Natural and Moral History of the Indies

those authors should invent and say such things, we should not marvel, for it is notorious that they did not care as much for the sciences and demonstrations of Philosophy natural science, attending to other more important studies. What seems more to marvel at is that, Saint Augustine being so advantaged in all natural sciences, and knowing so much in Astrology astronomy and Physics natural science, nonetheless he remains always doubtful and without determining whether the sky surrounds the earth on all sides or not. Augustine, Book 2 of the literal commentary on Genesis, c. 9. "What does it matter to me," he says, "that we think the sky, like a ball, encloses the earth on all sides, the earth being in the middle of the world like the yolk, or that we say it is not so, but that the sky covers the earth on one side only, like a large plate that is on top?" In the very place where he says what is mentioned, he gives to understand, and even says it clearly, that there is no demonstration, only conjectures, to affirm that the sky is of a round shape. Augustine on Psalm 135. And there, and in other places, he holds the circular movement of the heavens to be a doubtful thing. No one should be offended, nor hold in less esteem the holy Doctors of the Church, if on any point of philosophy and natural sciences they feel differently from what is most received and approved by good philosophy; for all their study was to know, serve, and preach the Creator, and in this they had great excellence. And as they were employed entirely in this, which is what matters, it is not much that in the study and knowledge of creatures they have not always entirely succeeded. It is far more certain that the wise men of this century and vain philosophers are to be reproached, who, knowing and reaching the being and order of these creatures, the course and movement of the heavens, the wretched ones did not arrive at knowing the Creator and Maker of all this; and occupying themselves entirely with these handiworks and works of such skill, they did not rise with their thought to discover the sovereign author, as divine wisdom warns: Wisdom 13.