The young gentleman's astronomy, chronology, and dialling ... / [Edward Wells].

  • Wells, Edward, 1667-1727.
Date:
[1712]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The young gentleman's astronomy, chronology, and dialling ... / [Edward Wells]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    21/388 (page 3)
    The Introdudioo. g leftial Lh&nomena thereby, is what makes up the Science called (*) Aftro- nomy : which is a Greek Word origi¬ nally, and denotes in that Language the Do&rine or Knowledge of the Laws, or of the Dijlribution and Situ¬ ation of the Stars, or Celeftial Lights. There are four more remarkable 5- Hypothefes, the (f) Ptolemaick, the Copernican, the Tychonick, and the Hypothecs, Scmi-tychonick. Of thefe the Coper ni- ^ can table. (*) This Word may be derived, as to its latter Component, either from vo[a©~ * Law-, or from po- fdo's £ Dijlribution, or Situation. (f) The Ptolemaic£ Hypothecs is fo called from Claudius Ptolemam, a famous Mathematician of Pe/w- yhi'/w in Egypt, who lived in the former Part of the fecond Century after Chrifl, under the Roman Empe* rours Adrian and Antoninus Pm, He writ both of Agronomy and Geography •, and by his Afffonomieal Writings was conveyed tofucceeding Ages, the Hypo¬ thecs which goes under his Name, and which was generally, not to fay univerfally received in thefe Parts of the World til! the Days of Copernicus. The Order of the Celeftial Lights as tc their Situation, ac- cording to this Hypodrfis, is reprefenttd Fig. 2. But Cnee by the Help of Telefopes, the Phafes of Venus and Mercury have been difeovered, this HypotheCs is rejefted, as not confident therewith Ipafs by the Epicycles, and feveral ocher Particulars juffiy blame- able in this HynorheCs. Copernicus, who was Porn in 1475 at Thorn, a Town of Polifh Prufjia, perceiving the feveral Exceptions, [B 2] ihu