The Tetrabiblos; or Quadripartite of Ptolemy being four books, relative to the starry influences / Translated from the copy of Leo Allatius [i.e. from his Latin version of the paraphrase of Proclus], with critical and explanatory notes. By James Wilson.

  • Ptolemy, active 2nd century.
Date:
[1828]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Tetrabiblos; or Quadripartite of Ptolemy being four books, relative to the starry influences / Translated from the copy of Leo Allatius [i.e. from his Latin version of the paraphrase of Proclus], with critical and explanatory notes. By James Wilson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    notto be amused by a NAME or an AUTHORITY, whether of Newton or any one else. I may be. wrong in applying to the Society for a reason of their own, which they have not to give, but E mean to have a Reason or Nothing. Did it never oceur to those wiseacres, that every distinct body in nature has, like themselves, a will of its own, differing only from theirs in being directed to much wiser purposes ? could they never find out that.the LAWS of Nature. are the WILLS of Nature exercised for the mutual benefit, and :preservation of allits component parts, collectively and individually? could they once be made to comprehend this obvious truth, it would assist them through many of their difficulties, and among other things teach them to accouat for the ** Falling of a Stone,” a Phenomenon which seems to puzzle them extremely, and but for the experience they have to the contrary, ‘‘ it is,” they say, ‘‘ quite conceivable that a. Stone might STAND stili in the air or fly upwards, or ia any other direction; and thare is nothing at all absurd, contradictory, or in- conceivable, or impossible in either of these SUpposi- tions, as there would be in. supposing the Stone equal to:half of itself, or double of itself; or falling and rising at once,” &c. Now, really, how one positive absurdity can be more ** CONCEIVABLE” than another, is to. ME “INCONCEIVABLE,” but this. is the inevitable consequence when Lawyers and Statesmen ‘set up’ for Philosophers. Art is their proper study. They are ignorant of Nature, and should never meddle with her affairs. Every atten- tive observer perceives that in all bodies, whether organized or not, each part. or.member ‘is interested, and indefatigable in contributing to. the preservation. of the whole; that were it not for the judicious tens