The discovery of a world in the moone

by John Wilkins

I answer, 1. This may, perhaps, be remedied (as it is under the line) by the frequencie of mid-day showers, which may cloud their Sunne, and coole their earth: 2. The equality of their nights doth much temper the scorching of the day, and the extreme cold that comes from the one, require some space before it can be dispelled by the other, so that the heate spending a great while before it can have the victory, hath not afterwards much time to rage in. Wherfore notwithstanding this, yet that place may remaine habitable. And this was the opinion of the Cardinal de Cusa, when speaking of this Planet, he saies, De doct. ign. l. 2. c. 12. Hic locus Mundi est habitatio hominum & animalium atque vegetabilium.

This part of the world is inhabited by men and beasts, and Plantes.

To him assented Campanella, but hee cannot determine whether there were men, or rather some other kinde of creatures. If they were men, then he thinkes they could not be infected with Adams sinne; yet, perhaps, they had some of their owne, which might make them liable to the same misery with us, out of which, perhaps, they were delivered by the same means as we, the death of Christ, and thus he thinkes that place of the Ephesians may be interpreted, where the Apostle saies, Eph. 1. 10. God gathered all things together in Christ, both which are in earth, and which are in the heavens: So also that of the same Apostle to the Colossians, where hee saies, Col. 1. 20. that it pleased the Father to reconcile all things unto himselfe by Christ, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

But I dare not jest with Divine truthes, or apply these places according as fancy directs. As I thinke this opinion doth not any where contradict Scripture, so I thinke likewise, that it cannot be proved from it, wherefore Campanella’s second conjecture may be more probable, that the inhabitants of that world, are not men as wee are, but some other kinde of creatures which beare some proportion and likenesse to our natures, and Cusanus too thinkes they differ from us in many respects; I will set downe his words as they may bee found in the abovecited place, Suspicamus in regione solis magis esse solares, claros & illuminatos intellectuares habitatores, spiritu aliores etiam quam in lunâ, ubi magis lunatici, & in terra, magis materiales, & grossi, ut illi intellectualis naturæ solares sint multum in actu & parum in potentia; terreni vero magis in potentia, & parum in actu, lunares in medio fluctuantes. Hoc quidem opinamur ex influentia ignili solis aquatica simul & aeria lunæ, & gravedine materiali terræ, & consimiliter de aliis stellarum regionibus suspicantes, nullam habitatoribus carêre, quasi tot sint partes particulares mundiales omnius universi, quot sunt stellæ quarum non est numerus, nisi apud eum qui omnia in numero creavit.

Wee may conjecture (saith he) the inhabiters of the Sunne are like to the nature of that Planet, more cleare and bright, more intellectuall and spirituall than those in the Moone where they are neerer to the nature of that duller Planet, and those of the earth being more grosse and materiall than either, so that these intellectuall natures in the Sun, are more forme than matter, those in the earth more matter than forme, and those in the Moone betwixt both. This wee may guesse from the fiery influence of the Sunne, the watery and aereous influence of the Moone, as also the matereall heavinesse of the earth. In some such manner likewise is it with the regions of the other Starres, for wee conjecture that none of them are without inhabitants, but that there are so many particular worlds and parts of this one universe, as there are Stars which are innumerable, unlesse it bee to him who created all things in number.

For he held that the stars were not all in one equall Orbe as we commonly suppose, but that some were farre higher than others which made them appeare lesse and that many others were so farre above any of these, that they were altogether invisible unto us. An opinion (which as I conceive) hath not any great probability for it, nor certainty against it.

The Priest of Saturne relating to Plutarch (as he faignes it) the nature of the Selenites, told him they were of divers dispositions, some desiring to live in the lower parts of the Moone, where they might looke downewards upon us, while others were more surely mounted aloft, all of them shining like the rayes of the Sun, and as being victorious are crowned with garlands made with the wings of Eustathia or Constancie.

It hath beene the opinion amongst some of the Ancients, that their Heavens and Elysian fields were in the Moone where the aire is most quiet and pure. Thus Socrates, thus Plato, Nat. Com. lib. 3. c. 19. with his followers, did esteeme this to bee the place where those purer soules inhabit, who are freed from the Sepulchre, and contagion of the body. And by the Fable of Ceres, continually wandring in search of her daughter Proserpina, is meant nothing else but the longing desire of men, who live upon Ceres earth, to attaine a place in Proserpina, the Moone or Heaven.

Plutarch also seemes to assent unto this, but hee thinkes moreover, that there are two places of happinesse answerable to those two parts which hee fancies to remaine of a man when hee is dead, the soule and the understanding; the soule he thinkes is made of the Moone, and as our bodies doe so proceede from the dust of this earth, that they shall returne to it hereafter, so our soules were generated out of that Planet, and shall bee resolved into it againe, whereas the understanding shall ascend unto the Sunne, out of which it was made where it shall possesse an eternity of well being, and farre greater happinesse than that which is enjoyed in the Moone. So that when a man dies, if his soule bee much polluted, then must it wander up and downe in the middle regions of the aire where hell is, and there suffer unspeakable torments for those sinnes whereof it is guilty. Whereas the soules of better men, when they have in some space of time beene purged from that impurity which they did derive from the body, then doe they returne into the Moone, where they are possest with such a joy, as those men feele who professe holy misteries, from which place (saith he) some are sent downe to have the superintendance of Oracles, being diligent either in the preservation of the good, either from or in all perils, and the prevention or punishment of all wicked actions, but if in these imployments they mis-behave themselves, then are they againe to be imprisoned in a body, otherwise they remaine in the Moone till their body be resolved into it, & the understanding being cleared from all impediments, ascends to the Sunne which is its proper place. But this requires a diverse space of time according to the diverse affections of the soule. As for those who have beene retired and honest, addicting themselves to a studious and quiet life, these are quickly preferred to a higher happinesse. But as for such who have busied themselves in many broyles, or have beene vehement in the prosecution of any lust, as the ambitious, the amorous, the wrathfull man, these still retaine the glimpses and dreames of such things as they have performed in their bodies, which makes them either altogether unfit to remaine there where they are, or else keepes them long ere they can put off their soules. Thus you see Plutarchs opinion concerning the inhabitants and neighbours of the Moone, which (according to the manner of the Academickes) hee delivers in a third person; you see he makes that Planet an inferiour kind of heaven, and though hee differ in many circumstances, yet doth hee describe it to be some such place, as wee suppose Paradise to be. You see likewise his opinion concerning the place of damned spirits, that it is in the middle region of the aire, and in neither of these is hee singular, but some more late and Orthodox Writers have agreed with him. As for the place of hell, many thinke it may be in the aire as well as any where else.

True indeed, Saint Austin affirmes that this place cannot bee discovered; De civit. Dei. lib. 22. ca. 16. But others there are who can shew the situation of it out of Scripture; Some holding it to bee in some other world without this, because our Saviour calls it σκότος ἐξώτερον, outward darkenesse. Mat. 25. 30 But the most will have it placed towards the Center of our earth, because ’tis said, Eph. 4. 9. Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth, and some of these are so confident, that this is its situation, that they can describe you its bignes also, and of what capacity it is. Francis Ribera in his Comment on the Revelations, speaking of those words, where ’tis said, Rev. 14. 20. that the blood went out of the Wine-presse, even unto the horses bridles by the space of one thousand and sixe hundred furlongs, interprets them to bee meant of Hell, and that that number expresses the diameter of its concavity, which is 200 Italian miles; but Lessius thinkes that this opinion gives them too much roome in hell, De Morib. div. l. 13. c. 24. and therefore hee guesses that ’tis not so wide; for (saith hee) the diameter of one league being cubically multiplied, will make a spheare capable of 800000 millions of damned bodies, allowing to each sixe foote in the square, whereas (saies hee) ’tis certaine that there shall not be one hundred thousand millions in all that shall bee damned. You see the bold Iesuit was carefull that every one should have but roome enough in hell, and by the strangenesse of the conjecture, you may guesse that he had rather bee absurd, than seeme either uncharitable or ignorant. I remember there is a relation in Pliny, how that Dionisiodorus a Mathematician, being dead, did send a letter from his place to some of his friends upon earth, to certifie them what distance there was betwixt the center and superficies: hee might have done well to have prevented this controversie, and enformed them the utmost capacity of that place. However, certaine it is, that that number cannot bee knowne, and probable it is, that the place is not yet determined, but that hell is there where there is any tormented soule, which may bee in the regions of the aire as well as in the center; but of this onely occasionally, and by reason of Plutarchs opinion concerning those that are round about the Moone; as for the Moone it selfe, hee esteemes it to bee a lower kinde of Heaven, and therefore in another place hee cals it a terrestriall starre, Cur silent oracula. and an Olympian or celestiall earth answerable, as I conceive, to the paradise of the Schoolemen, and that Paradise was either in or neere the Moone, is the opinion of some later Writers, who derived it (in all likelihood) from the assertion of Plato, and perhaps, this of Plutarch. Tostatus S. W. Raw. lib. 1. cap. 3. § 7.
in Gen. laies this opinion upon Isioder. Hispalensis, and the venerable Bede; and Pererius fathers it upon Strabus and Rabanus his Master. Some would have it to bee situated in such a place as could not be discovered, which causes the penman of Esdras to make it a harder matter to know the outgoings of Paradise, then to weigh the weight of the fire, or measure the blasts of wind, or call againe a day that is past. 2 Esd. 4. 7. But notwithstanding this, there bee some others who thinke that it is on the top of some high mountaine under the line, and these interpreted the torrid Zone to be the flaming Sword whereby Paradise was guarded. ’Tis the consent of divers others, who agree in this, that Paradise is situated in some high and eminent place. In Genes. So Tostatus: Est etiam Paradisus situ altissima, supra omnem terræ altitudinem,