longer then the line (AB) For the compasse of the earth being about 24000.  Miles, and the semidiameter (AB,) or (AC) 3828. miles the line (CD,) would bee 1581. miles, which cannot bee true, if as wee haue proued before, the earth bee round, and that the highest hills make noe sensible inaequality.  Againe they that dwell in (D) should see the North Pole starre (N) as well as they that dwell in (B,) which also is false.  So then the riuer cannot runne either by (EB) or (DB) Runnes it then circularly by the line (CWB?) This seemes probable, and the rather because heereby a reason of the originall of Riuers might more easily bee giuen.  For the fountaines (C) lying euen with the superficies of the Sea, the water may easily passe through the hollowes of the earth, and breake out at (C) without ascendinge.  But here also are some difficulties:  for first wee find by experience that the fountaines of most riuers, and those greate ons too, lye sensibly higher then the plaine surface of the Sea.  Againe, if the riuer moue directly round, what should bee the cause that begins and continues this motion?  It is a motion besides the nature of the water, and therefore violent, what should driue it forward from the Sea to (C,) and from (C) to (B,) when the water is at (C) or (W,) it is as neere to the Center (A) as when it is at (B,) and therefore it should seeme with more liklyhood it would stand still; for why should it striue to goe further, seeing where it is, it is as neare to the Center as whither it runnes.  Or if some violence doe driue it from (C,) towards (W,) yet (as it is the nature of violent motions) the further it goes the slower it will runne, till in the end it stand still, if there bee noe aduantadge of ground to helpe it forward.

[Illustration]

As a bowle throwne downe a hill runnes easily and farre, if it once bee sett a going; but throwne vpon the ice (an euen place) it will without any lett at last stand still.  Answere may bee made hereunto, that although there bee noe aduantage of the ground, yet the water will still moue forwarde from (C) to (B) because the water that followes, pusheth forwarde that, that runnes afore.  Which answere will stand, when a good cause may bee shewed, which forcibly driueth the water from the Sea vnto (C) and out of the fountaine (C;) considering that (after this supposition) they lie both in the same circular superficies.  Wherefore seeing, wee cannot without any inconueniency suppose it to moue by any of these lines either streight as (BC) or (BD,) or circular as (BWC) let vs enquire farther.