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looking wich this at the Moon, vhcn fhe was just Risen and lookcd extra-ordinary big, I obltrved what number of the Squares of the Lattice wereoccupied by her Body ; and then observing her again, when more Elevatedand freefrom all extravagant Greatncfs, 1 stili found the fame Squares of theLattice poflefled by her. This way is Equivalent to that now more ufed, oltaking her Diameter by Mr. Tomilcfs Micrometers ; but I have also triedand found the fame thing by an accurate Sextant, taking the Distance of theMoon’s opposite Limbs.
The Celebrated Des Curtes attributes this Appearance rather to a Deceivcdjudgment, than to any Natural Aftcction of the Organ or Medium of Sense ,for the Moon (fäys he) being nigh the Horizon, we have a bettcr Opportu-nity and Advantage of making an Estimate of her, by comparing her widithe various Objebis that incur the Sight, in its way towards her • fb that tho’we imagine fhe looks bigger, yet ’tis a meer deceit for we only think 16,bccaufe fhe feems nigher the Tops of Trecs, or Chimneys, or Houfes, or afpace of Ground, to which we can compare her, and Estimate her thereby;but when we bring her to the Test of an Instrument, that cannot be deludedor impofed upon by titele Appcaranres, then we find our Estimate wrong, andour Senfes deceivcd. These Thoughts, my-thinks, are much below thcAccu-stomed Accuracy of the Noble DcsCartes ; for certainly if it be fb, 1 may at anytime Increafe the apparent Ligneis of the Moon, tho’ in the Meridian ; for itwould be only by getting bchind a Ginster of Chimneys, a Ridgc of a Hili,or the Tops of Houles, and comparing her to them in that Posture, as wellas in the Horizon ; besides, if the Moon be looked at just as fhe is Rifingfrom an Horizon determined by a fmooth Sea, and which has no more va-riety of Objcbts to compare her to, thun the pure Air, yet fhe will fcembig, as if lookt at over the rugged top of an uneven Town or rockyCountry. Moreover, All variety of adjoyning Objects may be tuken oft,by looking through an empty Tube, and yet the deluded Imagination is notat all helped thereby.
g. no. The fiunous Thomas Hobbs gives this Solution. Let the point G, be theCenter of the Earth, and F the Eye on the Surface of the Earth ; on thefame Center G, let there be struck the two Arches, E H, determining theAtmofphere, and A D to reprelent that blue Surface in which we Imaginethe Fixed Stars : And let F D be the Horizon. Divide the Arch A D intothree equal Parts by the Lines BF, CF ; it is manifest that the Angle A F Bis greater than the Angle BFC, and this again greater than the Angle CFD.Wherefore, lays he, to make the Angle CFD equal to the Angle C FB,•the Arch CD mustbegreater than the Arch CB; and confequently, that theMoon may in the Horizon appear under the fäme Angle as when Elevatedfhe mu st covcr a greater Arch, and therefore feem greater ; that is, theMoon in the Meridian appearing under the Angle BFC, that fhe may ap-pear under an equal Angle in the Horizon, as iüppofc CFD, ’tis necellarythat the Arch CD, should be greater than CB ; and confequently, tho’fhe, appear to Subtend a greater Arch when in the Horizon than when Elevated,yet fhe appears under the fäme Angle ; And ali this without Refraction.