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Page 28
He had so possess'd the Minister with this Notion, that my arguing
against it was to no purpose. He told me one Day, That all the
Philosophers allow'd, nay, maintain'd, that both Animals, Vegetables,
and Minerals, were generated, grew, and were nourished, by the Spirit of
the World: A Quintessence partaking of all the Four Elements, tho' it
was no One, might be called Air, and was not; Fire, and was not Fire,
_&c._ That this Spirit was assisted by the Influence of the Planets,
and tended to the highest Perfection of Purity. That all Metals were
generated by the said Spirit, and differ'd from one another, but
according to the Purity or Impurity of the _Matrices_ which receiv'd it.
That as the Planets Influence was necessary, that of the Moon must,
as the nearest to the Earth, be the most efficacious: That as it was
visible to the Eye, the Moon was more depurated than the Earth; was
surrounded by a thinner Air, in which the Spirit of the World is more
abundant, and was nearer to the other Planets, he naturally concluded,
that it must abound in Gold Mines; and this Conclusion was strengthened
by the Mountains discernible in the Moon; and Mountains being mostly
rocky, afforded the purest _Matrice_ for the Universal Spirit; so that
it seem'd to him impossible, that any other Metal, less pure, could be
generated in that World. That such Metals, for their Use, were often
preferable to Gold, and that in denying my Descent from thence, I was in
Fact, doing an Injury to those I wish'd to serve, since by Intercourse
with those Inhabitants, both Worlds might find their Advantage.
I answered his Excellency, That I wished he might ever find his and
his Country's Good, in all his Undertakings, since I had so great
Obligations to both; but that what I had told him of my self was every
way consonant to Truth; that I was so far from being an Inhabitant of
the Moon, that I did not believe it habitable; and if it were, I did not
think a Voyage thither practicable, for Reasons I wou'd give the
Projector, whenever his Excellency would condescend to hear my
Objections and his Answers: That if he, after that, would persist in
the Undertaking, she should find me ready to sacrifice that Life in the
Attempt, which I held from his Goodness.
Well, _return'd he_, to morrow I will have him at my House, don't
fail being there at Dinner; I will be denied to every one else, and
hope his Reasons will convince you; for I have, I own, a greater
Opinion of your Veracity, in what relates to this Affair, than of
your Judgment.
The next Day I waited on his Excellency, where I found the Projector
mention'd. He began the Discourse, addressing himself to me, after the
usual Ceremonies.
"I am sorry, _said he_, to find what I propos'd meet with any
Objection from one whose Penetration makes me fear some Obstacle
considerable, which has escaped my Scrutiny. However, if I have
the Mortification to have my Views baffled, yet shall I reap
the Advantage of being instructed in what I am ignorant of. His
Excellency has commanded me to lay before you what my Reasons are,
for supposing the Moon an inhabited Globe. I shall therefore, with
all possible Brevity, obey his Excellency's Commands. I shall not
name the ancient Sages, both of this and the neighbouring Nations,
who have been of the same Opinion, because I have already cited them
in my Memorial; but shall first offer you some Principles on which I
have, beside the Authorities mention'd, founded my own.
"First, I esteem the Moon an opaque solid Body, as is our Earth, and
consequently adapted for the Entertainment and Nourishment of its
Inhabitants. Now, that it is a solid Body, is evident by the
Repercussion of the Light which it receives from the Sun."
"Sir, _said I_, you are here begging the Question; for it is
possible, that the Moon of itself is a luminous Body; and I am
apt to believe it such for this Reason: Its Light is seen in more
than one Place at a time, whereas a Body which gives a Light by
Reflection only, that Light is perceivable in that Point alone,
where the Angle of Reflection is equal to that of Incidence."
He answer'd,
My Objection did not hold good in regard to a Body whose Surface is
rugged and uneven, as is that of the Moon. That it is an opaque and
solid Body, is visible by the Eclipses of the Sun; for a pellucid
Body could not deprive us of the Light of that glorious Planet. That
the Moon does eclipse the Sun in the same manner as our Earth
eclipses the Moon (as all know it does) makes me conclude these two
Bodies of a Nature, since the like Interposition produces the like
Effect. When I say they are of a Nature, I mean opaque, which to
prove, I argue thus: If this Planet be of it self luminous, it must
appear much brighter when eclips'd in its _perig�e_, or nearest
Distance from the Earth, and its Light must be less consequently
when in its _Apog�e_, or greatest Distance from it; for the nearer a
luminous Body approaches the Eye, the stronger Impression it makes
upon the Sight. Beside, the Shadow of the Earth, had the Moon any
innate and peculiar Light, cou'd not obscure it, but, on the
contrary, would render it more conspicuous, as is evident to Reason.
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