lucas. The School of Gresham at Bishops-Gate in London, which has effen- College of tially contributed to the Progrefs of Aftronomy; among the Masters of Gretham. this School were Doctor Hook, and other eminent Men. cal School The Royal mathematical School at Chrift's-Hofpital, where Hodgson, Mathemati Robertfon, &c. have bred up a great Number of expert Navigators and of Chrift's Aftronomers. Hofpital. The Schools of Edinburgh, Glafgow, and Aberdeen, are known all Mathemati over Europe; the Nobility, and Gentlemen of Fortune of Scotland, fu- cal Schools perintending them, and taking every Method of encouraging both Maf- in Scotland. ters and Students to Affiduity and Attention, to go through their respective Tasks with Alacrity and Spirit; the Names of Gregory, M'Laurin, Stuart, Simpson, &c. the famous Masters, will never be forgotten. * He ordered the Works of Ptolemey to be tranflated into Latin, and publickly to be taught at Naples. |