14
Astronomical Dialogues.
mighty Sun, and all that infinite Orb of fixed Stars, to be made only for the sake of this little dirty Planet, as I remember somebody calls it; and to have no other Use nor End, but only to dance round it, which yet, as I have heard, is a meer Point, and scarce visible to an Eye placed in some of the other Planets.
But to go on with my Lesson: Good Sir, said she, is the Figure of the Earth thus really round? and have you any good Reasons to make you think so? For I must own I had not till now a Notion of its being round like a Ball; I took it rather to be round in Compass like a Dish or Plate.
Rotundity of the Earth.Very many and substantial ones, Madam, said I, and you will be fully convinced by them, when they occur to your Reading hereafter, if you proceed on in that Way you are now going: But, however, the Sun shining so bright into this Room, will furnish me now with one Argument to make that Notion plain to you. You see, Madam, when I hold any solid Body in this Light of the Sun, its Shadow will be nearly like the Shape and Form of that of the Body; when I hold this Book in the Light, its Shadow willbe
