Flammarion Engraving

Flammarion Engraving

From Camille Flammarion's book in the 1800's L'atmosphere: meteorologie populaire, this depicts the tale of a monk who found the edge of the world where the dome meets the ground and peered beyond the veil. Caption reads: "A missionary of the Middle Ages tells that he had found the point where the sky and the Earth touch..."

Samuel Shenton Lecture Poster Map

Samuel Shenton Lecture Poster Map

A lecture poster from the Flat Earth Society's Samuel Shenton archive depicting his view of the Earth.

T H E ‘ W H Y ’ A N D ‘ B E C A U S E . ’
Lady Blount in Adrian Galileo

A liberty great I beg leave to take.
In a question or two I would humbly make.
Though Scientists laugh they may have to quake.
For they cannot stand questions at all ;
That the Earth is a globe all these learned folks say,
A tearing and spinning through space far away.
At hundreds and thousands of miles in a day,
Like a bright, and big shining ball.

But pray will you tell me how aeronauts see
At high elevations as high as can be,
A “ wide concave surface?” which proves sir, to me
That the Earth is not like a ball :
Now Scientists think it the greatest assumption
For any to have the audacity, bumption.
With mere common sense, or ordinary gumption.
To question their “science” at all.

But tell us, dear “Scientist,” if you are right,
How it is old sailors have got such clear sight?
To pierce beyond your curvature, quite.
Some hundreds of feet, less or more?
Should you ask for a proof of what I have said :
You will find that “ Cape Hatteras,” so I have read,
“At a distance of forty miles off, far ahead,
Can be seen oftentimes to the shore.”

Is the surface of water then flat, sir, all round ?
In practice it seems to be flat, but its found
In theory curved, and all nature is bound
To bow to the “ Scientists ” laws :
And why points of the compass, if you can divine?
Both northward and southward, and at the same time,
If the centre’s not north of a plane, all in line?
Pray tell me the “ why ” and “because.”

If the centre’s the north, then the pole is a myth.
And the north star is right in the centre’s zenith,
So the compass points level to centre forthwith.
While the south is the circle all round :
For a thousand miles flows the great Nile t’ward the sea
And falls but a foot, so, betwixt you and me.
The rivers are level as level can be.
Disproving a spherical ground.

How is it. Sir Science “exact Science,” so stated.
The sun’s distance in miles has so differently rated,
' From twenty-four millions to a hundred dilated.
And even from less to much more?
Because this one distance, so very elastic,
Is reckoned the “ measuring rod ”— how bombastic !
To measure star distances vast and fantastic,
Then why is it altered ? Wherefore ?

Pray how could the ancients foretell all eclipses.
As well as the moderns, who say what the “ dip ” is.
And even the pianist explain where the ship is
And bring it back (up?) with a glass?
And how do folks live at the “ Antipodes ” station,
All hanging heads downwards— Oh what a sensation !—
And what's that stuff holding them fast, “ Gravitation?”
Is it solid, or liquid, or “ gas? ”

And why when canals and long tunnels are laid
No allowance for curvature ever is made ?
Are builders, surveyors, and others afraid
Of sliding right down the great ball?
And why when a ship is seen leaving the shore
Will she rise to the height of your eye, and no more,
On mountain or plain both behind and before? —
Perspectively proving no “ fall.”

However high o’er the sea level one tries.
Still higher and higher horizons will rise.
And always quite level in line with the eyes,
But nowhere the curve of a globe :
Galileo afforded no proof in his mission.
When punished, alas ! by old Rome’s Inquisition ;
But he suffered for teaching a quite false position.
So he put on a penitent’s robe.

The Law of the Lord is reliable, sure,
The Creator’s description is perfect and pure,
And the W ord of our God shall for ever endure
While the wisdom of worldlings shall fall :
And heaven’s “ above,” saith the Lord most High,
The earth is “ beneath” the grand dome of the sky.
And “ under the Earth” is the “ water,” then why
Believe in the infidel’s “ ball ? ”