Galilei, Galileo Dialogues on two world systems 1661, tr. Salusbury, Thomas

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45
be esteemed a great imperfection to be alterable, generable, mu­
table, &c. It is my opinion that the Earth is very noble and ad­

mirable, by reason of so many and so different alterations, mu­
tations, generations, &c. which are incessantly made therein;
and if without being subject to any alteration, it had been all
one vast heap of sand, or a masse of Jasper, or that in the time
of the Deluge, the waters freezing which covered it, it had
continued an immense Globe of Christal, wherein nothing had

ever grown, altered, or changed, I should have esteemed it a
lump of no benefit to the World, full of idlenesse, and in a
word superfluous, and as if it had never been in nature; and
should make the same difference in it, as between a living and
dead creature: The like I say of the Moon, Jupiter, and all the
other Globes of the World. But the more I dive into the con­
sideration of the vanity of popular discourses, the more empty
and simple I find them. And what greater folly can there be
imagined, than to call Jems, Silver and Gold pretious; and Earth
and dirt vile? For do not these persons consider, that if there

should be as great a scarcity of Earth, as there is of Jewels and
pretious metals, there would be no Prince, but would gladly give
a heap of Diamonds and Rubies, and many Wedges of Gold,
to purchase onely so much Earth as should suffice to plant a Gesse­
mine in a little pot, or to set therein a China Orange, that he might
see it sprout, grow up, and bring forth so goodly leaves, so odi­
riferous flowers, and so delicate fruit? It is therefore scarcity and

plenty that make things esteemed and contemned by the vulgar;
who will say that same is a most beautiful Diamond, for that it
resembleth a cleer water, and yet will not part with it for ten
Tun of water: These men that so extol incorruptibility, inalte­

rability, &c. speak thus I believe out of the great desire they
have to live long, and for fear of death; not confidering, that
if men had been immortal, they should have had nothing to do
in the World. These deserve to meet with a Medusa's head,

that would transform them into Statues of Dimond and Jasper,
that so they might become more perfect than they are.

* Impatible.

The Earth very
noble, by reason of
the many mutati­
ons made therein.

The carth unpro­
sitable and full of
idlenesse, its alte­
rations taken away

The Earth more
noble than Gold
and Jewels.

Scarcity and plen­
ty enhanse and de­
base the price of
things.

Incorruptibility e­
steemed by the vul­
gar out of their
fear of death.

The disparagers of
corraptibility de­
serve to be turned
into Statua's.

SALV. And it may be such a Metamorphosis would not be al­
together unprofitable to them; for I am of opinion that it is bet­
ter not to discourse at all, than to argue erroniously.

SIMPL. There is not the least question to be made, but that
the Earth is much more perfect, being as it is alterable, mutable,
&c. than if it had been a masse of stone; yea although it were
one entire Diamond, most hard and impassile. But look how mueh

these qualifications enoble the Earth, they render the Heavenly
bodies again on the other side so much the more imperfect, in
which, such conditions would be superfluous; in regard that the