Galilei, Galileo, The systems of the world, 1661

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1to all the Stars, as is this diurnal one: yet I believe that in few
dayes
they perceived that the Moon was inconſtant in keeping
company
with the other Stars; but yet withal, that many years
paſt
, before that they diſtinguiſhed all the Planets: And in
ticular
, I conceit that Saturn by its ſlowneſs, and Mercury by

ſon
of its ſeldom appearing, were the laſt that were obſerved to
be
wandring and errant.
It is to be thought that many more
years
run out before the ſtations and retrogradations of the three
ſuperiour
Planets were known, as alſo their approximations and
receſſions
from the Earth, neceſſary occaſions of introducing the
Eccentrix
and Epicicles, things unknown even to Ariſtotle, for
that
he makes no mention thereof. Mercury, and Venus, with
their
admirable apparitions; how long did they keep
mers
in ſuſpence, before that they could reſolve (not to ſpeak of
any
other of their qualities) upon their ſituation?
Inſomuch
that
the very order onely of the Mundane bodies, and the
gral
ſtructure of the parts of the Univerſe by us known, hath been
doubted
of untill the time of Copernicus, who hath at laſt given
us
notice of the true conſtitution, and real ſyſteme, according to
which
thoſe parts are diſpoſed; ſo that at length we are certain
that
Mercury, Venus, and the other Planets do revolve about
the
Sun; and that the Moon revolveth about the Earth.
But

how
each Planet governeth it ſelf in its particular revolution, and
how
preciſely the ſtructure of its Orb is framed; which is that
which
is vulgarly called the Theory of the Planets, we cannot as
yet
undoubtedly reſolve. Mars, that hath ſo much puzled our
Modern
Aſtronomers, is a proof of this: And to the Moon her
ſelf
there have been aſſigned ſeveral Theories, after that the ſaid
Copernicus had much altered it from that of Ptolomy. And to
deſcend
to our particular caſe, that is to ſay, to the apparent
tion
of the Sun and Moon; touching the former, there hath been
obſerved
a certain great irregularity, whereby it paſſeth the two

ſemicircles
of the Ecliptick, divided by the points of the
noxes
in very different times; in paſſing one of which, it
eth
about nine dayes more than in paſſing the other; a difference,
as
you ſee, very great and notable.
But if in paſſing ſmall arches,
ſuch
for example as are the twelve Signs, he maintain a moſt
gular
motion, or elſe proceed with paces, one while a little more
ſwift
, and another more ſlow, as it is neceſſary that it do, in caſe
the
annual motion belong to the Sun onely in appearance, but
in
reality to the Earth in company with the Moon, it is what hath
not
hitherto been obſerved, nor it may be, ſought.
Touching

the
Moon in the next place, whoſe reſtitutions have been
cipally
lookt into an account of the Eclipſes, for which it is
ficient
to have an exact knowledge of its motion about the Earth,

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