THE
Celeſtial Worlds
DISCOVER’D:

OR,
CONJECTURES
Concerning the
INHABITANTS,
Plants and Productions
OF THE
Worlds in the Planets.

Written in Latin by
CHRISTIANUS HUYGENS,
And inſcrib’d to his Brother
CONSTANTINE HUYGENS
Late Secretary to his Majeſty King William.

The Second Edition, Corrected and Enlarged.
LONDON:
Printed for James Knapton, at the Crown in St. Paul’s Church-Yard. Mdccxxii.

[[iii]]

TO THE
READER.

This Book was juſt finiſhed, and deſigned for the Preſs, when the Author, to the great loſs of the Learned World, was ſeized by a Diſeaſe that brought him to his Death. However he took care in his laſt Will of its Publication, deſiring his Brother, to whom it was writ, to take that Trouble upon him. But he was ſo taken up with Buſineſs and Removals, (as being Secretary in Holland to the King of Great Britain) that he could find no time for it till a Year after the Death of the Author: When it ſo fell out, that the Printers being ſomewhat tardy, and this Gentleman dying, the Book was left without either Father or Guardian. Yet it [[iv]]now ventures into the Publick, in the ſame Method that it was writ by the Author, and with the ſame Inſcription to his Brother, tho’ dead; in confidence that this laſt Piece of his will meet with as kind a Reception from the World as all the other Works of that Author have. ’Tis true there are not every where Mathematical Demonſtrations; but where they are wanting, you have probable and ingenious Conjectures, which is the moſt that can be reaſonably expected in ſuch matters. What belongs to, or has any thing to do with Aſtronomy, you will ſee demonſtrated, and the reſt ingeniouſly and ſhrewdly gueſs’d at, from the Affinity and Relation of the heavenly Bodies to the Earth. For your farther Satisfaction read on, and farewel. [[v]]

THE
PUBLISHER
TO THE
READER.

I Doubt not but I ſhall incur the Cenſures of learned Men for putting this Book into Engliſh, becauſe, they’ll ſay, it renders Philoſophy cheap and vulgar, and, which is worſe, furniſhes a ſort of injudicious People with a ſmattering of Notions, which being not able to make a proper uſe of, they pervert to the Injury of Religion and Science. I confeſs the Allegation is too true: but after Biſhop Wilkins, Dr. Burnet, Mr. Whiſton and others, to ſay nothing of the ancient Philoſophers, who wrote in their own [[vi]]Tongues; I ſay, after theſe great Authors have treated on as learned and abſtruſe Subjects in the ſame Language, I hope their Example will be allowed a ſufficient excuſe for printing this Book in Engliſh.

Concerning this Edition I can ſay, that I have taken care to have the Cutts exactly done, and have placed each Figure at the Page of the Book that refers to it, which I take to be more convenient to the Reader than putting them all at the End.

I have been careful to procure the beſt Paper, that I might in ſome meaſure come up to the Beauty of the Latin Edition, though this bear but half the Price of it.

And I hope the Tranſlator has expreſſed the Author’s Senſe aright, and has not committed Faults beyond what an ingenuous Reader can pardon. [[1]]

NEW
CONJECTURES
Concerning the
Planetary Worlds,
THEIR
INHABITANTS
AND
PRODUCTIONS.

Written by Christianus Huygens,
and inſcribed to his Brother
Constantine Huygens.