Of All Things Visible, The Highest Is

Of All Things Visible, The Highest Is The Heaven Of The Fixed Stars.

We Regard It As A Certainty That The Earth, Enclosed Between Poles, Is Bounded By A Spherical Surface.

To Know The Mighty Works Of God, To Comprehend His Wisdom And Majesty And Power; To Appreciate, In Degree, The Wonderful Workings Of His Laws, Surely All This Must Be A Pleasing And Acceptable Mode Of Worship To The Most High, To Whom Ignorance Cannot Be More Grateful Than Knowledge.

For It Is The Duty Of An Astronomer To Compose The History Of The Celestial Motions Through Careful And Expert Study.

For When A Ship Is Floating Calmly Along, The Sailors See Its Motion Mirrored In Everything Outside, While On The Other Hand They Suppose That They Are Stationary, Together With Everything On Board. In The Same Way, The Motion Of The Earth Can Unquestionably Produce The Impression That The Entire Universe Is Rotating.