De cometis: or, a discourse of the natures and effects of comets, as they are philosophically, historically & astrologically considered. With a brief (yet full) account of the III late comets, or blazing stars, visible to all Europe. And what (in a natural way of judicature) they portend. Together with some observations on the nativity of the Grand Seignior / By John Gadbury.

  • Gadbury, John, 1627-1704.
Date:
1665
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: De cometis: or, a discourse of the natures and effects of comets, as they are philosophically, historically & astrologically considered. With a brief (yet full) account of the III late comets, or blazing stars, visible to all Europe. And what (in a natural way of judicature) they portend. Together with some observations on the nativity of the Grand Seignior / By John Gadbury. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    -that appeared Anno 1618. was more remarkable for diffe¬ rence of magnitude^ then all others that are by Iftronomers remembred. For fometimes it was found twenty one degrees In length,other times&fiiy or fixty degrees3 other times feven- tyothers ninety5and <w<?one hundred and four degrees. This is moll certain , chat as the Heads of Comets are never found to be of one certain bignefs or magnitudes fo neither are their Streams oiTayls of one and the fame Longitude 5 but both are found apparently to differ 5 as the Star becomes at firft more and more enkindledi and at lad the matter thereof begins to be Exhaufted, and growes lefs. As m fee it moft apparently in the flame of a Torch or Candle. Although the Comets that appeared in the years 1618. Time of and 16% z* and now in 1664. with us, have bin in the Winter- feafon; yet are divers Astronomers and Fhilofophers of op ini- Apparition. 0v,that they are generated in Autumn or Summer f\xt moftly of comets. in Autumne: and the reafons they give, are moderately con¬ vincing : For (fay they) In the Springsthere is too much moi- flurei and too little heat > to gather a Comet; and therefore that time is very unapt for their generation. In the Summer, there is too much heat 9 which is apt to difperfe and confume the matter of which a Comet is formed, fo that it cannot well be joyned together ;and therefore they are fe/dome then gene¬ rated. Atid the Winter-Seafon3 that being Cold and Moifttis diredtly contrary to the Nature of a Comet > which is Hot, and Dry; and therefore unfit for their generation. The Autumnal feafon therefore is the proper feafon for the pur- pofe. And it is to be conjidered3 that there ought to be a convenient diftance of time betwixt the generation of a Comet3 and its viability or ^Appearance • like as in all other Productions whatsoever. Ergo3 (fomets that appear in Winter are moft naturally and genuinely prefumed to be venerated in Autumne. * But now; as there is nogeneraly but admittethof excepti¬ on > fo here in this we muli concede to the fame allowance and liberty. For as the learned J untiltm y Franc if cue Reft a, an dot hers well obferve> other times have had their Comets to appear and be viftble in > befides Winter 5 and fo confequently have