We have before ſhow’d the neceſſary Dependence and Connexion, not only of Geometry and Arithmetick, but of Mechanical Arts and Inſtruments with this Science. This leads [[71]]us naturally to the Enquiry how they can uſe theſe Inſtruments and Engines for the Obſervation of the Stars, how they can write down ſuch their Obſervations, and perform other Things which we do with our Hands. So that we muſt neceſſarily give them They have Hands. Hands, or ſome other Member, as convenient for all those Uſes, inſtead of them. One of the ancient Philoſophers laid ſuch Streſs upon the Uſe and Conveniency of the Hands, that he made no ſcruple to affirm, they were the Cauſe and Foundation of all our Knowledge. By which, I ſuppoſe, he meant no more, than that without their Help and Aſſiſtance Men could never arrive to the Improvement of their Minds in natural Knowledge: And indeed not without Reaſon. For ſuppoſe inſtead of them they had had Hoofs like Horſes or Bullocks given them, they might have laid indeed the Model and Deſign of Cities and Houſes in their Head, but they would never have been able to have built them. They would have had no Subject of Diſcourſe but what belong’d to their [[72]]Victuals, Marriages, or Self-preſervation. They would have been void of all Knowledge and Memory, and indeed would have been but one degree diſtant from brute Beaſts. What could we invent or imagine that could be ſo exactly accommodated to all the deſign’d Uſes as the Hands are? Elephants can lay hold of, or throw any thing with their Proboſcis, can take up even the ſmalleſt Things from the Ground, and can perform ſuch ſurpriſing Things with it, that it has not very improperly been call’d their Hand, tho’ indeed it is nothing but a Noſe ſomewhat longer than ordinary. Nor do Birds ſhow leſs Art and Deſign in the Uſe of their Bills in the picking up their Meat, and the wonderful Compoſure of their Neſts. But all this is nothing to thoſe Conveniences the Hand is ſo admirably ſuited to; nothing to that amazing Contrivance in its Capacity of being ſtretched, or contracted, or turned to any Part as Occaſion ſhall require. And then, to paſs by that nice Senſe that the Ends of the Fingers are endued with, even to the feeling and [[73]]diſtinguiſhing moſt ſorts of Bodies in the Dark, what Wiſdom and Art is ſhow’d in the Diſpoſition of the Thumb and Fingers, ſo as to take up or keep faſt hold of any Thing we pleaſe? Either then the Planetary Inhabitants muſt have Hands, or ſomewhat equally convenient, which it is not eaſy to conceive; or elſe we muſt ſay that Nature has been kinder not only to us, but even to Squirrels and Monkeys than them.
And Feet. That they have Feet alſo ſcarce any one can doubt, that does but conſider what we ſaid but juſt now of Animals different Ways of going along, which it’s hard to imagine can be perform’d any other ways than what we there recounted. And of all thoſe, there’s none can agree ſo well with the ſtate of the Planetary Inhabitants, as that that we here make uſe of. Except (what is not very probable, if they live in Society, as I ſhall ſhow they do) they have found out the Art of flying in ſome of thoſe Worlds.
That they are upright. The Stature and Shape of Men here does ſhow forth the Divine Providence [[74]]ſo much in its being ſo fitly adapted to its deſign’d Uſes, that it is not without reaſon that all the Philoſophers have taken notice of it, nor without Probability that the Planetary Inhabitants have their Eyes and Countenance upright, like us, for the more convenient and eaſy Contemplation and Obſervations of the Stars. For if the Wiſdom of the Creator is ſo obſervable, ſo Praiſe-worthy in the Poſition of the other Members; in the convenient Situation of the Eyes, as Watches in the higher Region of the Body; in the removing of the more uncomely Parts out of ſight as ’twere, we cannot but think he has almoſt obſerved the ſame Method in the Bodies of thoſe remote Inhabitants. Nor It follows not therefore that they have the ſame Shape with us. does it follow from hence that they muſt be of the ſame Shape with us. For there is ſuch an infinite poſſible variety of Figures to be imagined, that both the Structure of their whole Bodies, and every part of them, both outſide and inſide, may be quite different from ours. How warmly and conveniently are ſome Creatures cloth’d with [[75]]Wool, and how finely are others decked and adorn’d with Feathers? Perhaps among the rational Creatures in the Planets there may ſome ſuch diſtinction be obſerv’d in their Garb and Covering; a Thing in which Beaſts ſeem to excel Men in here. Unleſs perhaps Men are born naked, for this reaſon to put them upon employing and exerciſing their Wits, in the inventing and making that Attire that Nature had made neceſſary for them. And ’tis this Neceſſity that has been the greateſt, if not only occaſion of all the Trade and Commerce, of all the Mechanical Inventions and Diſcoveries that we are Maſters of. Beſides, Nature might have another great Conveniency in her Eye, by bringing Men into the World naked, namely, that they might accommodate themſelves to all places of the World, and go thicker or thinner cloth’d, according as the Seaſon and Climate they liv’d in requir’d. There may ſtill be conceived a greater difference between us and the Inhabitants of the Planets; for there are ſome ſort of Animals, ſuch [[76]]as Oyſters, Lobſters, and Crab-fiſh, whoſe Fleſh is on the inſide of their Bones as ’twere. But that which hinders me from aſcribing ſuch a kind of Frame and Compoſition to the Planetary Inhabitants, is that Nature ſeems to have done it only in a few of the meaneſt Sort of Creatures, and that hereby they would be deprived of that quick eaſy motion of their Hands and Fingers, which is ſo uſeful and neceſſary to them, otherwiſe I ſhould not be much affected with the odd Shape and Figure.
A rational Soul may inhabit another Shape than ours. For ’tis a very ridiculous Opinion, that the common People have got, that ’tis impoſſible a rational Soul ſhould dwell in any other Shape than ours. And yet as ſilly as ’tis, it has been the occaſion of many Philoſophers allowing the Gods no other Shape; nay, the Foundation of a Sect among the Chriſtians, that from hence have the Name of Anthropomorphites. This can proceed from nothing but the Weakneſs, Ignorance, and Prejudice of Men; the ſame as that other concerning humane Shape, that it is [[77]]the handſomeſt and moſt excellent of all others, when indeed it’s nothing but a being accuſtomed to that Figure that makes us think ſo, and a Conceit that we and all other Animals naturally have, that no Shape or Colour can be ſo good as our own. Yet ſo powerful are theſe, that were we to meet with a Creature of a much different Shape from Man, with Reaſon and Speech, we ſhould be much ſurpriſed and ſhocked at the Sight. For if we try to imagine or paint a Creature like a Man in every Thing elſe, but that has a Neck four times as long, and great round Eyes five or ſix times as big, and farther diſtant, we cannot look upon’t without the utmoſt Averſion, altho’ at the ſame time we can give no account of our Diſlike.
The Planetarians not leſs than we. When I juſt now mentioned the Stature of the Planetary Inhabitants, I hinted that ’twas improbable they ſhould be leſs than we are. For it’s likely, that as our Bodies are made in ſuch a proportion to our Earth, as to render us capable of travelling about it, and making Obſervations [[78]]upon its Bulk and Figure, the ſame Order is obſerv’d in the Inhabitants of the other Planets, unleſs in this Particular alſo, which is very conſiderable, we would prefer our ſelves to all others. Then ſeeing we have before allow’d them Aſtronomy and Obſervations, we muſt give them Bodies and Strength ſufficient for the ruling their Inſtruments, and the erecting their Tubes and Engines. And for this the larger they are the better. For if we ſhould ſuppoſe them Dwarfs not above the Bigneſs of Rats or Mice, they could neither make ſuch Obſervations as are requiſite; nor ſuch Inſtruments as are neceſſary to thoſe Obſervations. Therefore we muſt ſuppoſe them larger than, or at leaſt equal to, our ſelves, eſpecially in Jupiter and Saturn, which are ſo vaſtly bigger than the Planet which we inhabit.
They live in Society. Aſtronomy, we ſaid before, could never ſubſiſt without the writing down the Obſervations: Nor could the Art of Writing (any more than the Arts of Carpenters and Founders) ever be found out except in a Society [[79]]of reaſonable Creatures, where the Neceſſities of Life forc’d them upon Invention: So that it follows from hence, (as was before ſaid) that the Planetary Inhabitants muſt in this be like us, that they maintain a Society and Fellowſhip with, and afford mutual Aſſiſtances and Helps to one another. Hereupon we muſt allow them a ſettled, not a wandring Scythian way of living, as more convenient for Men in ſuch Circumſtances. But what follows from hence? Muſt they not have every thing elſe proper for ſuch a manner of living granted them too? Muſt they not have their Governours, Houſes, Cities, Trade and Bartering? Why ſhould they not, when even the barbarous People of America and other Places were at their firſt Diſcovery found to have ſomewhat of that nature in uſe among them. I don’t ſay, that Things muſt be the ſame there as they are here. We have many that may very well be ſpared among rational Creatures, and were deſign’d only for the preſervation of Society from all Injury, and for the curbing of thoſe [[80]]Men who make an ill uſe of their Reaſon to the Detriment of others. Perhaps in the Planets they have ſuch plenty and affluence of all good Things, as they neither need or deſire to ſteal from one another; perhaps they may be ſo juſt and good as to be at perpetual Peace, and never to lie in wait for, or take away the Life of their Neighbour: perhaps they may not know what Anger or Hatred are; and if ſo, they muſt be much happier than we. But it’s more likely they have ſuch a mixture of Good with Bad, of Wiſe with Fools, of War with Peace, and want not that School-miſtreſs of Arts Poverty. For, as was before ſhown, ſome good uſe may be made of theſe things, but if not, there is no Reaſon why we ſhould prefer their Condition to our own.
They enjoy the Pleaſures of Society. What I am now going to ſay may ſeem ſomewhat more bold, and yet is not leſs likely than the former. For if theſe Nations in the Planets live in Society, as I have pretty well ſhow’d they do, ’tis ſomewhat more than probable that they enjoy not only the [[81]]Profit, but the Pleaſures ariſing from Society: ſuch as Converſation, Amours, Jeſting, and Shews. Otherwiſe we ſhould make them live without Diverſion or Merriment; we ſhould deprive them of the great Sweetneſs of Life, which it can’t well be without, and give our ſelves ſuch an Advantage over them as Reaſon will by no means admit of.
But to proceed to a farther Enquiry into their Buſineſs and Employment, let’s conſider what we have not yet mention’d, wherein they may bear any Likeneſs to us. And firſt we have good Reaſon to believe they build themſelves Houſes, becauſe we are ſure they are not without their Showers. For in Jupiter have been obſerved Clouds, big no doubt with Vapours and Water, which hath been proved by many other Arguments, not to be wanting in that Planet. They have Rain then, for otherwiſe how could all the Vapours drawn up by the Heat of the Sun be diſpoſed of? And Winds, for they are cauſed only by Vapours diſſolved by Heat, and it’s [[82]]plain that they blow in Jupiter by the continual Motion and Variety of the They have Houſes to ſecure ’em from Weather. Clouds about him. To protect themſelves from theſe, and that they may paſs their Nights in Quiet and Safety, they muſt build themſelves Tents or Huts, or live in Holes of the Earth. But why may we not ſuppoſe the Planetary Inhabitants to be as good Architects, have as noble Houſes, and as ſtately Palaces as our ſelves? Unleſs we think that every Thing which belongs to our ſelves is the moſt beautiful and perfect that can be. And who are we, but a few that live in a little Corner of the World, upon a Ball ten Thouſand times leſs than Jupiter or Saturn? And yet we muſt be the only skilful People at Building; and all others muſt be our Inferiours in the Knowledge of uniform Symetry; and not be able to raiſe Towers and Pyramids as high, magnificent, and beautiful, as our ſelves. For my part, I ſee no reaſon why they may not be as great Maſters as we are, and have the Uſe of all thoſe Arts ſubſervient to it, as Stone-cutting and Brick-making, [[83]]and whatſoever elſe is neceſſary for it, as Iron, Lead and Glaſs; or ornamental to it, as Gilding and Picture.
If their Globe is divided like ours, into Sea and Land, as it’s evident it is (elſe whence could all thoſe Vapours in Jupiter proceed?) we have great Reaſon to allow them the Art of Navigation, and not vainly ingroſs ſo great, ſo uſeful a Thing to our ſelves. Eſpecially conſidering the great Advantages Jupiter and Saturn have for Sailing, in having ſo many Moons to direct their Courſe, by whoſe Guidance they may attain eaſily to the Knowledge that we are not Maſters of, of the Longitude of Places. And what a Multitude of other Things follow from this Allowance? If they have Ships, they muſt have Sails and Anchors, Ropes, Pullies, and Rudders, which are of particular Uſe in directing a Ship’s Courſe againſt the Wind, and in ſailing different Ways with the ſame Gale. And perhaps they may not be without the Uſe of the Compaſs too, for the magnetical Matter, which continually paſſes thro’ the Pores of our Earth, [[84]]is of ſuch a Nature, that it’s very probable the Planets have ſomething like They have Navigation, and all Arts ſubſervient. it. But there’s no doubt but that they muſt have the Mechanical Arts and Aſtronomy, without which Navigation can no more ſubſiſt, than they can without Geometry.
But Geometry ſtands in no need of being prov’d after this manner. Nor doth it want Aſſiſtance from other Arts which depend upon it, but we may have a nearer and ſhorter Aſſurance of their not being without it in thoſe Earths. For that Science is of ſuch ſingular Worth and Dignity, ſo peculiarly imploys the Underſtanding, and gives it ſuch a full Comprehenſion and infallible As Geometry. certainty of Truth, as no other Knowledge can pretend to: it is moreover of ſuch a Nature, that its Principles and Foundations muſt be ſo immutably the ſame in all Times and Places, that we cannot without Injuſtice pretend to monopolize it, and rob the reſt of the Univerſe of ſuch an incomparable Study. Nay Nature it ſelf invites us to be Geometricians; it preſents us with Geometrical [[85]]Figures, with Circles and Squares, with Triangles, Polygones, and Spheres, and propoſes them as it were to our Conſideration and Study, which abſtracting from its Uſefulneſs, is moſt delightful and raviſhing. Who can read Euclid, or Apollonius, about the Circle, without Admiration? Or Archimedes of the Surface of the Sphere, and Quadrature of the Parabola without Amazement? or conſider the late ingenious Diſcoveries of the Moderns with Boldneſs and Unconcernedneſs? And all theſe Truths are as naked and open, and depend upon the ſame plain Principles and Axioms in Jupiter and Saturn as here, which makes it not improbable that there are in the Planets ſome who partake with us in theſe delightful and pleaſant Studies. But what’s the greateſt Argument with me, that there are ſuch, is their Uſe, I had almoſt ſaid Neceſſity, in moſt Affairs of humane Life. Now we are got thus far, what if we ſhould venture ſomewhat farther, and ſay, that they have our Inventions of the Tables of Sines, of Logarithms, and [[86]]Algebra? I know it would ſound very odd, and perhaps a little ridiculous, and yet there’s no reaſon but the thinking our ſelves better than all the World, to hinder them from being as happy in their Diſcoveries, and as ingenious in their Inventions as we our ſelves are.