8
Astronomical Dialogues.
I Thank you, said she, for that Explication, Sir, I have often met with the Word, but never knew fully what Diameter signified before: But now I know what the ingenious Mr. Butler meant when speaking of the Moon, he saith, that Sydrophil knew
And now I know what the Plummer meant the other Day, when he talk'd of a Pipe of Lead of such a Diameter; I now know the Meaning of Diametrically opposite, &c. But, pray, Sir, go on.
You will next see easily, Madam, said I, that if a Globe were at Liberty, and any Power or Force at hand to move it, it would easily turn or roll round any one of its Diameters, as this Globe doth round this Wire; which particular Diameter, is called therefore its Axis.Axis; as being the Axle-tree on which it turns. But tho' this be true of the Nature of a Globe in general, yet the Axis, as we call it, of the Earth and Heavens, by the Will of our All-wise Creator, is one fixed and determinate Line; and about this thefixed
