Part 2

But now to carry the Search farther, let us ſee by what Steps we muſt riſe to the attaining ſome knowledge in the deeper Secrets concerning the State and Furniture of theſe new Earths. And, firſt, how likely is it that they may be ſtock’d with Plants [Have Animals and Plants.] and Animals as well as we? I ſuppoſe no Body will deny but that there’s ſomewhat more of Contrivance, ſomewhat more wonderful in the Production and Growth of Plants and Animals, than in Lifeleſs Heaps of inanimate Bodies, be they never ſo much larger; as Mountains, Rocks, or Seas are. For the Finger of God, and the Wiſdom of Divine Providence, is in them much more clearly manifeſted than in the other. One of Democritus’s or Cartes’s Scholars may venture perhaps to give ſome tolerable Explication of the Appearances in Heaven and Earth, allow him but his Atoms and Motion; but when he comes to Plants and Animals, he’ll find himſelf non-plus’d, and give you no likely account of their Production. For every Thing in them is ſo exactly adapted to ſome Deſign, every part of them ſo fitted to its proper Uſe, that they manifeſt an Infinite Wiſdom, and exquiſite Knowledge in the Laws of Nature and Geometry, as, to omit thoſe Wonders in Generation, we ſhall by and by ſhow; and make it an Abſurdity even to think of their being thus happily jumbled together by a chance Motion of I don’t know what little Particles. Now ſhould we allow the Planets nothing but vaſt Deſerts, lifeleſs and inanimate Stocks and Stones, and deprive them of all thoſe Creatures that more plainly ſpeak their Divine Architect, we ſhould ſink them below the Earth in Beauty and Dignity; a Thing very unreasonable, as I ſaid before.

Well then, we have gain’d the Point thus far, and the Planets may be allowed ſome Creatures capable of moving themſelves, not at all inferior to ours; and theſe are Animals. And if this be allowed, it almoſt neceſſarily follows, that there muſt be Herbs [Not to be imagin’d too unlike ours.] for Food for them. And as for the Growth and Nouriſhment of all theſe, ’tis no doubt the ſame with ours, ſeeing they have the ſame Sun to warm and enliven them as ours have.

But perhaps ſome Body may ſay, we conclude too faſt. They will not deny indeed but that there may be Plants and Animals on the Surface of the Planets, that deſerve as well to be provided for by their Creator as ours do: but why muſt they be of the ſame Kind with ours: Nature ſeems to love variety in her Works, and may have made them widely different from ours either in their matter or manner of Growth, in their outward Shape, or their inward Contexture; ſhe may have made them ſuch as neither our Underſtanding nor Imagination can conceive. That’s the Thing we ſhall now examine, and whether it be not more likely that ſhe has not obſerv’d ſuch a Variety as they talk of. Nature ſeems moſt commonly, and in moſt of her Works, to affect Variety, ’tis true; But they ſhould conſider ’tis not the Buſineſs of Men to pretend to ſettle how great this Difference and Variety muſt be. Nor does it follow, becauſe it may be Infinite, and out of our Comprehenſion and Reach, that therefore Things in reality are ſo. For ſuppoſe God ſhould have pleaſed to have made all Things in the reſt of the Planets juſt as he has here, the Inhabitants of thoſe Places (if there are any ſuch) would admire his Wiſdom and Contrivance no leſs than if they were widely different; ſeeing they can’t come to know what’s done in the other Planets. Who doubts but that God, if he had pleaſed, might have made the Animals in America and other diſtant Countries nothing like ours? yet we ſee he has not done it. They have indeed ſome difference in their Shape, and ’tis fit they ſhould, to diſtinguiſh the Plants and Animals of thoſe Countries from ours, who live on this ſide the Earth; but even in this Variety there is an Agreement, an exact Correſpondence in Figure and Shape, the ſame ways of Growth, and new Productions, and of continuing their own Kind. Their Animals have Feet and Wings like ours, and like ours have Hearts, Lungs, Guts, and the Parts ſerving to Generation; whereas all theſe Things, as well with them as us, might, if it had pleaſed Infinite Wiſdom, have been order’d a very different Way. ’Tis plain then that Nature has not exhibited that Variety in her Works that ſhe could, and therefore we muſt not allow that Weight to this Argument, as upon the Account of it to make every Thing in the Planets quite different from what is here. ’Tis more probable that all the Difference there is between us and them, ſprings from the greater or leſs diſtance and influence from that Fountain of Heat and Life the Sun; which will cauſe a Difference not ſo much in their Form and Shape, as in their Matter and Contexture.

[Planets have Water.]

And as for the Matter whereof the Plants and Animals there conſiſt, tho’ it is impoſſible ever to come to the Knowledge of its Nature, yet this we may venture to aſſert (there being ſcarce any Doubt of it) that their Growth and Nouriſhment proceeds from ſome liquid Principle. For all Philoſophers agree that there can be no other way of Nutrition; ſome of the Chief among them having made Water to be the Original of all Things: For whatſoever’s dry and without Moiſture, is without Motion too; and without Motion, it’s impoſſible there ſhould be any Increaſe. But the Parts of a Liquid being in continual Motion one with another, and inſinuating and twiſting themſelves into the ſmalleſt Places, are thereby very proper and apt to add not themſelves only, but whatſoever elſe they may bring along with them, to the Increaſe and Growth of Bodies. Thus we ſee that by the Means of Water the Plants grow, bloſſom, and bear Fruit; and by the Addition of that only, Stones grow together out of Sand. And there’s no doubt but that Metals, Cryſtals, and Jewels, have the ſame Method of Production: Tho’ in them there has been no opportunity to make the ſame Obſervation, as well by reaſon of their ſlow Advances, as that they are commonly found far from the Places of their Generation; thrown up I ſuppoſe by ſome Earthquakes, or Convulſions. That the Planets are not without Water, is made not improbable by the late Obſervations: For about Jupiter are obſerved ſome Spots of a darker Colour than the reſt of his Body, which by their continual change ſhow themſelves to be Clouds: For the Spots of Jupiter which belong to him, and never remove from him, are quite different from theſe, being ſometimes for a long time not to be ſeen for theſe Clouds; and again, when theſe diſappear, ſhowing themſelves. And at the going off of theſe Clouds, ſome Spots have been taken notice of in him, much brighter than the reſt of his Body, which remained but a little while, and then were hid from our Sight. Theſe Monſieur Caſſini thinks are only the Reflection from the Snow that covers the Tops of the Hills in Jupiter: But I ſhould rather think that it is only the Colour of the Earth, which happens to be free from thoſe Clouds that commonly darken it.

Mars too is found not to be without his dark Spots, by means of which he has been obſerved to turn round his own Axis in 24 Hours and 40 Minutes; the Length of his Day: but whether he has Clouds or no, we have not had the ſame opportunity of obſerving as in Jupiter, as well becauſe even when he is neareſt the Earth, he appears to us much leſs than Jupiter, as that his Light not coming ſo far, is ſo brisk as to be an Impediment to exact Obſervations: And this Reaſon is as much ſtronger in Venus as its Light is. But ſince ’tis certain that the Earth and Jupiter have their Water and Clouds, there is no Reaſon why the other Planets [But not juſt like ours.] ſhould be without them. I can’t ſay that they are exactly of the ſame nature with our Water; but that they ſhould be liquid their Uſe requires, as their Beauty does that they ſhould be clear. For this Water of ours, in Jupiter or Saturn, would be frozen up inſtantly by reaſon of the vaſt diſtance of the Sun. Every Planet therefore muſt have its Waters of ſuch a temper, as to be proportioned to its Heat: Jupiter’s and Saturn’s muſt be of ſuch a Nature as not to be liable to Froſt; and Venus’s and Mercury’s of ſuch, as not to be eaſily evaporated by the Sun. But in all of them, for a continual ſupply of Moiſture, whatever Water is drawn up by the Heat of the Sun into Vapours, muſt neceſſarily return back again thither. And this it cannot do but in Drops, which are cauſed as well there as with us, by their aſcending into a higher and colder Region of the Air, out of that which, by reaſon of the Reflection of the Rays of the Sun from the Earth, is warmer and more temperate.

Here then we have found in theſe new Worlds Fields warm’d by the kindly Heat of the Sun, and water’d with fruitful Dews and Showers: That there muſt be Plants in them as well for Ornament as Uſe, we have ſhewn juſt now. And what Nouriſhment, what manner of Growth ſhall we allow [Plants grow and are nouriſhed there as they are here.] them? Probably, there can be no better, nay no other, than what we here experience; by having their Roots faſtned into the Earth, and imbibing its nouriſhing Juices by their tender Fibres. And that they may not be only like ſo many bare Heaths, with nothing but creeping Shrubs and Buſhes, we may allow them ſome nobler and loftier Plants, Trees, or ſomewhat like them: Theſe being the greateſt, and, except Waters, the only Ornament that Nature has beſtowed upon the Earth. For not to ſpeak of thoſe many uſes that are made of their Wood, there’s no one that is ignorant either of their Beauty or Pleaſantneſs. Now what way can any one imagine for a continual Production and Succeſſion of theſe Plants, but their bearing Seed? A Method ſo excellent, that it’s the only one that Nature has here made uſe of, and ſo wonderful, that it ſeems to be deſigned not for this Earth alone. In fine, there’s the ſame reaſon to think that this Method is obſerved in thoſe diſtant Countries, as there was of its being followed in the remote Quarters of this ſame Earth.

[The ſame true of their Animals.]

’Tis much the ſame in Animals as ’tis in Plants, as to their manner of Nouriſhment, and Propagation of their Kind. For ſince all the living Creatures of this Earth, whether Beaſts, Birds, Fiſhes, Worms, or Inſects, univerſally and inviolably follow the ſame conſtant and fix’d Inſtitution of Nature; all feed on Herbs, or Fruits, or the Fleſh of other Animals that fed on them: ſince all Generation is performed by the impregnating of the Eggs, and the Copulation of Male and Female: Why may not the ſame Rule be obſerved in the Planetary Worlds? For ’tis certain that the Herbs and Animals that are there would be loſt, their whole Species deſtroyed without ſome daily new Productions: except there be no ſuch thing there as Misfortune or Accident: except the Plants are not like other humid Bodies, but can bear Heat, Froſt, and Age, without being dry’d up, kill’d or decay’d: except the Animals have Bodies as hard and durable as Marble; which I think are groſs Abſurdities. If we ſhould invent ſome new Way for their coming into the World, and make them drop like Soland Geeſe from Trees, how ridiculous would this be to any one that conſiders the vaſt Difference between Wood and Fleſh? Or ſuppoſe we ſhould have new ones made every Day out of ſome ſuch fruitful Mud as that of Nile, who does not ſee how contrary this is to all that’s reaſonable? And that ’tis much more agreeable to the Wiſdom of God, once for all to create of all ſorts of Animals, and diſtribute them all over the Earth in ſuch a wonderful and inconceivable way as he has, than to be continually obliged to new Productions out of the Earth? And what miſerable, what helpleſs Creatures muſt theſe be, when there’s no one that by his Duty will be obliged, or by that ſtrange natural fondneſs, which God has wiſely made a neceſſary Argument for all Animals to take care of their own, will be moved to aſſiſt, nurſe or educate them?

As for what I have ſaid concerning their Propagation, I cannot be ſo poſitive; but the other Thing, namely, that they have Plants and Animals, I think I have fully proved, viz. from hence, that otherwiſe they would be inferiour to our Earth. And by the ſame Argument, they muſt have as great a Variety of both as we have. What this is, will be beſt known to him that conſiders the different Ways our Animals make uſe of in moving from one Place to another. Which may be reduc’d, I think, to theſe, either that they walk upon two Feet or Four; or like Inſects, upon Six, nay ſometimes Hundreds; or that they fly in the Air bearing up, and wonderfully ſteering themſelves with their Wings; or creep upon the Ground without Feet; or by a violent Spring in their Bodies, or paddling with their Feet, cut themſelves a Way in the Waters. I don’t believe, nor can I conceive, that there ſhould be any other Way than theſe mentioned. The Animals then in the Planets muſt make uſe of one or more of theſe, like our amphibious Birds, which can ſwim in Water as well as walk on Land, or fly in the Air; or like our Crocodiles and Sea-Horſes, muſt be Mongrels, between Land and Water. There can no other Method be imagined but one of theſe. For where is it poſſible for Animals to live, except upon ſuch a ſolid Body as our Earth, or a fluid one like the Water, or ſtill a more fluid one than that, ſuch as our Air is? The Air I confeſs may be much thicker and heavier than ours, and ſo, without any Diſadvantage to its Tranſparency, be fitter for the volatile Animals. There may alſo be many ſorts of Fluids ranged over one another in Rows as it were. The Sea perhaps may have ſuch a fluid lying on it, which tho’ ten times lighter than Water, may be a hundred Times heavier than Air; whoſe utmoſt Extent may not be ſo large as to cover the higher Places of their Earth. But there’s no Reaſon to ſuſpect or allow them this, ſince we have no ſuch Thing; and if we did, it would be of no Advantage to them, for that the former Ways of moving would not be hereby at all increas’d: But when we come to meddle with the Shape of theſe Creatures, and conſider the incredible Variety that is even in thoſe of the different parts of this Earth, and that America has ſome which are no where elſe to be found, I muſt then confeſs that I think it beyond the Force of Imagination to arrive at any knowledge in the Matter, or reach to Probability concerning the Figures of theſe Planetary Animals. Altho’ conſidering theſe Ways of Motion we e’en now recounted, they may perhaps be no more different from ours than ours (thoſe of ours I mean that are moſt unlike) are from one another.

If a Man were admitted to a Survey of Jupiter or Venus, he would no doubt find as great a Number and Variety as he had at home. Let us then, that we may make as near a Gueſs at, and as reaſonable a Judgment of the Matter as we can, conſider the many Sorts, and the admirable Difference in the Shapes of our own Animals; running [Great Variety of Animals in this Earth.] over ſome of the Chief of them (for ’twould be tedious to ſet about a general Catalogue) that are notoriouſly different from one another, either in the Figure or ſome peculiar Property belonging to them; as they belong to the Land, or the Water, or the Air. Among the Beaſts we may take notice of the great Diſtance between the Horſe, the Elephant, the Lion, the Stag, the Camel, the Hog, the Ape, the Porcupine, the Tortoiſe, the Cameleon: in the Water, of that between the Whale, and the Sea-Calf, the Skait, the Pike, the Eel, the Ink-Fiſh, the Pourcontrel, the Crocodile, the Flying-fiſh, the Cramp-fiſh, the Crab, the Oiſter, and the Purple-Fiſh: and among Birds, of that between the Eagle, the Oſtrich, the Peacock, the Swan, the Owl, and the Bat: and in Inſects, of that between the Ants, the Spider, the Fly, and the Butterfly; and of that Prodigy in their wonderful change from Worms. In this Roll I have paſs’d by the creeping Kind as one Sort, and skip’d over that vaſt Multitude of leſs different Animals that fill the intermediate Spaces. But be they never ſo many, there is no [And no leſs in the Planets.] reaſon to think that the Planets cannot match them. For tho’ we in vain gueſs at the Figures of thoſe Creatures, yet we have diſcover’d ſomewhat of their manner of Life in general; and of their Senſes we ſhall ſpeak more by and by.

[The ſame in Plants.]

The more conſiderable Differences in our Plants ought to be thought on, as well as the other. As in Trees, that between the Fir and the Oak, the Palm, the Vine, the Fig, and the Coco-Nut Tree, and that in the Indies, from whoſe Boughs new Roots ſpring, and grow downwards into the Earth. In Herbs, the Difference is notable between Graſs, Poppy, Colewort, Ivy, Pompions, and the Indian Fig with thick Leaves growing up without any Stalk, and Aloe. Between every one of which again there are many leſs differing Plants not taken notice of. Then the different Ways of raiſing them are remarkable, whether from Seeds, or Kernels, or Roots, or by grafting or inoculating them. And yet in all theſe, whether we conſider the Things themſelves, or the Ways of their Production, I make no doubt but that the Planetary Worlds have as wonderful a Variety as we.

But ſtill the main and moſt agreeable Point of the Enquiry is behind, [Rational Animals in the Planets.] which is the placing ſome Spectators in theſe new Diſcoveries, to enjoy theſe Creatures we have planted them with, and to admire their Beauty and Variety. And among all, that have never ſo ſlightly meddled with theſe Matters, I don’t find any that have ſcrupled to allow them their Inhabitants: not Men perhaps like ours, but ſome Creatures or other endued with Reaſon. For all this Furniture and Beauty the Planets are ſtock’d with ſeem to have been made in vain, without any Deſign or End, unleſs there were ſome in them that might at the ſame time enjoy the Fruits, and adore the wiſe Creator of them. But this alone would be no prevailing Argument with me to allow them ſuch Creatures. For what if we ſhould ſay, that God made them for no other Deſign, but that he himſelf might ſee (not as we do ’tis true; but that he that made the Eye ſees, who can doubt?) and delight himſelf in the Contemplation of them? For was not Man himſelf, and all that the whole World contains, made upon this very account? That which makes me of this Opinion, that thoſe Worlds are not without ſuch a Creature endued with Reaſon, is, that otherwiſe our Earth would have too much the Advantage of them, in being the only part of the Univerſe that could boaſt of ſuch a Creature ſo far above, not only Plants and Trees, but all Animals whatſoever: a Creature that has ſomething Divine in him, that knows, and underſtands, and remembers ſuch an innumerable number of Things; that deliberates, weighs and judges of the Truth: A Creature upon whoſe Account, and for whoſe Uſe, whatſoever the Earth brings forth ſeems to be provided. For every Thing here he converts to his own Ends. With the Trees, Stones, and Metals, he builds himſelf Houſes: the Birds and Fiſhes he ſuſtains himſelf with: and the Water and Winds he makes ſubſervient to his Navigation, as he doth the ſweet Smell and glorious Colours of the Flowers to his Delight. What can there be in the Planets that can make up for its Defects in the want of ſo noble an Animal? If we ſhould allow Jupiter a greater Variety of other Creatures, more Trees, Herbs and Metals, all theſe would not advantage or dignify that Planet ſo much as that one Animal doth ours by the admirable Productions of his penetrating Wit. If I am miſtaken in this, I do not know when to truſt my Reaſon, and muſt allow my ſelf to be but a poor Judge in the true Eſtimate of Things.

[Vices of Men no hindrance to their being the Glory of the Planet they inhabit.]

Nor let any one ſay here, that there’s ſo much Villany and Wickedneſs in Man that we have thus magnified, that it’s a reaſonable Doubt, whether he would not be ſo far from being the Glory and Ornament of the Planet that enjoys his Company, that he would be rather its Shame and Diſgrace. For firſt, the Vices that moſt Men are tainted with, are no hindrance, but that thoſe that follow the Dictates of true Reaſon, and obey the Rules of a rigid Virtue, are ſtill a Beauty and Ornament to the Place that has the Happineſs to harbour them. Beſides, the Vices of Men themſelves are of excellent Uſe, and are not permitted and allowed in the World without wiſe Deſign. For ſince it has ſo pleaſed God to order the Earth, and every Thing in it as we ſee it is (for it’s abſurd to ſay it happen’d againſt his Will or Knowledge) we muſt not think that ſo great a Diverſity of Minds were placed in different Men to no End or Purpoſe: but that this mixture of bad Men with Good, and the Conſequents of ſuch a Mixture, as Misfortunes, Wars, Afflictions, Poverty, and the like, were permitted for this very good End, viz. the exerciſing our Wits, and ſharpening our Inventions; by forcing us to provide for our own neceſſary Defence againſt our Enemies. ’Tis to the Fear of Poverty and Miſery that we are beholden for all our Arts, and for that natural Knowledge which was the Product of laborious Induſtry; and which makes us that we cannot but admire the Power and Wiſdom of the Creator, which otherwiſe we might have paſſed by with the ſame indifference as Beaſts. And if Men were to lead their whole Lives in an undiſturbed continual Peace, in no fear of Poverty, no danger of War, I doubt they would live little better than Brutes, without all knowledge or enjoyment of thoſe Advantages that make our Lives paſs on with Pleaſure and Profit. We ſhould want the wonderful Art of Writing, if its great Uſe and neceſſity in Commerce and War had not forced out the Invention. ’Tis to theſe we owe our Art of Sailing, our Art of Sowing, and moſt of thoſe Diſcoveries of which we are Maſters; and almoſt all the Secrets in experimental Knowledge. So that thoſe very Things on account of which the Faculty of Reaſon ſeems to have been accuſed, are no ſmall helps to its Advancement and Perfection. For thoſe Virtues themſelves, Fortitude and Conſtancy, would be of no uſe if there were no Dangers, no Adverſity, no Afflictions for their Exerciſe and Trial.

If we ſhould therefore imagine in the Planets ſome ſuch reaſonable Creature as Man is, adorn’d with the ſame Virtues, and liable to the ſame Vices, it would be ſo far from degrading or vilifying them, that while they want ſuch a one, I muſt think them inferior to our Earth.

[Reaſon they are not different from what ’tis here.]