“From man or angel the great Architect Did wisely to conceal, and not divulge His secrets to be scanned by them who ought Rather admire; or, if they list to try Conjecture, he his fabric of the heavens Hath left to their disputes; perhaps to move His laughter at their quaint opinions wide Hereafter, when they come to model heaven And calculate the stars; how they will wield The mighty frame; how build, unbuild, contrive, To save appearances; how gird the sphere With centric and eccentric scribbled o’er, Cycle and epicycle, orb in orb.”

See also Nichol, Solar System , p. 7:⁠—