Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN ^^^''•' LETTERS O N PHILOSOPHICAL SUBJECTS; PARTICULARLY THE CREATION, THE DELUGE, VEGETATION, &c. THE POWERS PRODUCING THESE OPERATIONS ARE HlftX tHIW TO BE HEAT, COLD, AIR AND WATER. Since the Edition of thefe Letters printed at Plymouth, the late Experiments in the new Chymiftry, have con- firmed the above Theory. Thefe Experiments prove, that Heat and Light, together with Oxygen or Cold, arc the Powers which carry on both Animal and Vegetable Life: Light, Heat, Vital Air, and inflammable Gas, are thereby proved to be fubfhances of the firfl clafs, and approach nearefh to fimplicity. THE SECOND EDITION. LONDON: PRINTED POR J. DEIGHTON, OPPOSITE GRAYS-INN, HOLBORK. 1794. ADVERTISEMENT. 1 HE firft Edition of thefe Letters were printed at Plymouth, under the Title of Letters Philofophical and Aftronomical; but being informed, by fome of my Friends, that the Title Page had prevented many Per- fons from reading them, fuppofing that none but Adepts in thofe Sciences could under- Iland them, the contrary is the fad. The greater Part of thefe Letters may be fully comprehended by any Perfon of common underflanding. Thefe Letters were reviewed by the Cri' tical Reviewers in December 1788, who give the following Account of them: they say, " That the Mofaic Account of the Creation " is explained and defended, as well as the "Deluge; and Gravity accounted for by hot *' and ADVERTISEMENT- ** and cold Ether; and that every ingenious *' man, and our Author's Ingenuity, we do " not queflion, when he fteps out of the com- " mon way, will neceflarily expert atten- "tion." The Analytical Reviewers noticed them in April, 1789: they obferve, " That the Au- *' thor (when difl'erting on vegetation) ex- *• hibits a confiderable Degree of Ingenuity." And the very great improvements in the new Chymiftry have proved the Author's fenti- ments to be right. F. PENROSE. Stonehouse, Plymouth, Jan. 1794. To Sir Jojeph Banks^ Prcfident, A :c D TO THE Fellows cf the Royal Society,^ London^ S I R S, T^HE following Letters contaia A many nev/ Obiervations- ia Aftronomy and Philofophy, which appear to be of fufficient Import- ance to be inquired into, in Order to afcertain whether they be FafLs or not. — On that Perfuafion, I have taken the Liberty to addrefs them to you, and hope they will meet with an impartial Examdnation; and that they will not be difcardcd be- caufe they contain fome Things which differ from Ooinions oener- i. o ally received and taught. — Was tliis alwajs to be the Cafe, there v/ould be DEDICATION. be an End to Improvements in the Sciences; for every Thing nezv miift diff'cT from what was before known. It would have ^iven me great Satisfaction, could I have obtained tlie Honour for fome of the mod im- portant Matters in them, to be read at a Meeting of your Society ; I fhould then have been properly in- formed whether they were of faf- ficient Importance to trouble the Publick v/ith or not; but, as I had not Intereft enough to get that done, I take this Method to crave your liberal Decifion on them. / am. With great Deference and Re/peul, Tour moft obedient, humble Servant^ F. PENROSE. STONE HOUSE, ^ Fl^inouih, j^urii '^o, 1788.. ' o ^•V ^oj^AR Diagram For ^i.Z}r EXPLANATION OJ the SOLAR D 1 A GRAM Month, according to the j-iilian Calendar , 'ujhen the Sun a?id Moon are in ConjiinBion^ O. — Full Moons ; pointing out the Day of the Month when Jhe is in Cppofition to the Sun, in her Pafjage through the Ecliptic k, S. — Sunday, or every Seventh cr Sabbath- Day throughout the Tear, %. — The Earth, in the Meridian of the twelve Signs, in her Orbit, or Path through the Ecliptic k, viz. when fie has the Sun and thefe Stars in ConjimBion, in her annual Orbit. Afironomers tell us that the Ecliptick is equally divided into twelve Signs of ^o Degrees each-. But it is not fo. — It is the EquinoBial which is divided equally by thefe twelve Signs. — Sojue of thefe Signs are offucb a Length, as to require the Earth to make more than 3 1 Rotations while fie is pafjing through them, while others require little more than 29 ; and the fx Northern Signs are Jo much longer than the fx Southern, that B the EXPLANATION Oj the SOLAR DIAGRAM. the Earth takes more than a Week longer in traverfmg them, than Jhe docs in traverjing the others, — See Introdu5liony P. i6, 19. ,E E — The Equinodtial, divided into twelve equal Parts, by the twelve fixed Stars, which are called Signs, each Sign into 30 Degrees -, the whole EqidnoBial containing 360 Degrees, anjwering to the fame "Number of Degrees on the Equator. D D. — The Anticipation of Time. — ^ This is not in Nature, but occafioned from the fulian Tear not anfwering exadfly in Length of ^ime, to the Length of Motion the Earth takes to perform her annual Orbit round the Sun, viz, the Julian Tear contains 365 J Days, whereas the Earth compleats her Revolution round tbe Sun, in 365 Days, 5 Hours, 49 Minutes, — Hence, as we calculate according to the Julian Reckoning, the Earth will finijh her annual Orbit eleven Minutes of Time before the Julian Reckoning ends, IntroduB. P. 3, 97, 105. Thus EXPLANATION Of tht SOLAR DIAGRAM. Thus the Motto?! of the Earth anticipates Timey according to the 'Julian Calejidar, eleven Mi- nutes every Tear, and throws it back. — See P. 98. — Let us pojlulate that Motion and Time, began, according to the Julian Period, at the auturmial Equinox, 706, (which is the Time the bejl Interpreters of Mofes's Hijlory, fay he placed it) from that Tear to this, 1786, (which is the 649 9 /'/y, according to that Period,) the Earth will have made 5793 amiual Revolutions ; by which Means, Motion will have anticipated Time 44 Days, 6 Hours, 3 Minutes, accord- ing to O. S. viz. from 05i. 25, to Sept, 11, or according to the N. S.from OB. 2^, to Sept.. 22. p, p, — The Preceflion of the Equinoxes. According to the laji Article, the folar or true Time, has fallen jho7't of the Time, (as reckoned according to the Julian Calendar,) 1 1 Minutes every Tear. — Hence, the Sun will appear eleven Minutes jnore forward in the Ec lip tick, every Tear, than Jhe ought to do^ — Thus, in 5793 Revolutionsy EXPLANATION Of the SOLAR DIAGRAM. Revolutions, fie will not appear to he in the Be- ginning of Aries, as fi:e was obferved to he A. I. F. 706, but in the third Degree of Taurus, fif we reckon by the N. S.J and in the ij\.th according to O. S. See Introduction, P. 98. Hence it may be obferved, that the fixed Stars and Equinoxes, arejufi in the fatne Places in the Heavens, they were 5793 Tears ago, and that the Anticipation of Time, and Precefjion of the Rquinoxes, are ?iot in Nature, but occajioned by an errojieous Calculatioji of the exaSt Length of the folar Year and the lunar Cycle. See P. 97, 1 05. — This may be obferved by G. G. — The Difference between O. S. and N. S. made A. D. 1752. EXPLANATION All Explanation of the LUNAR DIAGRAM, for A. D. 1786, (anfwering to the Year of the World, 5793, and to the Year of the Julian Period, 6499,) Shewing the Place of the Sun, Earth, and Moon, every Day in the Year, according to the Julian Calendar. A. — The Sun in the Centre of the Syjiefn. B. B. — The Equinodial Circle, divided by the twelve Stars cr Signs, into twelve equal Farts, of n^o Degrees each. — -The Whole into 360 Degrees. /^\ /p\ The Earth, /;/ her Place in the -- — -— ^ Ecliptick, when the Moon is at Full, or in Oppoftion. C. C. — The annual Path of the Farth round the Sun, which is divided into Days, Weeks, and Months, according to the fulian Calendar. It is an Ellipfe, within the EquinoBial, and forms an Angle of 2^, Days, 28 Minutes, with it ',—ajid is divided into 365 1: of Parts or De- grees EXPLANATION OJ the LUNAR D lA G RA M, grees, anfwering to the Number of Rotatidns the Earth makes during her Revolution round the Sun,— -Was the Earth, throughout her an- nual Revolution, to keep at the fame Dijiance from the Sun, which Jhe is at the Equinoxes, fie niDOuld then go round that Luminary in a Circle, and perform and meafure it in 360 Days or Ro- tations, — But now, as it is performed by Na- ture, Jhe goes fo far beyond the Periphery of the Circle, at the Summer Soljlice, as to require 5|- more Rotations to do it, m, m. — Meridians, which pafs from the Sun in the Cejitre, to the flrjl Point of each Sign, in the EqidnoBial. — As the Circle of the Equi- noclial and the Elliptical Path of the Earth, anfwer each other geometrically , fo thefe Me-- ridians cut the fidian Calendar at the true Day, and Month, when the Sun will be found to enter them ; a?2d thereby Jhew the Places of ihe Sun and Moon every Day throughout the Tear. D. D.— .'Z^(7t' Moon's Orbit round the Earth, E. going EXPLANATION CJ the LUNAR D lA C RA 14, E going forward through the Ecliptic k. This Plew is as it may be feen from a Planet or Star^ without that Orbit ^ and perpendicular to the Plane of the Ec lip tick. — By this Side View may he obferved the Loops the Moon makes, in her Orbit round the Earth, in her Pafage through the Eclipfick, (in the fame Mariner as other Satellites do round their Planets,) being fomc" times a Semi^diameter of her Orbit before the Earth, and fometimes the fame Dijlance behind her, always keeping about 240,000 cf Miles from her, and going round the Ec lip tick with her. — She is kept in her Orbit by two Forces, viz. the Light proceeding from the Sun, and the Light refieSiing from the Earth. 'This is the Power, (Light) which expands and projeSfs her towards the Extremities ',—the other is the Ether proceeding from the Extremities, which Sir Ifaac Newton calls Spirit. — He of- ten makes ufe c/'Attra61:ion, to exprefs the firjl, and Gravitation the lafl, without enquiring into the Caufes of thefe Phenomena ', therefore, to be fhort, clear, and better iinderftood, I fliall do the fame. -See Let. IV. P. 165, XIV. P. 283, EXPLANATION Of the LUNAR D I A G RA M. In her Orbit round the Earth, (which is a- bout 240,000 Miles, from her,) thefe two Powers or Forces hallance each other. — Thus, here all is fiill, calm, and neither prevails. — Here alfo the projeBile Force, which carries the Earth from Weji to Eajl, through the Eclip- iick, meets the gravitating Power, which car- ries the Moon from North to South, round the Earth. See Let. XVII. — As thefe two Powers a5i perpendicularly to each other neither pre- vails ', but they aB jointly, and they force the Moon round the Earth in a Diagonal between them. — Tihus, at her Change,^ fie goes N. W, till fie co?nes to i , (her firfi garter,) at which Place fide is Half the Diameter of her Orbit be- hind the Earth. — Here, infead of going on N. W. fi:c changes her Courfe, and goes nearly E.N.E. till fie comes to her Oppoftion or Full, when fie is due North of the Earth.— She con- tinues fiill to go Eajiward, but changes from E.N.E.toN.N.E. till fie arrives at ^,(the End of her third garter, J where fije is at the Eafi Point of her Orbit, and a Semi-diameter p i \ "/::lJ.///u//\ ^■^'///f/ra///. m Ir Jiwrm^. EXPLANATION Of the LUNAR D I A G RA M. of her Or hit before the Earth. — From hence Jle goes If^efward at S. IV. till foe comes to her Change, njohere foe is due South of the Earth. fe Let. XXIL Befides the above defer ibed Forces, there is another which goes from IVeJl to Eajiy—tht ethe- ' real Current of the Eclipfes. — This Current goes from Weft to Eafo, and round the Eclip- ticky in a pragrefjive Circle, but fo fow as to require i8 fuTian Tears, \o Days, 19 Ho'irs, 46 Minutes, o Seconds, 15 Thirds, to com- pleat it, and to meet the Moon again, exatViy in the fame Point of the Ecliptick from which they parted, when the Cycle began. — Hence, as Obfervations prove, at the End of this Cycle, there is a Return of all the Eclipfes which touch the Earth. — Let. XXIL Thus the Moon performs her Orbit, round the Earth, in 29 Days, 12 IrLurs, 44 Mi- nutes, I Second, 45 Thirds, (which is called a Lunation,) in which Time the ethereal Current of Eclipfes has moved forward and Eafiward^ C I Day, EXPLANATION Of tht LUNAR D I A G RA M. I Diiyt \^ Hours y 6 Minutes, ii. Seconds, 19 'Thirds. — By 'which Means the Moon cro/fes that Current, bejore floe comes to the Star. — This occajioned AJironomers to imagine that the Nodes moved backward to the Wejhuard. — The Point where the Moon crojjes the Current of Eclipfes is called her Node. — At the End of every fix th Node, or 172 Days, 12 Hours, 59 Minutes, this Path of the Nodes crofj'es the ecliptick Path of the Earth, and if that Point is then iviibin 1 7 Degrees of the Sun, it caufes itn Eclipfe, but if farther frcm it, the Shadow of the Earth or Moon will not reach each other- F F. — The Moon's Path, as obferved from the Earth. — At the End of the firfl garter, fie is Haf illuminated. — At the End of her Second, foe is wholly fo. — -At the End of her Third foe is again Half illuminated ; and at her lajl garter or Change, fie appears quite dark. S %.—The Sabbath, or Seventh Day through^ out the Calendar. The following is a Defcription of the Eclipfes EXPLANATION OJ tht LUNAR D I A G R A M. Eclipfes for the Year 1786. — January 14, ai Noon, the ajlronomical Day endsy and January I ^ begins -, at this Foint the Moons Node was in the Ecliftick ; and 44 Minutes after the Moon was oppojite * the Sun, and caufcd an Eclipfe oj^ the Moon. — To January 15, add fix Nodes, or 172 Days, 12 Hours, 59 Minutes, and it will ?nake 187 Days, 12 Hours, 59 Mi- nutes ; from this fubJiraB the 181 Days from the Calends of January, and it will leave July 6th Day, i^th Hour, ^gth Minute, the exatl Place of the Node. ^— Six Nodes are fort of fx Lunations, /\. Days, i^ Hours, 2^ Minutes-,— this Node therefore will be in the Ecliptick fo much before the Su?z -, and as the Nodes are diametrically oppofte to each other, fo the other will want jiijl as much, and therejore meet the Moon in the Ecliptick, July nth Day, ^tb Hour, 2\th Minute. — If we addjix Lunations, or 177 Days, 4 Hours, 24 Minutes, to Jan, i^th Day, o Hour, ' /\./\.th Minute, it will give July II, 5, 8, for the Moons Oppofition, which is 44 Minutes only from the Node, and will caufe a total Eclipfe of the Moon, hut, as it EXPLANATION (■If the LUNAR DIAGRAM. it happens about five o' Clock in the Afternoon^ viiijl be invijible to us, — In 14 Days, 9 Hours, 4 Mi?2utes, (Half the Length of a Node,) the other Node will get round the Earth into the EiCliptick, which added to fuly nth Day, ji^th Hour, i\th Minute, brings it to July 2^th Day, I'Xth Hour, T.^th Minute,-— In Order to find when the Moon will be in ConjunBion, add Haifa Lunation, 14 Days, 18 Hours, 22 Mi- nutes to July nth Day, ^th Hour, Zth Mi- nute, (the "Time when the Moon was in Op- pofition,) it will caufe an Eclipfe, but not vif-< ble to us. In Order to find when the Node will again crofs the Ecliptick, add 345 Days, i Hour, 58 Minutes, (the ^antity of twelve Nodes,) to fan. 15. — •//■ will bring it to Dec. 26th Day, if Hour, ^Sth Minute, when the Node will again be in the Ecliptick ; but as neither Node will then be within 20 Degrees of the Sun, no Eclipfe can happen. a, a, a. — The Path of the afcendifig Node, d, d, d. — T^he Path of the defcending Node. EXPLANATION Of the SOLAR DIAGRAM, liquity of the Ecliptick, and Jince the Eclip' tick and Equi?io5fial arc both great Circles, they miijl bifedl each other ; as it is found they do, in the Beginning of Aries and Libra ; fo that fix of thefe Sig}is lye on the North Side of the EqtiinoSlial, and are called the Northern Signs ', and the other Six, o?i the South Side of it, and are called the Southern Signs. — T^his Ecliptick is divided into 3651- Farts, anfwer- tng to the Number of Meridian Altitudes of the Sun, during the Revolution of the F.arth thro* it, cor ref ponding to the Number of folar Days or Rotations the Earth makes during that Time. As the elliptical Figure of the Ediptick i7iakes it fve Degrees, and almojl a garter longer than the EqMioBial, which is a Circle ; fo ive find the Earth requires fo much longer Time to tra- verfe it, than JJje would require, did foe go round the Sun in a Circle, at the fame Dif- tance from the Sun, /Zv is at the Equinoxes -, as the F^arth makes equal Areas in equal Tunes. See Ifitroduciion, P, 16, 3. — New Pv'Ioons ; Jbewi/7g the Day of the MoTith^ An Explanation of the SOLAR DIAGRAM, for the Year of our Lord, 1786, (an- fwering to the Year of the World, 5797, and to the Year of the Julian Period, 6499) ihewing the Place of the Sun, Moon, and Earth, every Day in the Year, according to the Julian Calendar, S. — 'T'he Sun in the Cejitre of the Syfiem.-— a, a — Meridians, going from the Equator, through the Ecliptick, to the twelve Signs, or fixed Stars in the Equinodiial ; Jhewing the Day of the fuUan Month, when the Sun comes into thefe Meridians, or enters thefe twelve Signs, B. B. — The Equatorial Circle divided into ^60 Degrees. — If the Plane of the Equator be produced' to the 'Heavens, it will there mark' out a Circle, called the Equinodlial, marked E . E * which will divide the Earth and Heavens i?2to two Halves or Hemifpheres, G. C^^The Ecliptick, an Ellipfe, which is found to be inclined to the Equinotlial, at an Angle of 2^ 28, which Angle is called the Oh- liquity CONTENTS. I N r R D U C T I N, QOME Notions in thefe Letters cojitrary to general received Opinions. Page 2. Equinoctial equally divided by the twelve Sigfis, hut the annual Orbit of the Earth unequally^ and meafured by the Nwnber of Rotations the Earth makes during that Time. ^ RetroceJJion of Time, how occafwned -, fl:ewing the Caufe of the Difference between Calendar Meafure and true Time: — Chronology of Tinie when began : 4, 98 — Style altered. 5 Tifne when it began ; that Point defcribed by Mofes. 6 Certain Points from which Aftronomers be- gin their Computations , as defcribed by Dr. Keil. 7 Creation when it happened. 6, 8 Obfervations of fame etninent Aftronomers on the Diagrams^ with their Remarks thereon. 10, 342 C O N' T E N T S. I N r R D U C T I N. Page Remarks on the AJironomers Remarks. 1 3 'The Reafon why the Seafons of the Tear have not been pointed out, exaBly, by any Nation be- fides the Ifraelites and Jews 1 4 Olympiads defcribed. 1 5 The Revolution of the Equator, the only true Meafure of Time. 1 6 Annual Orbit of the Earth round the Sun, an Ellipfe, and divided unequally . 16 Time and Motion anfwering exaBly to each other ; both meafured by the Rotations of the Equator, and anfwering each other precifely, fo that they may be turned into each other reci- procally. ' 1 7 The §luantity of Time the Earth goes for- ward in the EcUptick, during one Rotatio?i of the Earth, or a 7iatiiral 'Day, 42 All CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. Page All Nature meafured by the Rotations of the Equator, I g The Dhijion of the Ecliptick exatninedy and the Length of the Solar Tear. 19, 20 Obfervation thereon, only one Tear apart, precarious. 2 1 Dr. Keil's Method of afcertaining the Length of the folar tropical Tear. 22 The Length of it examined and proved, by Mr. Kennedy, according to Dr. Keil'j- Method, from Obfervations made 168 Tears Dijiance from each other. 23 Solar Period, or Cycle of the Sun defer ihed. Dr. Bradley 'j Obfervation, A.D. 1753, ^f- certained the firji Meridian. 25 Calendar of the Ifraelites defer ibed, and the Method CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION, Page Method they iifed to jneafure and record 'Times ^ viz. by Days and Tears. 26 Though the Ifraelites appear to meajure Times ^nd Seafo7is mechanically, yet they do it at the Jame Time^ ajironomicaliy, according to. the Ope- rations of Nature. 30 The Method of calculating Times and Seafons by the Ifraelites. 31 The Tear of the ^adriennium at the Crea-^ tlon, 34 The Method of adjujling the lunar with the folar Tear, by the Epacl, and both meafured by integral Days . 3 6 The folar Months of the Ifraelites, agreeing 'with the twelve Signs, beginning and ending on the fame Point with them, 38 The Ufe the Ifraelites 7nnde of their folar Months, and the Courfs of their Friefis de- fcriheds 39 CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. The Bcynning of the Tear, the Month, and the Week altered by the Coinmand of God, as a Memorial of their Deliver a?ice fro??! the Egyp- tian Bondage. Page 41 'The fews, in celebrating their Feaji, for their Deliverance fro?n the Egyptian Bondage, celebrate the Birth of Chrijl alfo. 41 The true Time of the Birth oj the Mefjiah ex- afnined, and found to be at the Feaji of Inga- thering and Tabernacles. . 42 How it happened that Chriftians kept the Birth of Chrifi at the Winter Soljiice, infead of the autu?nnal Equinox. 4j The fulian Tear, when it began. — The Caufe •why fulius Ccefar altered it, and the Method of that Alteration. 50 The Names and Animals, denominating the twelve Signs, ideal, and defcriptive of the Sea^ fonSf — whence derived. 53 X) Agcficjf CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. Agency of Nature believed by the ancient Philojophersy to be in Heat and Cold. Page 60 The Death of the MtKizh. foretold by T>aniely this Prophefy examined. ^ 6^ The iffidng of the Decree for the Return of the Jews to Jerufalcmi and the Ejid of the Pro- phefy compleatedj by the cutting ^7/6e' Meffiah . 67 When the Pafchal Lamb was to be fain. 70 The old feventh Day Sabbath rejiored 5 — the Birth of Chrif, how kept. yi The aforefaid Obfervations proved by the Cal- culations of Equinoxes f new and full Moons y and Eclipfes. — Deifts and Skepticks called on to point an Equinox y new or full Moon, or an Eclipfcy which contradict it. 74 The Point where thefe Calculations were be- gan. 74 Why CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. Why the IntroduBion was dated Sept. 22, 1787. Page 76 T^he Age of the World, and Day of the Week, proved mathematically and ajlronomically, by the Number of T) ays. Tears, and Lunatmis. 78 A Calculation of the Kclipfe which happened during Herod's laji Illnefs. 79 Calculation of the Birth of Chrijl, 82 Prophefy of Chriji's Death foretold ajid cal^ culated, 85 A Calculation of the Eclipfe, A.D. 1787, alfo of the next Full Moon after it. 92 Explanation of the aforefaid Calculations ; — their Method defcribed, with Injlrudlions how they were performed. 97 Difference -between Calendar Meafure and tr e Time, explained by Dr. KeiL 98 Lunar CONTENTS. L -Mr ANTICIPATIONS explained and proi'.d to have no Foundation in Nature. P. 104 The 19 Tears Cycle of the Moon proved to he lo7iger than the 19 Tears Cycle of the Suny which is contrary to the general received Opinio?! of Afronomers. 105 Ifiie joijied with the Skeptick, to try whether what is a[jcrtedy ( viz. that Mofes gives us the Place of the Sun and Moon at the Creation) be true or not. What gave Occafion to the following Letters. 118 LETTER I. On the DELUGE. An Anfwer to fome ^eries propofed by Mr. Heavifide ',-r^whether Ore, Metal, or Coal were ever found under Chalk ? — Obfervations where Ore and Metals are found, with Re?narks on the Formation of this terraqueous Globe. — How Metals, Salts, ^c. were difjblved, and reformed at CONTENTS. at the "Deluge ; together with the Method by which the different Strata were formed. — T^he Flood defer ibed. Page i 1 9 LETTER II. On the DELUGE. Mr. Heavifide" s Anfwer to the former Letter ^ with his Remarks thereon ; together with his Theory of' the Deluge. — That he cannot think that the Earth underwent a general Dijjolution at that Time. — That he believed the central Nucleus was Fire ; — with ObjeBions to the Diffblution of the Earth at the Deluge. 130 LETTER III. On the DELUGE. Fa^s which prove that in all Parts of Europe, Aiia, Africa, and America, the Exuvis of Animals and Ve get able s, particularly Sea Shells y are found in different Strata of Stone, both on the Tops of the highef Mountains in the Worldy and alfo at the greatejl Depths that have been CONTENTS. been dug below the Surface of the "Earth. — Some farther Account of the "Deluge. Page 1 37 LETTER IV. On the CREATION. Original Names, ideal. — The Reafofi why it has been afferted and generally believed, that the Scriptures do ?iot fpeak JiriSlly true, with Re- gard to Philofophy, on the Motion of the Sun, Earth, &c. but is accommodated to vulgar Ap- prehenfions. — The Mofiic Account of the Crea- tion and Formation of this Syjlem -, — defcribing the Agents which carry on the mechanical Ope- rations of Nature ; together with fome ExtraSis from Sir Ifaac Newton, to Jhew that he fup- pofed the Agents of Nature to be the fame as thofe revealed in the Scriptures. 14c LETTER V. On VEGETATION. Vegetation, when it firft began. — The Agents which cany it on defcribed -, together with the Method CONTENTS. Method Nature makes ufe of for that Purpofe. T^he Vegetation of a Seed dnd Bud, — Experi- ments from Dr. Hales, to afcertain the Eff'eSis £/'Heat and Cold on that Operation of Nature, . Page 167 LETTER VI. On VEGETATION. Experiments frotn Dr. Hales, 'which prove that Vegetables infpire and expire according to the Drynefs and Moijhire, and the Heat and Coldnefs of the Air. —'The Method Nature makes ufe of to perform Vegetation. — Trees and Vege- tables grow in the Form oj a Pyramid, iinlefs prevented, — The Caufe afigned why Plants in a Green-houfcy or other Room^ point towards the Window. — The fuices of Vegetables always hi Motion, but do not circulate like the Blood in Animals.^— Some more Experiments from Dr. Hales, to explain the Method Nature makes ife of in the bleeding Seafon, (in the Spring of the Tear) to force out the Buds and Leaves, 1 84 LETTER CONTENTS. LETTER VII. On VEGETATION. A 'Recapitulation of the Method Nature makes ufe of to carry on Vegetation. — T^he natural Agents hot and cold Ether. — Fire and Motion Jynonimous. — 'The 'Phenomenon of Vegetation a proper One to explain the Agency of Nature. The Caufe why Trees Jhed their Leaves in Au~ tumny and the Means made ife of to pufi forth their Buds and Leaves in the Spring, — The Scripture Account of Vegetation perfeBly agree ^ able 'with Nature. — Cold and hot Ether, the Agents which fupport and carry on Animal as ^well as Vegetable Life. Page 203 LETTER VIII. On the D E L U G E. Mr. Heavifde profeJJ'es a . great LicUnation for the Study of Natural Philofophyy though he had been prevented from attending to it fo much as he "jjified.—He then puts the following ^ery. Li that general Difolution of SubjJances, which you CONTENTS. youfuppofe at the Deluge, why were not Shells/ Bones, Shrubs, ^c. diffolvedy as well as Rocks, Stones. &c. F Paee 2 1 6 LETTER IX. On the DELUGE. Prejudices of Education hard to be overco7}ie, therefore many 'Things in Mr, Penrofe^s Theory may appear doubtful at frji, as they differ from fome which are generally taught, — There may he Arcana in Nature, which human Peafon may not be able to explain. — Anfwer to Mr, Hea- mfde's laji ^lery. — A Confitution and Cufiom obferved by the Royal Society, concerning Dif- quifitions. — The Waters outfide of this ter- raqueous Globe, not fufficient for the Flood. — Centre of Gravity altered at the Flood, — Caifes afjigned why Bones, Shells, &c. were not dif- folved. 220 LETTER X. On CHRONOLOGY and ASTRONOMY. As the firfl material Agents cannot come within the Knowledge of our denies, fo different E Philolbther: C O N I' E N T S. Vkilofophers have formed different Opinions ; but Ajlronomy tnay be proved by mathematical Demonjiration. — Hijhry is no more than a Ro- mance without Chronology , which is ?iot certain luikfs proved by Ajironomy. — Where to begin our ajlronomical Epoch. — Mofes s Account of the Place of the Sun and Moon at the Creationy proved by mathematical T>emonf ration. — Firji Meridian proved by an Ohfervation , of Dr. Bradley 'j-. — As Mr. Penrofe is 7iot fearful of being conviBed of JLrror, Leave is given to Mr. Heavifde to fiew this Letter to any Proficient in Afronomy, and to get his Criticifms on it. Page 2:; I LETTER XL On CHRONOLOGY and ASTRONOMY. Mr. Heavifde having Jhewn Mr, Penrofe s Letter to fome eminent Ajironomers, Me?nbers of the Royal Society, they *^ all agree that his ** Calculations were perfeBly right, and proved " what he intended they fioidd-, and that they ** would have" defrcd Leave to have read the '' Paper at the Meeting of the Royal Society, but C ON T E N T S. ** hut that it was deemed to he Cjnnecic'd with ** rdigious Sn/jeLls, ivhich they ne'cer meddle ** with there*' — Queries to Mr. Penrofe, oc- cafioned by the aforefaid hetter.. Page 241 LETTER XII. On CHRONOLOGY and ASTROXOMY. Mofes's Hijiory of the Creation cught to he examined hy Chronology and Ajlronomy^ which is the true 'Tejl of Hijiory. — 'The Cycle of Tears ezplained.—Anfwer to Mr. Heavifde's laji ^/e- ' 7'ies. — Ether the Caufe of Gravitation. — Gra- vity and Levity relative Therms. — 'The Agency of the Ethers explained -,— they are the Caufe of Winds i Hurricanes y Earthquakes, &c. — They alter or dejlroy Attrad:ion, Gravitation, Co- hefion, ^c. — Is the Caife of the different Mo- tions of the Earth, and its fpheroidical Shape. — The Caufe of Tides, ^c. 247 LETTER XIIL On NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. Doubts propofed concerning fome Farts of Mr. CONTENTS. Mr. Tcnrofes Thihfophy, i?i Order that T^riith may be ajbertained. — ^eries concerning cold Ether, and the.FreJJiire of that cold Ether into the hot, or where it is m^re rare. — What ts the Caufe of the Motion of the Earth ? What is the Caife that the Earth does jiot jail into the Sun? Do you impute it to a Current of Ether ? Jln- fwer to the lajl ^leries concluf^'ccy f it he al- lowed that Mofes was fo far ignorant of Afr:- nomyy as to be incapable of calculating t '■: Eclipfcs which preceded his 'Time. — He is f aid to he learned in all the Learning of the Egyptians. State of the Sciences in Chaldea and Egypt. Page 263 LETTER XIV. On NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. Mr. Heavifide's ^ery anfwered. — Calcula- tions of the Motions of the heavenly Bodies de- monjlrably true i but the Principles of natural Philofophy cannot be demonftrated with that Clearnefs and Precifon, as thofe in Aflrono77iy. I'hree Principles of Matter ; — Gravity explain- ed. — Cold and hot Ether defcribed according to Sir CONTENTS. Sir Ifaac Newton. — Centre of Gravity fiip- pofed formerly to be placed in the Centre of the Earth, but late 'Experiments prove that Gra- vity does not tend to the Centre of the Earth, but to the Superficies, and to the Place ii'here there is the greateji expanfive Heat. — Gravity prc-ced to be hicreafed or lejjened in Proportion as Heat and Cold prevail. -^'The Prejfure of the cold Ether or Gravity acfs exaSlly in the fame Proportion on the Poles and the Equator, as the fpheroidical Shape of the terraqueous Globe Jliews it does. — 'The Centre of Gravity to be 7iear the Surface of the Earth, where every Thing tends. Page 271 L E T T E Pv XV. On NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. Sta,te of the Sciences about two t hot f and Tears ago. — The former 9^ery repeated, ** If the ** Earth, &c. were frji put in Motion by the ^' Heat of the Sun, rarefying the Atmofphere " between tkefe Bodies, why did not the Earth " ' immediately gravitate into the Sun ? Muji not *' a trajeSiile Force have been frft neceff'ary to *' caufe its annual Orbit T' 293 LETTER CONTENTS. LETTER XVL On NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. Heat mid Cold fr/i Agents, according to Sir Ifaac Newton, Boerhaave, &c. — ■ Internal Make of this ten- aqueous Globe defer ibed, — T'he Thicknefs of the Shell of the Earth. — The con- fufed Appearances on this terraqueous Globe, prove that it has underzvent tre?nendous Convul- fions from %z-ithin, and that the earthy Shell has been burjl into Millions of Pieces. — Earthquakes examined, and their F feels defer ibed. — . Thefe EfeSfs oceafioned by Fire.— The Caifes of Earth- quakes explained', "which prove that there is an immenfe ^lantity of Fire within the Earth. — The above Account agreeable with what is given in the Scriptures. Page 299 LETTER XVIL On NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. Mr. IleavifdJs ^lefion, ** TFhy does not the Earth, gravitate into the Sun, &c.'' anfwered. All Space filled with ETHERS, which reach from the Sun to the Extremities oj" this Syjlem, and CONTENTS. and are in continual Conjlioi, and caufe a vi- brating Motion^ by their Endeavour to get the better of each other. — Theje Ethers the Caufe ^"Projection and Gravity. — The Earth and Planets of different fpecif.ck Gravities, accord- ing to their Dijlancesfrom the Sun. — 'The diur- nal and annual Motion of the Earth account- ed for. — The Fhenontena of Nature, and the Scriptures, confirm the Tejiimony of each other. Pajje ?2i LETTER XVIIL On A S T R O N O M Y. ^ With a DIAGRAM. 337 LETTER XIX. On A S T R O N O M Y. Obfrvations of Mr. Heavi/idSs afronomical Friend, on Mr. Fenrofe s Diagram, not con- clufive. 33^ LETTER XX. On A S T R O N O M Y. Mr. Penrofe's Defign to get the Opinion of fome C O N T E N T S. fh7nc cf the Geometricians and AJirofiomcrs, con- cerning his Diagram, Page 34,3 L E T T E R XXL On ASTRONOMY. T^he Di-fficulty in getting a decided Opinion on the Diagrams. 34'/ LETTER XXII. ASTRONOMY. On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS, I he Moon not a Planet, but a Satellite at- tending the Earth. — T'he recorded Ohfervations of AJlronomers, concerning her, colleSled. — Her Make and Motion defcribed. — 'T^he Chaldean Cycle, -with the Methods they made ufe of for calculatijig their Eclipfes. — "The phyfical Caifes of thefe Motions explained, and confirmed by the Ohfervations of Mr. Herfchel, and the French Afironomers . 349 LETTER XXIIL CONTENTS. LETTER XXIII. On ASTRONOMY. To confirm what Mr. Penrofe has obferved in his lafi and former Letters. — He has fent Mr. Heavifide a Calculation of the Eclipfe which is to happen July the 2^th. — // is calculated by the Method made ufe of by the Ancients, to meafure and record 'Time : — But t'o jhew how certain their Method was, it is alfo calculated according to the prefent, by Equations and Ano- malies. — It may be remarked, that both thefe Methods differ from each other only 8 M. ii S, That the Patriarchs and Chaldeans had more Knowledge in Afironomy than is generally allowed them. — This is proved by the 1 8 Tears Cycle of Eclipfes, and alfo the 19 Years Cycle of the Moon, both which, it is certain, we received from them, and without thefe Cycles, Aflrono- mers would be at a great Lofs. — Data on which the Calculations are made, and Conclufions in- fer ed from them. Page 380 Introduction, The INTRODUCTION. THE following Letters are real Copies of genuine ones, which paflld between me and an intimate Friend, for our own Amufement, according to their Dates ; but not with the moft diftant View that they fhould ever appear before the Public. — The GentlemaUj* who was the firfl: Beginner of this Correfpondence, died about the Middle of laft February. — Some Days before his Death, he defired his Son to wiite me, th.it A " He * JOHN HEAVISIDE, Efq. of Pr'mcesVStrcet, Cavendini-Square ; a Cenileman whofe Lofs is already experienced by many of hig Acquaintance, ■who \vere very numerous; his whole Attention, for many Years paft, kaving been employed to fcrve his Friends and Neighbours, particularly •hofe in Diftrefs ; this was his greateft Pleafure ! and he had Inclination, Fortune, and Abilities to do it. — Therefore, as a Pcrfon of his unbounded Benevolence is fo rarely to be met with, his Lofs will be the more f*- verely felt. 2 The INTRODUCTION. " He was pail: all Hopes of Recovery-, and ** begged to know what I would have done " wiJi thofe very valuable Papers which he *' had of mine, his Health having made him ** unable to attend to them as he wifhed." About ten Days after this, the Son wrote me a fecond Letter, " to let mc know that his ** Father was dead, and that he had found ** the i xtters of miae which his Father or- ** dered £hould be fcnt me." Some Time after this, I mentioned his Death to fome of our Friends, with the Cir- cumftance of his Son's fending me fome Let- ters which had paflcd between us. — They defirfd to rend them; after which they re- turiied them to me again, with a Requeft that they might be printed ; I confented thereto, and hope they will receive the Ap- probation of the Public. As fome of the Notions in thefe Letters are contrary to genera/ received Opinions, I truft they will not be difcarded on that Ac- count, without being firft examined, and the Evidence Ihe INTRODUCriON, 3 Evidence I produce tried, if fafficient to fiip- port thef^ Notions or not ; which are, prin- cipally, Firft, That the Equlnodial, or great Cir- cle of the Heavens, is equally divided hy the tv^elve Signs, of 30 Degrees each, making in the Whole 360" Secondly, That the annual Orbit of the Earth mufl be meafured by the Earth's rota- ry Motion, which is abfoluteiy, and with- out any Exception, the true Meafure of Time. Thirdly, That the Anticipation of Time, and the Preceffion of the Equinoxes, have not any Foundation in Nature, but are oc- cafioned by the Calendar Comput.'.tion, not anfwering exactly to the Length (jf the an- nual Orbit. — According to our Calendir Meafure, the foiar Year contains 365 i Days, or Six Hours J but the foiar tropica! Year, or the Time fhe is performing her annual Orbit, is only 365 Days, 5 Hours, 49 Minutes, which 4 The INTPy^ODUCriON. which is II Mi.nutes fhort of her Quadrant, or fix Hours. Therefore the Earth precedes, beyond the Meridian, where it began, 1 1 Minutes in equatereal Time, or 2"- 45 in Meafure. Hence, as the Earth goes, every Year, i i Minutes beyond the Place where it began ; (o it had occalioned,(in the Year 1753) the Equinoxes to have preceded forward 44 Days, and the Calendar Computation to fall back the fame Number ; and thereby to an- ticipate Time fo much. For the Autumnal Equinox, in the Year 706, of the Julian Period (which was the Year of the Creation, according to the Mofaic Chronology) fell on Ocflober 25th j but in A. D. 1753, which was the 6466th of the Julian Period, it was obferved to enter Libra, Sept, 11, O. S. fo that in 5760 Years, the Calendar Meafure had anticipated the true 44 Days. At the Council of Nice, which was held A. D. 325, the Sun was obferved to enter Libra, 8f pt. 22; therefore in order to bring the Calendar Meafure back to that Time, and fo to commemorate theFeflival ofEafter, at Tbe INrRODUCriON. 5 at a more exi'.ct Seaf.n ; an Ad: of Parlla- nic'it was paiTed, A. D. 1752, to throw n D.tV"i out of the Calendar Computation for th .t Year j fj th. t t'ns Year contaii^ed only 354 Days, inllead of 365. By this Means the r-^qtjinox wis brought back from the 14th of Tjurus to which it was got, (from the iirH: of Aries,) to the third cf the iame Sign, and the Sun entered Libra that Ycc^r, Sept. 22, N. S. in (lead of Sept. 11, O. S. which was the Time it entered it the Year bdure. (aj Fourthly ; The general Opinion is, that Mofe?, in his Hiftory of the Creation, does not point out, or give us any Inftrudion, in what Place of the Heavens the Sun and Moon were at the Creation. Firft. — la an Aver to this I obferve, that he has told us, ift. That they were placed there on the fourth Day of the Creation Week. 2dly (a) Sec Letter XIL XIV. and Dugram. 6 ne INrRODUCriON. adly. — That the Moon could not give her Light till the going down of the Sun : As the Sun was in the Meridian of the Place where it began to fhine -, fo the Earth mull have made one Quadrant of her Rotation, be- fore the Moon could enlighten Her. — As foon as that was performed, the Sun fat in the Well, and the Moon rofe diredly after in the Eaft, when they both together en- lightened the whole Earth from Pole to Pole. Hence, it may be remarked, that the Rotation of the Earth meafured one Qiiadrant of folar Time, before Ihe began tomeafure the lunar; therefore as the Sun and Moon were, jointly, to point out the Seafons, the Days, and the Years ^ fo the Chronology of Time mull be- gin at this Period, as Mofes tells us it did. (b) 3dly. — In Regard to the Place of the Sun and Moon in the Heavens, Mofes in- forms us, that the Feall of Ingathering at the End or Revolution of the Year, was to commemorate the Creation, which happened at fo) Levit, XXiii, js. "The IXTRODUCriON. 7 tt that Seai(:>n. — That the Feafi: was to be kept at the autumnal Fquinox-. — That the Moon mud be^^in to fhine in the Evening, at the going down of the Sun, being fifteen Days old, and juft pafTed her Oppofition or Full. — Here then we have a Point to begin our Calculations from, viz. the firft Degree or Point of Libra ; the Epad 15, (the Moon then being fifteen Days old) the fourth Day of the Week ; and, as one Quadrant of folar Time was to be added to the Beginning of the Year, viz. from twelve o'Clock Midday, to Six in the Evening ; fo it mufl: be the fe- cond Year of the folar QuiJriennium, — Had we not had thefe Data^ we muft be in the Dark for a Point where to begin our Calcu- lations from J for, as Dr Keil obferves, Ledt. XXVIII. ** As there are certain Points from ** which Aftronomers begin their Computa- " tions of the Planets Motions, fo alfo there ** muft be certain Points, as Inftants of Time, •' from which, as from Roots, all Calcula- " tions muft begin." Now, I have poftulated that my Inter- pretation 8 rhe INrRODUCriON, pretntlon of the Mofaic Hiftory is true 5 and I find by Calculation, that all the Equinoxes, Sollb*ce<^, new Mo -ns, full Moons, and Eclipfes, will be pointed out by thcfe Cal- culations, according to the obferved Times. Here then we have two Points to meafure from, I ft. the poftulated Point of the full Moon, at the autumnal Equinox 706, ac- cording to the Julian Period ; and 2i"IIy. the obferved Time, when the Sun entered Libra, A D. 1786, which Year we knew anfwers to the Year 6499 ^^ ^^'^'- Period; during that Time the Earth has made 5793 annual Revolutions through the Ecliptic, and 21 15849 Rotations round her Axis. Therefore, it mufl be allowed, that if the Number of the Earth's Rotations (or natural Days) and the Number of Years, or annual Revolutions, meafure the exad: Length be- tween thefe two Points, it muft be mathe- matically true. — Now, I prove by Calcula- tions (c) that they do.—- Thefe Calculations have |c) Sae Letter, No, XVI f. "The INTRODUCTION. 9 have alfo this farther Evidence, 'viz. That you may begin them, citlier at the autumnal Equinox, 706, A. I. P. or when, (by Ob- fervation,) the Sun v/as feen to enter Libra, A. D. 1786, and the Calculations will come out the fame to a Minute, which no aftro- nomical Tables, yet extant, will do. ^During this Time, the Moon will have made jib^j Lunations or Revolutions round the Earth, and Half another, when She interfe^ted the Earth's Orbit, through the Ecliptic, and caufed an Eclipfe of the Sun, A. D. 1786, July 25 D. 8 H. 43 M. P. M. If, after this, any one fhould dlfpute the Point, whether Mofes has given proper In- ilrudiions concerning the Place of the Sun and Moon, the Day of the Week, ^c, at the Creation. — ^He muft allow that we have been very lucky in getting Information for doing It. (d) Thefe Notions being different from thofe B adopted (J) Set Letter, No. XVII, ro "The INTRO DUCTION. adopted by Writers on the Subject, I re- mained diffident of my. own Opinions, not- withftanding my Calculations of the Motions of the Heavenly Bodies, confirmed me they were true, t;ill I defired Mr. Heavifide, who had fome Friends among the Royal Society, eminent in Aftronomy and Philofophy, to ViXQW them thefe Letters, with my Diagram, and to get their Opinions and Remarks on tnem. The Gentlemen returned him for anfwer, that I had proved, to Demonflration, that the Sun and Moon were in the fame Places in the Heavens, in the Year 706 of the Ju- lian Period, (as they mull: have been in the Year in which the Creation happened, ac- cording to the Mofaic Chronology,) and that the Earth had made juft the fame Number of Rotations, which I had poftulated it had. But with Regard to thofe Points in the Dia- gram, wherein I differed from the general received Opinions, they did not determine.(e) That (c) See Letter VIl. rbe INTRODUCTION. n That they liked my Letters fo well, that they would have read them before the Royal Society, had they not been joined with Re- ligion, which was contrary to one of their Rules to enter on. Not receiving the Satisfaction from thofe Gentlemen I hoped for, concerning the Points wherein I differed from general re- ceived Opinions, I got another Friend, who was intimately acquainted with an eminent Aftronomer, to requefl his Remarks thereon ^ to whom I alfo fent one of my Diagrams. — After fome Time, he fent his Remarks in the following Words, *' I have examined *' fome Parts of it, and find it to be fuiiicient- " ly exaCt; I muft however obferve, that the *• Method of reprefenting the Sun's Place, " and alfo the new and full Moons, for a ** given Year, by a Diagram, is by no Means " new; fince not only 'that h;?s been done, ** but, by certain moveable Circles, the Lu- ** nations and Seafons of the Eclipfes have ** been £hewn for a jjiven Number ot Years. •* There are, however, feverai Ailertions in '* the 12 The IN'TRODUCriON, * the Explanation which accompanies the ' Diagram, which, I believe, will not be * readily granted. — The Confl:rud:or of the ' Diagram, fays— AJironomers^ tell us, that ' the Ecliptic is equally divided into 1 2 Signs, * ^ 30 Degrees each ; but it is net Jo, — Now ' the Truth is, that the Ecliptic is equally ' divided by the twelve Signs, and when ' thefe twelve Signs are referred to the Equa- ^ tor, they necelTarily occupy unequal Por-- * tions of that Circle, from the Inclination ' of the two Circles, (f) Befides, the Ecliptic ' cannot with any Propriety , be called an * Elipfe. — It is only the Line defcribed ap- ^ parently by the Centre of the Sun, viewed from the Earth, during the annual Revo- lution of that Planet round that great Lu- ' minary. — That I am not at all difpofed to * enter into any Difcuffion concerning the ' Accuracy either of the ancient Ifraelites, or * the modern Jews, in calculating the Times ' of their Feails. — I muft however obferve, * that the Lengai of the tropical Year is not " exadly (f) The Equator is a Circle— -The Ecliptic an Elipfe. Ihe INTRO DUG no N. 13 *' exactly 3*^-5 D. 5 11. 49 M. but is at pre- *' fcnt a few Seconds fli )rter, and has been ** continually dimini£hing,fomewhat unequal- ** ly, fur feveral Centuries paft; and will, in " all Probability, continue to diminifh for '* many Ages to come." — On this I beg Leave to remark, that there, certainly, have been formed very exa6t Diagrams, reprefent- ing the Sun's Place, 6cc. for a given Year — But then thefe have been made by the A fTi fi- ance of Equations and Anomilies, to make the 365 Rotations of the Earth, to tally with the 360 Degrees of the Equator. — Thus, as he has very juftly obferved, when the 365 Rotations of the Earth, through the Ecliptic, is referred to the Equator, they necelTarily occupy unequal Portions of that Circle, fo unequal as 365 is to 360. From which it is agreed, that a Diagram has been formed to ihew the Sun's Place, &c. in a given Year, by the artificiaiyit2ins of Equations and Ano- milies -, but mine, on the coi^^trary, is formed according to Nature ; that is, by the Rota- tions of the Equator ofify, the file Meaf re of IT/W, without Equations or Anomihes. — I will 14 "The INrRODUCriON. will now beg leave to remark, that Mofes in his Hiftory tells us, that the Sun and Moon were both placed in the HeaVens, to meafure and point out the Seafons, the Days, and Years : (g) Hence the Reafon why thofj Na- tions who have made Ufe of one of them only, have never yet been able to keep the appoint- ed Seafons of the Year they were defigned or inftituted for. The only ancient People, whoie Hiflory can be confirmed by true Chronology, and proved by Aflronomy, were the Ifraelites, whofe Years were formed by the Sun and Moon, jointly. — That is, the Moon, by in- terfering the Earth's Orbit, prevented the Beginning of -the folar Year going from the appointed Seafon j their Year always ended at the firil full Moon which happened either upon, or, the firfl which fucceeded, after the (g) Gen. I. 14. Mofes fays, that the Sun and Moon were jointly ap- pohitcd to meafure, mark., or p')int out the Times and Seafons ; for God faid, let them (in the Plural) be for ^igns, and for Seaioiis, and for Days, and Yeajs. — The Scriptures tarther infoim us, P'almLXXXlX. 37, and CIV. ig. That the Moon is eflabhfhed in Hf aven as a lauhtiil Witneis, to point cut the Seafons, ne INrRODUCriON, IS the autumnal Fquinox. — In Imitation of this, were formed the Olympiads of the Greeks, who fcllowcd the Pofterity of Abraham in this Particular, viz, by governing the Sea- fons of the folar Year, by the Moon's Inter- fedions of the annual Orbit of the Earth ; indeed they differed from them in ending their folar Year at the Summer Solftice; whereas the Ifraelites iiniihed theirs at the autumnal Equinox. — Thus the Chronology of Years was truly recorded by the Olympiad Games, which were celebrated every four Years, on the firfl full Moon which happen- ed upon or after the Summer Solftice. — By this Means they kept the Beginning of their Years at the true Seafons; and this no other Nation has been able to do, notwithftanding the great Improvements which have been made in Opticks and other Sciences ; neither will it be done now, by the Gregorian Calendar, which will vary more than an Hour in one Hundred Years. With Regard to the Meafure of the Earth's annual Orbit, through the Ecliptic, whether or i6 ne INTRODUCTION'. or not it is equally divided by the twelve SignSj of 30 Degrees each ; let it be remem- bered, that the rotary Motion of the Earth is the only Meafure of Time, and that every Rotation of the Equator is 360 Degrees, m M.'cifure, and 24 Hours in Time. — Now when the Sun is in Conjun^flion with any one of the Signs, fuppofe Libra,- — The an- nual Orbit is meafured by the Number of Rotations the Earth makes during her Paf- fage through the Ecliptic, or till the Sun is in Conjundion with the fame Star, Libra, again. Had the annual Orbit of the Earth been a Circle, inftead of an Elipfe, (as the Earth performs equal Areas in equal Times,) thefe twelve Signs would have equally divided the annual Orbit, as well as the great Circle of 'the Heavens, and all concentrick Circles; but as it is not a Circle, but an Elipfe, and that Part of the eliptic Orbit which the Earth traverfes in Summer, being much larger and farther f um the Sun, than- the other Half which ii tiaveries in Wmcci', mufl:, of Con- fequence. The INTRODUCTION, 17 fequencc, make a greater Number of Rota- tions in going through that Half than the other ; indeed by Obfervation we find it to be more than fevcn. The Earth meafures the Orbits of all the Heavenly Bodies, as well as her own annual Orbit, by the NumSer of Rotations fhe makes during thofe Orbits, and adding the Over- plus of Degrees beyond the laft Rotation. — For this Purpofe, the whole Equator, or Circumference of the Earth, is, as has been obferved, divided into 360 Degrees in Mea- fure, whilll fhe makes one Rotation round her Axis, from Sun to Sun, and is called a folar or natural Day; which 360 Degrees inMca- fure, are divided into 24 Hours, by a well regulated Clock. — Hence it may be obferved, that, as every Rotation of the Equator contains exadtly 360 Degrees, whilfl a well regulated Clock points out 24 Hours in Time, precifely ; fo Time may be turned into Meafure, and Meafure into Time, recipro- cally. — This has been evinced to Demon- flration by the Trials of Mr. Harri/bn's Time C Piece. i8 rhe INT RODUCriON, Pieqe. — While the Earth is performing this Rotation or natural Day, She is carried for- ward, four iVIinutes of Time, in her annual Orbit viz. That Space of Time which She takes in going from the Star She fat off from the Day before, (which was then in Con- jund:ion with the Sun) till She comes in Conjunction with the Sun again, is juft four Minutes. — But this is a different and diftimfl Motion of the Earth's, forward, in its an- nual Orbit, which has no other Connexion with the diurnal Rotation, than that it is meafured by a ftated Part of that Rotation.— In this Manner the Earth meafures the Length of her annual Orbit, or folar tropical Year; the Period of a Lunation, or the Time while the Moon is going from one Oppofition or Conjundlion of the Sun, to her next Oppofition or Conjunction. — 'The Length of a Lunar Year, or twelve Lunati- ons, — The Length of the Orbits of the Pla- nets, Comets, &c. — And alfo the Times when the Eclipfes are to happen, or that par- ticular Time, when the Moon croffes the Earth's annual Orbit, either in Conjundion with The INTRODVCriON. .9 with the Sun, and in a dire(ft Line between the Earth and the Sun ^ or in Oppofition, when the Earth is in a dire(5l Line between the Sun and Moon. — The Moon does not meafure her own Orbit, but, points out the Seafons, by Her Interfe(5lions of the annual Oibit of the Earth, Let us now examine whether the annual Path of the Earth is equally divided, by the twelve Signs, or not. — She goes from Libra to Ariesy or the fix Winter Signs, or Winter Half, in 178 D. 17 H. 58 M. But the Summer Half, or fix Signs, viz. from the Vernal to the autumnal Equinox, require 186D. II H. 51 M. to compleat itj which fhews us She is more than a Week longer in traverfmg the Summer fix Signs, than She is in traverfing the Winter fix Signs. — From whence it may be obferved, that She increafes her Diftance from the Sun, greatly, after She has pafled the vernal Equinox, and that She muft be many thoufands of Miles farther from the Sun, at the Summer Solftice, than She is at the Winter Solftice. — She is alfo 31 D. 20 The iNTRODUCriON, 31 D. 5 H. o M. in going through the Sign Virgo, and but 29 D. 4 H. 35 M, go- ing through the Sign Capricorn; which fhews, that, notvvithftanding the twelve Signs or Stars, divide the great Circle of the Heavens into twelve equal Parts, yet the Path of the Earth's Orbit, (which is an Elipfe within that great Circle,) is fo much enlarged when She is paffing through the Sign Virgo, that it requires more than two Rotations of the Equator, to meafure it, than it does to mea- fure the Sign Capricorn —Thus, it is evident, that She traverfes more than 720 Degrees, or more than forty-nine thoufand Miles, in going through the Sign Virgo, than She does in going through the Sign Capricorn.— HcncQ alfo it is evident, that the Earth's Path or Orbit through the Ecliptic, is certainly an Elipfe; which, I believe, few will difpute. * We will now endeavour to try whether the following AfTertion of his is true or not, viz. ** That the tropical Year is not exadly 365 D. " 5 H- * " The Orbits of all the Planets are Elipfes, very little different from *' Circles; but the Orbits of the Comets arc very long Elipfes ; and the " lower Horns of them all are in the Sun."— See fergufon's Aftronomy, "The INTRODUCriON. 21 " 5 H. 49 M. hut at prefent a few Seconds " fhorter, and has been continually decreaf- " ing, fomewhat unequally, for fome Years •* pail, and in all Probability will continue *' to diminifh for fome Ages to come,"— . This appears to be an AlTertion without Evi- dence to fupport it. — It is true, that different Aftronomers, by their Obfcrvations, have made the annual Orbit of different Lengths, hardly any two agreeing about what is the Length of it, except thofe who have made it 365 D. 5 H. 49 M.— The Length of it, according to ^iv If aac Newton, is 365 D. ^H^ 48 M. ^j S. — Hence is partly the Reafon why the ancient Eclipfes, of more than two thoufand Years ilanding, cannot be calculated by the prefent Tables, which come fhort of them. — This Error, has been attributed, to the Moon's being nearer the Earth now than She was then ; but, in Fadt, the Caufe does not arife from this, but from the erroneous tabular Meafure. The meafuring the annual Orbit of the Earth, by two Obfervations, only one Year between 22 ne INrRODUCriON, between is fo precarious, that almofi: every Aftronomer will make a different Obfervation this Year from that he does the next j hence it may be cbfcrved, that different Aftrono- mers will not only vary from one another, but alfo the fame Aftronomer will differ from Himfelf. — Dr. Keil tells us, (^^ that " by ** Obfervations that are made at the Diilance ** of one Year, we cannot fafely rely upon the ** Quantity of the Year colleded from them; ** for a fmall Error of one Minute, being ** conflantly fncreafed, and multiplied by ** the Number of Years, in Procefs of Time, ** would amount to a prodigious Miftake in **' the Place of the Sun, therefore the Aftron- ** omers more accurately determine the Quan- ** tity of the Year, by taking the Obfervati- ** ons of two Equinoxes, at many Years Dif- *' tance from one another ; and dividing the " Time, by the Number of Revolutions the " Sun has made, the Quantity will fhew the ** Time of one Revolution, or nearly the ** Period of the Earth in her Orbit. — For, "by (h) Left. S2. p. 271. Ihe INrRODUCriON, 23 *' by this Means, if there be any Miftakc ** made in the Obfcrvation, it will be divid- ** ed into fo many Parts, according to the " Number of Years, that it will be infenfible '* for the Space of one Year." Dr, Keil, as above, having remarked the great Difficulty there is, in obferving when the Sun is in the Plane of the Meridian ; of the Place of Obfervation ; and alfo the Un- certainty of it was fuch, that he calls the Error of a Mmufe 2ifmall Error -, and, there- fore, in order to come near the Truth, we are to take the Obfervations of two Equinoxes, at many Years Diftance from one another, and dividing the Time by the Number of Revolutions the Sun has made, the Quantity will fliew the Time of one Revolution nearly. Now in Order to find the Length of the tropical Year, Mr. Kennedy took Dr. Keil's Direction, and tried it by the Obfervations of two remarkable great and cxad; Aftronomers, which were made 168 Years Diflance from each other, — The firft Obfervation was made by 24 The IlNrROBVCTlON. hy I'ycho Brakes at Vraniberg, A. D. 1585, and the laft by Dr. Bradley y at Greenwich, ^7 S3' ^y ^^^^ ^^ found the Length of the folar tropical Year to be exactly 365 D. 5 H. 49 M. (i) From which may be deduced, that 365 D. 5 H. 49 M. is the exad Length of the folar tropical Year, and alfo, that it is no {horter now than it was 168 Years ago. ^""^ A natural Day, or one Rotation of the Equator, contains 24 Hours in Time, or 1440 Minutes; thefe may be called equato- real Minutes, as there are Terminations, in Meafure, on the Equator, which anfwer to every one of them. — The Equator precedes forward 1 1 of thefe Minutes, every folar Year; and in 1440 Years, it pafTes through all its meridional Variations, and at the End of that Period, it returns again to the original Point of the Day, in the fame Place or Me- ridian, where it began, but not on the fame Day of the Week. — As this is an exad: Cy- cle (i) Kennedy, P. l^g. (k) Introdnftion, Page 2j. rhe INTRO DUC no N. 25 cle of the Sun, fo all the Multiples of this Number will be fo too, as 2880, 3420, 5760, &c. will compleat folar Cycles ; there- fore if you know the Time when the Sun enters Libray or any other Point in the Hea- vens, on any one of the Years of any Cycle; by that you vvill alfo know the Time when the Sun enters Libra, the fame Year, in all other Cycles. ,,) The fourth C)Cie ended A. D. 1783. — Here we have 5760 Revolutions to try the exad: Length of the folar tropical Year by ; and throughout all this Period of Time, the Sun will be found to enter Libra at the Times calculated, according to the Length of the folar Year being exadily 365 D. 5 H. 49 M. Thus let the autumnal Equinox 706, of the Julian Period, be one Pomt, and the autum- nal Equinox, 6466 of the fame Period, be the other Point. — Between thefe two Points, the Earth has made 5760 Revolutions; and by an accurate Obfervation that Dr. Bradley made that Year, A. D. 1753, at Greenwich, D. which (I) See Letter, No. 8, lo. 26 I'he INTRODUCTION. which was the Year in Connc(5tion with 6466, of the Julian Period, the Sun was obferved to enter Libra at the Day, Hour, and Mi- nute it did 5760 Years before, and Calcu- lations, according to this Length of the Year, will be found to agree with the Obfervations made every Year throughout this Period> and alfo all fuccseding ones, (m) Is not this De- monftration, that this Length of the Year is perfedlly right ? Li Order to underftand fome Parts of thefe Letters the better, I {hall give a Defcription of the patriarchal or ifraelitifh Year, according to the Calendar of it, as it is found in the Scriptures, or as it was obferved by the an- cient Ifraelites. It appears clear, that the Seafons in which Mofes ordered the Feafls to be kept, and the Diredions which he gave to the Ifraelites for keeping them, were pointed out by a well known and limple Calendar -, which, at that Time, (m) See Letter, No. 6. T:hc INT RO DU C no N. 27 Time, may be fuppofed to be underftood by ail; therefore, there was no (V-cfion to de- •fcribe it. — This Calendar feems to he formed in a mod fimple, clear, and exadt Manner. They calc.ulated their Months ajlronoinicallyy by the Number of Rotations njads by the Earth, (in Appearance) as mechanically as a Clock points out the Hours of the Day. — . They did not feem to have any Regard to the Motions of the heavenly Bodies, any more than if they had no Motion at all. — Thus, we may remark, that the. Patriarchs, inftead of being left to find out, by Obfervations on the Heavenly Bodies, the Length of the Years, whereby their Feftivals and Seafons were to be calculated and obfcrved, they were inftrudled by a Calendar of integral Days, and Quadrants, to calculate ailronomically the Times appointed for keeping of them, and thereby to record the Ages of the Patriarchs, and therewith the Age of the World ; this they were to do by the folar tropical Year, but to record Events by Days and Months of the lunar. — Indeed had not Mofes, at the Time he ordered them to keep thefe Feftivals at 28 T:he I Nr RODuc no N. at their particular Seafons, given them Di- redtions how to know when thefe Seafons came, it would be very abfurd to expedt it from them. -But he inftrudied 'them to mea- fure both the folar and lunar Year, by a cer- tain Number of the Rotations of the Earth, or natural Days. — In this Manner the Patri- archs and the Ifraelites always exprelTed their Ages, viz. by Days of Tears, to fhew that their Years were meafured by Days. — Thus when Pharoah afked yacob how old he was. (n) In the Englifh Text it is, *' And Pharoah ^' /aid unto Jacob, how old art thou'' — la the Margin, you have a literal Tranflation of the Hebrew. — *' How many are the Days of the Tears of thy Lfe-," Jacob anfwered him in the fame Stile — ** The Days of my Tears, \^c. Thus it may be infered, that their annual Calendars contained a certain Number of Days, and that their Years were meafured by thofe Days. They began to count the Beginning of their (n) Gen. XLVII. 8, 9. Ihe JNTRODUCriON. 29 their Days, at Six o'Clock in the Evening, (0} at the going down of the Sun, (which it always did in the Latitude where Paradife is fuppofed to be placed, and, nearly fo, in Egypt and the Wildernefs.) — Thus, as foon as the Sifn w^as out of Sight, they added that Day to the former Number ; and the next Day immediately began. — Six Days of the Week they w^ere to work, which fixth Day ended at the going down of the Sun that fame Evening, when the feventh or Sabbath be- gan j and at the going down of the Sun, the Evening of the Sabbath, their Week, or Cy- cle of feven Days ended, and the firft Day of the next Week began ^ and, in Order to keep and to commemorate their Sabbath, they had a holy Convocation thereon, which was their lirft and principal Feftival, Their Day was divided into four Quadrants or Quarters, and had four cardinal Points; the firfl began at Six o'Clock in the Evening, and ended at Mid -night; the fecond ended at Six in the Morning; the third at Mid-day, and (o) Levit. XXIII, 3a. 30 "The INrRODUCriON. and the fourth at Six in the Evening ; when the next Day began. — This is the Method which Mofes ordered Time to be meafured and recorded by, and the Method that the Sun and Moon do it, viz, by the Number of the Earth's Rotations. Thus, notwithstanding in Appearance they meafured mechanically by Calendar Num- bers only, yet at certain Times, thefe Num- bers met the Motions of the Heavenly Bo- dies, and their Calculations turned out aftro- nomically true. — They made Ufe of two Years to meafure and record Times and Sea- ibns by ; the one by the apparent Motions af the Sun, (or more properly the Motions of the Earth,) and the other by Lunations or the Revolutions of the Moon j which two Years, being meafured by Days o?ily, pre- vented the Times appointed, at particular Seafons of the Year, from ever altering; and to prevent their forgetting or miftaking the appointed Seafons, when thefe Tranfad:ions began and ended; Mofes ordered Feflivals and holy Convocations to be kept at thefe appointed Times, to commemorate them. rhe INTRODUCTION, 51 Their lunar Year confifted of 354I: Days ; and was divided into twelve Months ^ the firft Month of the Year began at the new •Moon before the Feafl of Tabernacles. The firft Day of the Feaft of Tabernacles, or the Ingathering of the Fruits of the Earth, was appointed to commemorate the Place of the Sun and Moon at the Creation, and was al- ways to be celebrated on the 1 5th Day of this Month, or (as expreffed in the Hebrew) the Moon ; which was at its iirfl: Appearance, on the going down of the Sun, after the full, in Commemoration that that was the Place of the Moon, on the fourth Evening of the Creation ; as the autumnal Equinox was the Point where the Sun was firft placed, at that Time.* As has been already obferved, they began * As this was the firft Day that the Chronology of the World commenced, the Ifraelites, (which is ftill continued amongll the Jews to this Day.) " on their Return from the Synagogue, falute each other with faying, " to a good Year fhall you be writ, for according to Tradition, this is the " Day that God created the World, fo it is that on which God judges it; " and therefore (fays David Levi) (p) in our Prayers, on this Fcflival ; we " pray to God, to renew unto us a good Year." — As Trumpets were al- ways made ufe of on the firft Day of this Feaft, fo it was called the Feaft of Trumpets, a Memorial of blowing of Trumpets, (q) David Levi tells us, (r) " that their Trumpets are always made of a Ram's Horn, in Re- (P) P- 75-— (q) Levit, XXIII. 24.— (r) P. -9. 32 rhe INTRODUCTION-. began their Days at Six o'CIock in the Even- ing ; their lunar Year began at the fame Point, and confifted of 354^ Days ; fo the iirfl lunar Year began, at the fame car- dinal Point with the Day, and it ended at the cardinal Point of the next Quadrant, viz. at Mid-night ; the fecond ended at Six in the Morning; the third at Noon, and the fourth at Six in the Evening; at which Point of" the Day, the lunar Year was compleated and ended ; and was then added to the End of the fourth Year, which contained 255 Days, whereas, the firft three of this Cycle of four Years, contained only 354. This lunar Year was divided into twelve Months, and was calculated by the Patriarchs, and ancient Ifraelites, by Calendar Numbers only, and continued to be fo till after the Captivity " tnembrance of Abraham offering his Son Ifaac, when the Angel of the " Lord called to him out of Heaven, and faid, lay not thine Hand upon *' the Lad — and Abraham feeing a Ram, caught by the Horns, in a " Thicket, he went and offered Him up for a Burnt Offering, inflead of " his Son ; our Traditions inform us, that happened on this Day, (s) we " therefore make Ufe of a Trumpet, made of Ram's Horn, as a Memorial -pfu." (sjGer. XXII. 8. 9. ne INTRODUCTION. Z2> Captivity of the Jews, when they learned and introduced a different Method of point- ing out, and of calculating this lunar Months. It is fuppofed they learned their Method ''du- ring their Captivity amongft the Babylonians and Greeks -, from that Time, to this Day, they calculate their xMonths by the Appear- ance of the Moon, next after the Change, and by 29 and 30 Days, according as it ap- peared ; but they never made their Months to contain more than thirty Days. But, ac- cording to the Calendar Numbers of the Ifraelites, their iirft eleven Months contained 30 Days each, and their twelfth 24 Days only ; and at the End of their Cycle of four Years, 25 Days. — At this Point, their Ca- lendar Numbers met the Lunations aftro- nomically. The firft Day of every lunar Month was called the Month or Moon- day ^ on this Day they had a Feftival, and holy Convoca- tion, as a Memorial that the laft Month was ended, and another began* — By thefe lunar E Months 34 i:he INrRODUCTlON, Months, all Events and Tranfadtions were recorded. The folar Year, (by which the Ages of the Patriarchs were recorded, whofe Ages were always made to begin and end at the autumnal Equinox, and thereby to run pa- rallel with the Years of the World,) con- tained 365 i Days; hut then this Quadrant at the End of the Year, like the Lunar, did not come into the Reckoning till at the End of the Quadriennium, or Cycle of four Years, was compleated -, fo that the firft three Years of the Quadriennium confifled of 365 Days each, and the fourth of 366. — The folar Day began at Noon, as it did on the fourth Day of the Creation, therefore it anticipates the lunar one Quadrant of a Day, as that did not begin till Six in the Evening, — -Thus, as this Quadrant reached from Noon to Sun- fetting, fo it fhews us that the firft Year of the World muft be reckoned as the fecond of the Quadriennium; therefore, when we would know the Quadriennium of the World's Age, "The INrRODVCriON. 35 Age, we mufl: add i to A. M. and then di- vide by 4^-this will always give you the Quadriennium fought. — The folar Day was divided into Quadrants, as the lunar, at the four cardinal Points. Hence, it may be obferved, that the lunar Year confifted of 354i Days, and the folar 365^. — If we fubftrad: the lunar from the folar, it leaves 11 Days, (the Difference in Length between the two Years ;) which is called the EpaSi, and is a great Means to diftinguifh one Year from another. As the two Years were carried on together, and both meafured by integral Days ; fo they regulated each other in the following Man- ner ', the firft folar Year was one Quadrant and eleven Days longer than the lunar ; this odd Quadrant was occafioned by the folar Time beginning fo long before the lunar.— The two firft folar Years contamed 730!: Days, while the two lunar contained only 708 i, fo that the Epa6f, at the End of this Year, 36 "The IN'TRODUCriON. Year, was 22^ Days, the lunar Year being fo far fhort of the folar. — The iiril Day of the Month, of the lunar Year, was on the iirft Appearance of the Moon, after the Con- junction, which was neareft to the autumnal Equinox, and came before it : Now, as the Moon was 1 5 Days old, or paffed its Full, on the iirft Year of the Creation, fo if we fub- flrad: 15 from 22, it will leave 7 for the Epa6t; and fo much the new Moon Year will precede the Solar.—The next lunar Year, added to thefe two, will make 1096 Days, while the three lunar contain 1062 J Days only, which are 33^ fliort of the folar. — Now as the twelfth lunar Month contained no more than 24 Days, fo it over-ran the full Moon 9 Days ; therefore as the firft Day of the P'eaft of Ingathering was to be on the full ]V:oon which happened either upon the au- tumnal Equinox, or the next which follow- ed, they added a Month of 30 Days, and the next new Moon, lunar Year, began 6 Days after the folar Year ended. The Number of Days contained in the folar Qua- driennium. ne INTRODUCTION. 37 driennium, are 1461, while the lunar have but 1 41 7; to which add the Month of 30 Days, and it makes 1447; v/hich fubftrad: trom 1461 ; the Days of the folar, leave 14, and fo many Days the full Mcon, lunar Year, precede the next folar. Hence It may be obferved, that both Years are meafured by integral Days, and that the annexed Quadrant was not reckoned till the Day was compleated, which it always was at the End of every four Years, — At firft View, this annexed Quadrant, at the End of each Year, has the Appearance as if it would caufe a Confufion between them ; but the contrary is found to be the Fad:; for it may be ob- lerved, that the Quadrant, annexed to both Years, redify each other in fo exadl a Man- ner, that it appears to be appointed by God himfelf, as the Medium or Bond of Con- nexion between them. From what has been faid, it may be re- marked, that take any four Years of the World, 38 ne INTRODUCTION. World, the lunar Computation is not only included in the folar, but is equal to it. For firft, every four folar Years in Suc- ceffion, include firfl four lunar Years, three of which conlifl of 354, and one of 355 Days, whofe Sum is 141 7. Secondly. They include four lunar Epad:s, three of which conliil: of 1 1 Days, and one of i o Days, whofe Sum is 43 Days, which being added to 1 41 7, make 1460, Thirdly. They include four Quadrants, which make one Day; to 1460 add that one Day, and the whole Amount of lunar Days will be 1461, the fame as the Solar. The folar Year, like the Lunar, was di- vided into twelve Calendar Months ^ — the iirfl eleven contained the fame Number of Days that the Lunar did, viz. of 30 Days each; but the twelfth had 35 Days. — Thele twelve folar Months began and ended at the fame Point of Time with the twelve Signs — they began when the Sun entered Libra, till after Tbe INTRODUCTION. 39 after the Exodus of the Ifraelites out of Egypt, when they altered the Beginning of the Year by God's exprefs Command, from the au- tumnal Equinox, to the Vernal ; their firft Month was altered to the feventh, and their feventh to the firfl: ; (t> their Sabbath was al- tered from the feventh Day to the fixth. — The Ifraelites counted thefe Months by Ca- lendar Numbers, in the fame Manner they did their lunar Months, but at the End of every Quadriennium they met the Sun Ajlro- nomkallyy at the fame Point of the Day, in the fame Sign, The Ufe which the Ifraelites made of the Months of the folar tropical Year, was for the coming in and going out of the twelve Courfes of Military Officers, and of the 24 Courfes of Priefts, M who waited in the Temple; thefe Prieils went in and came out every Sabbath Day j fo that it came to the Turn of each Prieft (v) to wait two Courfes in the Year, befides the three Feilivals j when all (t) Exod, KH. 1. (u) 1 Chron. XXIV. 7.— XXVH. 1.— (v) a. King*, XI. 5, 7. 40 "The Il^TRODUCriON. all the Courfes waited, (w) They began their Year at the Feaft of the Paflbver, which laft- ed till the Morrow' after the Sabbath, v/hen the wave Sheaf was offered, after which they began to count the feven Weeks, between that and Pentecofl, or the Feafl of Weeks ; the third Feaft was the Feaft of Tabernacles, or Ingathering, which lafted eight Days. Thefe Feafts made four Weeks, when all the Courfes waited^ and the 24 Courfes twice over, made 48 Weeks ; which, with the four Weeks of the Feftivals, make in the Whole 52 Weeks, with one Day for all the Courfes to go out and come in, will compleat the folar tropical Year, which contains 52 W^eeks and one Day. After the Exodus of the Ifraelites, from their Bondage out of Egypt, they kept their Feaft of Tabernacles and Ingathering, ac- cording to Mofes's Diredions, as do the Jews to this Day, (x) on the ffteenth Day of the /event h Month, (from the vernal Equinox) itfhen (w) s Chron, V. u. (x) Lcvit. XX HI. 39. r^e INTRODUCTION. 41 whe'/i ye have gathered in the Fruit of the hand, ye Jhall ke:p a Feajt unto the Lord, fe- vsn Days, On the jirjl Day jJ) all he a Sabbath y and on the eighth Day jhall be a Sabbath,— And ye prjll take you on the fir/l Day, the Boughs of goodly 'Trees, and ye Jhall rejoice before the Lord your God-, ye Jhall dwell m Booths feverz Days. It is worthy of Obfervation, (fi^ys Mr. Kennedy) c) that when the Jews celebrate the Feafl of Tabernacles, as above diredled, in Remembrance of the Creation of the World, which they never fail to do at the appointed Seafon; they celebrate at the fame Time, not only the Birth-day of the World, but of the promifed Meffiah too, who was born on the firft Day of the Feaft of Tabernacles, and circumcifed on the eighth, or great Day of the fame.— But as this is a Seafon of the Year, contrary to the general received Opinion, when Chrift was born j I (hall endeavour to find the real and true Seafon when that hap* F pencd. (y) Kcnwdy's Introduftcry Difc6«rfg, P. 19, 42 rhe INTRODV CriON, pened. — In order to do this, let us examine the Scriptures, and try what Affiftance may be received from them, for when they are examined carefully, and with a good Inten- tion, we often find that they contain more than we expected to find in them. — It is ge- nerally agreed, that the Ceremonies and Works of the Law were typical of thofe Things which were fulfilled in the Gofpel ; both Teftaments being a Counter-part to each other, as our Saviour told the Jews^ Jearch the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal Life -j they are which tejiify of tne. If ye had believed Mojes, ye would have be- lieved me : for he wrote of me. (/) That the Temple typified the Body of Chrifl we are certain, for our Saviour himfelf told us fo. (aa) The Feaft of Dedication of Solomon's Tem- ple, was kept on the Feafl of Tabernacles, (bb) in the feventh Month, — and on the eighth Day they made a folemn Afiembly for its Dedication. If this w^as a Type of Chriil, there (t) John V. 39. 4*t— («>) Jo*5» n. 19. 2j.— (bt) II. Chron. V. 3. 7. 8. IJji INTRO DUG no N, 43 there is no Doubt but that it was fuliilled by its Antitype. St, Luke tells us, ^cc) That in the Days of Herod the King, of yudca, that a certain Prieji named Zacharias, of the Courje of Abia. And it came to pafs, that as foon as the Days of bis Minijiration were accomplified, that he departed to his' own Houfe ; and that after thofe Days, his JVtfe 'Elizabeth, conceived and hid herfef five Months-^ And in the fixth Month y the Angel Gabriel was fent from God, to a Virgin, and faid unto her — behold thy Coiifin Elizabeth, fie has alfo conceived a Son in her old Age, and this is the fixth Month with' her. In order to know the Seafon of the Year when this happened, St. Luke tells us, that it was dired:ly after Zacharias s Days of Mi- niftration were accompliflied — And that Za^ charias was of the Courfe of Abia. — And in Chronicles (•id) we are informed that Abia be- longed (cc) Luke I. 1. 23; &c.— Jcia) I. Chron. JJXIV. if. 44 l^he INrRODUCriON. longed to the eighth Courfe. — Now the Priefls began thefe Courfes of Miniftration after the Sabbath (which followed the Pall- over) was over. — During the Feaft of the PafTover, or Feafl: of Unleavened Bread, (which was feven Days,) all the Courfes of the Priefts miiiiftered together. — That the Beginning of the fifty t)ays, between the Feaft of the Paflbver, and the Feafl of Weeks, was to commence on the Morrow after the Sabbath, when the wave Sheaf was offered ( ee} fo that the firfl Courfe were to bedn their Miniftration on the fecond Sabbath after the Pallbver, which was (ff) Jehajorlb-, the fe- cond yedaiah ; the third Horim ; the fourth Searim -, the fifth Milchijah ; the fixth Mija- min-, the feventh Hahhez — the next Week came the feafl of Weeks or Pentecofl. — Hence the Courfe of Ahiah, (which was the eighth) did not come m till the Week after Pentecofl. — Now if we count the Weeks they will be, the PafTover two Weeks, be- tween that Feafl and Pentecofl feven Weeks, Pentecofl {*«} l«vi^. XXIII. X5.— (ff ) X. Chfoo, XXIV, 7 to 10. Hhi INTRODVCflON. 45 Pentccoil one Week, and Abias, the Week after, one Week} in all eleven Weeks. — So that the Week after his Miniftration muft be the twelfth after the PalTover Day. — Sub- flrad 12 from 52, the Number of Weeks in a folar tropical Year ; and there will remain 40 Weeks, the exad Time of Geflation, to which add one Day for the Day of the Birth, and that will bring it to th,^ Pafloyer Day, when John Baptiil was born, — hdd to this fix Months, (the Difference between the Conception of Elizabeth, and when the An- gel Gabriel was fent to the Virgin) and it will bring it to the 15th of the lev entU Month, when Chrifl was born. Now multiply the 40 Weeks by 7, and the Produd will be 280 ; add i for the Day of tlie Birth, and it will make 281 Days, (as thefe are lunar Months) fubflrad 266 Days for the nine Months of Geflation, and the Remainder 1 5 will cxprcfs the true aftro^* nomical Day when the Baptiil and MefTiah were born,-^Johii the Baptiil was born on the 46 "The INfRODUCriON. the 15th of the firft Month, or PafToverDay, and the MeiTiah on the 15th of the feventh Month, when the Feaft of Tabernacles com- menced. The vulgar Era of ChriH-'s Birth w^»s not fettled till A. D 527, whin it was done by Dionifius, a Roman Abbot, fintc which it has been generally received and followed by Chriftians. — Had this Era began in the Time of the Apoflles, there is no Doubt but it had been right, but as it did not become ?n P'ra till the fixth Century, it is not at ail to be wondered at, if it fliould be found to be not exad:ly right, as it certainly is not.—As there is no Certainty in Chronology, without it is confirmed by Aftronomy, I Ihall endeavour to fettle it according thereto. We are told in the Gofpel (gg) that Chrilt was born while Herod was King of Judea ; who fought to kill Him, as foon as he heard of his Birth ; but Jojephy being warned of God, (gg) Matthew II. iff. the INTRODUCriON. 47 God, fled into Egypt with him, where he remained till he heard of Herod's Death, which happened in the Year 47 11 of the Julian Period; but the vulgar Era, fettled by Dionifius, makes his Birth to have hap- pened in the Year 4713 of that Era. yofephus informs us (hh) that Herod died in the 26th Year of Auguflus Caefar, and a little before the Paflbver, and that there was an Eclipfe of the Moon during his lad Illnefs.— Now, if we calculate that Eclipfe of the Moon, it muft fettle aftronomicaDy the Year when Herod died. This Eclipfe is not to be found amongfl the Catalogue of Eclipfes, but Mr. Fergufon (») fays, ** It appears by our Allronomical •* Tables to have been in the Year of the Ju- ** lian Period, 4710, March 13th, at 3 •* Hours pad Mid-night, at Jerufalem." — At the End of this Introduaion m I fhall add (hb) Jofcphu* lib. XYII. C«p. 8 and 11. — (li} Fcrsufon, P. 385, S. 395. 48 ne INTRODUCTION. add a Calculation of this Eclipfe, by which it will appear, that Mr. Fergufon has made a Miftake of one Year in his Calculation, for you may obferve, from my Calculation, that this Eclipfe mufl have happened A I P 471 1 , and not 4710, and that it happened accord- ing to Mr. Fergufon's Time, March 13, N, S. 3 H, 40 M. 33 S, It could not be on the 13th of March, 4710, becaufe the Full Moon, in that Year, happened on the 23d Day of March, inflead of the 1 3th, when the Moon's Node wag too far Diilant, at that Time, from the Sun, to caufe an Eclipfe. As it may beobferved from thefe Calculati- ons, that our Saviour was born on the iirfl Day of the Feaft of Tabernacles, in the 26 th of Auguftus Ca^far, on a Sunday, the ieventh Day of the Week from the Creation, in the Year of the World, (according to the Mofaic Chronology) 4005, about five Months be- fore Herod died, which Jofepbm tells us was a little before the PaiTover Day, or the 14th of Nifan, which happened that Year on April II* Thi IN'TRODUCnON, 49 ir, of the Julian Calendar. — This corredls the vulgar Era, two Years and 89 Days : It was then propofed to bring the Beginning of the Year, from the autumnal Equinox, (nearly the Place it had got by irregular In- tercalations,) back to the Calends of Ja- nuary. Soon after the Feaft of Tabernacles, when Chrift was born, and Herod fought his Death by ordering all the young Children in Bethlehem, of two Years old and under, to be (lain; Jofeph carried him into Egypt, where he remained till after Herod's Death, which happened about five Months after. As the Reader may be defirous to know the Reafon why Chriftians kept the Feflival of Chrill:*s Birth, at the Winter Solflice, in- ftead of the Autumnal Equinox, which ap- pears to be the true Seafon 5 and, as Hiftory is filent hereon, I fhall give the moil pro- bable Account I can concerning it. — In or- der to do this, it appears proper to examine the Method of recording Events at that Time, G I» 50 "The INr RODU CriON. In the ill ft Place, it muft be obferved, that the Romans were Mailers ^of the then known World, and that they obliged all the conquered People to obey their Laws. Forty -fix Years before the vulgar Era, Julius Casfar, finding great Inconveniencies to proceed from the Irregularity of the Ro- man Calendar then in Ufe, which was of a lunar Year, and required an Intercalation every Year to make it agree with the Solar ; and that by the bad Management of the Pon- tificesy who had the ordering of it, the Ca- lends of January were got from the Winter Solilice, (to which they had been placed by Numa, about 560 Years before,) nearly to the autumnal Equinox j he therefore, to make a more perfedt Calendar of the Year, called to his Ailiitancc an Aftronomer from Alexandria; who, in order to put the Sea- fons into their right Places, very carefully obferved the Sun's Place in the Ecliptic -, and by reckoning the greater Part of Odiober, November, and December, twice over, he eifeded it, — Thus, when by the old Calen- dar, "The INTRODU CriON, 51 dar, the Year was got to the Calends of Ja- nuary, he brought it back and began it again nearly to the autumnal Equinox; by this Means, the Winter Solillce of the new Ca- lendar, (as Ov/V informs us,)* was made the Point where the old Year ended, and where the new one began. Other Roman Writer? alfo inform us the fame; but P/Z/zy and Columella tell us, that the Calends of January, with the other Equi- nox, and the Solftices. were placed in the 8th Degree of each Sign, and were much perplexed to account for it ; but the Fa6l ap- pears to be, that the Alexandrian Artronomer, finding that the Equinoxes had preceded the Calendar Meafure, he ordered the Beginning of the political Year to be placed in the 8th Degree of Capricorn y inflead of the firft, thinking thereby to place the Calendar Com- putation where it might agree with the Solar. About ten Years before our Saviour was born, * BmiKa noyi priifka eft vetcrifque NoviJJimus Annif Frincipium capiunt Fhcckus ct Annus idem, Ovi»« 5?. "the INrRODUCriON. born, they found that an Error had been committed, by adding the Day of the Leap Year to every third Year, inftead of every fourth, whereby three fupernumerary Days had got into the Calendar ; but by Auguji C(pfar\ ordering that no LeapYear fhould be again put into the Calendar for the twelve Years next en- fuing, brought it right again j and then ima- o^ined that the Calendar would never more want any farth'er Corredion. — 1 his was be- li>.ved fo late as the Council of Nice, which was heldj according to vulgar Era, A. D. 325. For by their pafchal Canons, they erroneoufly fixed the aifb of March fur the Sun's Entry into the Equinoctial Point, and took it for granted, that it would be immovcably fixed to that Day of the Julian Calendar.— For it does not appear that Aftronomers were capa- ble of obferving the exad: Time of the Sun's entering the Equinodial Points, till ^ycho Brake, by his Improvements in Aftronomy, did it. — After this Reformation by Julius and Auguilus Caefar, to prevent Confufion by different Calendars, Strauchas informs ^s, (iij that fevere Laws were made to punifli any (11) Book XV. Chap. 41, (Salt's TramOation.) TZv 1 NTRODUCriON. 53 any People who did not conform thereto, or who mads Ufe of any other. Now the above was the State of Calendar Computation at the Coming of Chrift, — All the K.oman Empire kiiuwing what Pains Julias C^efar had taken to fet all the Seafons in their true Places, and to make a true Ca- lendar of the Year, it would have been ftrange, and have the Appearance of great Obilinucy, for any one to have a6ted in Contradiction to it ; and therefore, the Chriftians, no doubt, did conform to it, and made Ufe of it; for, it was one of the Principles of Chriftianity, taught by St. Peter himfelf, (mm) <' to fubmit " themfelves to every Ordinance of Man for ** the Lord's Sake, whether it be to the ** King as Supreme, or unto his Governors." Thus it may be obferved in what a State of Confufion the Calendar Computation had been in, about the Biith of Chrift; and what Pains had been taken, by the Roman Em- perors, to fet it upon a right Foundation. — He (min} It Petcf; II, jg. 54 "The INfRODUCriON. He was born amongft the Jews, who, with the Patriarchs and Ifraelites, from the very Beginning to this Time, have always be- lieved, that the Creation happened at the Full Moon neareft after the Autumnal Equi- nox, and that the Feafl of Ingathering was appointed by God, and ordered by Mofes to be kept in Commemoration of it. — The Feafl of Tabernacles was ordered to be kept at the fame Time; but as that was to be a Memo- rial of their Deliverance from the Egyptian Bondage, when they dwelled in Tabernacles, fo they were ordered to drefs their Habita- tions with green Boughs, to commemorate it ; (nn) Chrifl being born amongft the Jews, on the firjl Day of this Feaji, the Chriftians dreifed their Houfes alfo with green Boughs, for a Memorial that Chrift was born on that Day. Now as Chrift was born on New Tears Day, and as St. Paul tells us M that in his Time, '* there were many unruly and vain f* Talkers and Deceivers, efpecially they of " the (nn) See P. 41.— (00) Titus, I. i»(x the INrRODUCriON, 55 ** the Circumcifion," (foon after which the Circumcifion and Uncircumcifion fcparated themfclves from each other) ; it would liave been aftonifliing had the Chrifcians obferved their Seafons by any other Calendar than that which Julius Csefar and Auguftus had taken fo much Pains to make compleat: But though they kept the Feftival in Commemoration of tlie Birth of Chrift, on New Tears Day. ac- cording to the Julian Computation, yet full they continued their Cuftom of drefling their Habitations with green Boughs, to fliow that it was on the Feaft of Tabernacles that He was born. — It may be obferved, that they alfo fettled every other Feaft and Feftival ac- cording to the Julian Calendar. — The Names of the twelve Signs begin in the Latin Lan- guage, it appears probable they were given to them at this Time.— For though they are the fame with the folar Months of the If- raelites, yet the Knowledge and Ufe of them were almoft loft. — It does not appear that any People befides the Jews and Greeks made Ufe of the folar Year, all others had the lu- nar, with Intercalations; this was Numas Year. For 56 the INl'RODUCriON, For the Reafons before- mentioned, Julius Ca?far, with the Affiftance of an Alexandrian Aflronomer, altered it to the folar ; and they then b lieved they had fettled the Calendar in fo exa(ft a Manner, that the Seafons would always the^e. fter be kept to their true Places. The ifraelites diftinguilhed their falar Months, as well as their lunar, by Numerals; but, it feems, (as Julius Csefar was not willing to make fo great an Alteration in all the civil Months, as to make them to tally exad:ly with the Signs in the Heavens,) that the Aftronomer gave Names to the Signs, ex- preflive of the Seafon of the Year which they pointed out. Thus Aries, the Ram, the Point when the Sun enters the Vernal Equinox, was repre- fented by a Ram, the Horns of Animals be- ing always made Ufe of to fhew the Strength of the Sun -, fo the Ram, the Head of the Flock, was a proper Emblem to exhibit to us, by his Horns, the increafmg Strength of the Sun's Heat. The ne INrRODUCriON, ^7 The 2d was T'aiiriis^ the Bull, the ftrong- efl of all domeftic Animals ! who, together with his Horns y gave us a proper Idea of the great Strength of the Sun, whilffc it paiTed through this Sign, which it entered about the 13th of April. The 3d was Gemini or TwinSy informing us, that at the End of this Sign, the Heat of the Sun, and his twin Brother, the cold Ether, then bore an equal Share in the Go- vernment of Nature. The Sun ended this Sign about June 21, when The 4th began, which was reprefented by Cancer^ 2. Crab, to inform us, that as the Crab went backwards, whilfl other Animals walked forward, fo this Animal exhibited to us the retreating Power of the Sun at this Seafon. The 5th is Leo, the Lion, the mofl: power- ful Beafl of the Forefl ! and is very expreiTive of the violent Heat of the Sun, whilft it pafles through this Sign, which it enters a- H bout 58 "The INTRODUCriON. bout July 21. — Notwithftanding the Aftro- nomer did not alter the civil Months, to be- gin and end according to the Signs in the Heavens, yet he named one of thcfe Months, which anfwered nearly to this Sign, Julius, in Honour to his Patron Julius Ccejar, letting us know, that as the Heat of the Sun was then at the greateft, fo it commemorated the greateft Emperor of the World. The 6th Sign was Virgo, reprefented by a young Woman, into which the Sun enters about the 22d of Auguft : a young Woman grown to Puberty, is the Inftrument by which the Increafe of the Human Species is brought forth ! during this Sign, the Trees and Vegetables produce their Fruit and Seed. — Hence, the Ailronomer thought it proper to exhibit the Reign of Auguftus Csefar ; in whofe Time Peace and Plenty reigned, and Arts and Sciences flourhhed. The 7th is Libra, into which the Sun en- ters about Sept. 2 2d, where one Year ends, and another begins ! Here alfo the Twin- Brothers, "The INrRODUCriO N. 59 Brothers, Heat and Cold, ballance each other; what can more properly rcprefent tiiefe than a Pair of Scales ? The 8th Sign is Scorpio, a Scorpion ; a deftru(fiive Animal i who does its Mifchief by his hinder Part or Tail ; reprefenting to us the Injury done by the cold Ether Jollow- ing the departing Heat. — The Sun enters this Sign about Od:. 22, and on Nov. 21 comes The 9th, Sagittarius, the Shooter, to ex- hibit to US the great Power of the cold Ether, during this Sign; which greatly hurts, kills, or deitroys a large Part of the Produdrions of Nature; v/hofe Arrows are fo llibtile and piercing as to enter tiie Peres of all Matter. The loth Sign is Capricornus, a horned Goat ; an Animal who gets his living by climbing Hills and Precipices ! A very pro- per Emblem to reprefent the riling Strength of 6o Ihe INTRODUCriON, of the Sun ! which it begins to do about the 2ift of December, when the Sun enters this Sign. The I ith \^ Aquarius , reprefented by flow- ing Water, to denote this watery Seafon. The 1 2th and laft is Pifes, Fiflics ; the moO: prolific of ail Animals ! reprefenting to us the approaching Fertility of the Seaiun ; when Seeds and Plants are made to vegetate by the growing Power of the Sun. From the above Account of the Signs, it may be remarked, that Heaf and Co/J were then believed to be the Agents which go- verned the Mechanifm of Nature. — In this they agreed with the ancient Philofcphcrs ; for Plato tells us, ** that they maintained ** that Fire and Heat govern all other Thing?,'' and " that Fire expands all Bodies outward, ** and that Air comprejfes them together in- *' ward, and counterads the internal Fire : By ** the Minijiry of thefe Caujes a perpetual Cir- " culation is kept up." Thefe, (fays he), ** are rhe INrRGDUCriON. 6t ** are fccondary and co-operating Crufes, which ** Gi'J make.*: ufe of as his Minifters." And Cicero^ in defcribing the Tenets of the an- cient Plat07vjlsy does it in the following Vv'ords. — ** De Naiirrd autem ita dicebant, ■^^ lit e^m dividerent in Res duas : ut altera * efTet ediciens, altera aiitem, quali huic fi ' prebens' — Neque enim Materiam ipfam * cohsrere potuide, ii nulla vi contineretur : * neque vim fine aliqua Materia.— Ilia Jnitia * Elementa dicuntur, e quibus Aer <^ Ignis * movendi vim habent 6c eiliciendi, rcliqus * Portes accipiendi 6c quafi patiendi^ Aquam ' d'lco &: Terram." ylcad Qus:[\:, lib. i, or n Engli Ji thus. — ** That they divided Na- * ture into two Parts, one of which was * a£lhe, and the other paj/he. — They held * it impoiiible for Bodies to cohere, un'efs * tliey were kept together by fome Force; * and that it was necefiary this Force fliould * be exerted by fome Matter. — In diRinguifli- * ing the feveral Ufes of the Elements, they ' attributed to Air and Fire, the Power of * giving Motion, and caufmg Effcdis -, to " Earth 62 "The INrRODUCriON. ** Earth and Water a PaJJtvenefsy or Difpofi- *' tion to receive their Impreffions." Hence we are taught the Doctrine of an- cient Philofophers ; which they received, by Tradition, from their Ancellors, and from their Obfervations on the Phenomena of Nature. — Perhaps if we diveft ourfelves of the Prejudices imbibed by our Education, we (hall find it to be true. — It is probable, that thefe Philofophers received their Tra- ditions from Noah and the Patriarchs, as it appears to be thf fame taught by Mofes, who informs us, (pp) that God created the Heavens and the Earth ; " that the Heavens and Skies ** were in continual Conjh^y MotioUy and *' Expanjion ; to which he gave the Name of *' the Placers, the Dijpofers, or Governors, " under God, of all Nature." — We are told in Samuel, (qq) that the Vegetable is pufied out of the Earth by a Jhining Light and by Rain 'y and in the 19th Pfalm we are iniorm- ed, that the Mechanical Circulations oj the Heavejis reprejcnt the Glory oJ God; and the Firmament (pp) Gen. I. Chap, i.— (qq) II. Samuel, XXIil. 4. The IN^RODU Cr ION, 63 Firmament (Expanfton) bis handy Work ; and that their Fuhiefs and Influence reach unto the End of the World. — That in them he has placed the Tabernacle of the Su?2s Light y which com" ing out like a flrong Many prevails to the Ex- tremities of them y and nothing is hid from the Heat thereof To return from this DigrefTion, In regard to the Death of Chrift, It is agreed, that he died on a Friday, the Full Moon Day, on the 14th of Nifan. — 'Hence it is no difficult Matter, to calculate the Year when this happened y as, two PalTover Days could not happen on a Friday for many Years following. The Time of this PalTover, or the Death of the Meffiah, was foretold by the Prophet Daniel, 562 Years before, (n) In the firfl Year ot the Reign of Darius I. Daniel pro- phelied, ,ss) *' That feventy Weeks (of Years) ** are determined upon thy People, and upon •* thy holy City, to finiHi Tranfgreffions, ** and to make an End of Sin, and to make ** Reconciliation [rr) Daniel, IX, i. ^ss^ Daniel. IX. 24, 25, 26, 27, 64 "The INrRODUCriON, *' Reconciliation for Iniquity, and to bring ** in everlafting Righteoufncfs, and to feal ** up the Vifion and Prophecy. — Know ** therefore that from the going f >rth of the ** Commandment, to reftore and build Jc- ** rufUem, unto Me^lLh the Prince, {lull be ieven Weeks ; and three-fcore and two Weeks ** the Street fhr.ll be built agiin. — And after ** three-fcore and two Weeks, ihall Meffiah ** be cut off, but not for Himfelf. — And the ** People of the Prince that fhall come, fhall ** deftroy the City and the Sand:uary, and he *' Ihall confirm the Covenant with many for ** one V^^eek ; and in the mi^lfl of the Week ** he fliail caiife the Sacrifice and the Obli- ** gation to ceafe, and fas in the Margin) *' upon the Battlements fhall be the Idols of •* the Defolator. * yofepbusy who was a Jew, and lived to fee thefe Things accomplidied, could n t help giving the Prophet Daniel, the following Charader, (tt) *' That Daniel did not only '* foretell Things to come, which was common "to (tt) Jofcph, lib. X. C. 12. The INTRODUCTION, 65 *' to him with other Prophets, but alfo/^/ a ** Time for their coming to pafs." — He did not only foretell the Calamity that befell our Nation, from Antiochus, before it happened; but he alfo wrote of " the Dominion of the ** Romans i and of the great Defolation they ** fliould hereafter bring .upon the People.' And St. Matthew tells us, M *' That the *• Difciples came unto Jefus privately, faying, ** when (hall thefe Things be," Jeius an- fwered, ** When ye therefore fee the Abo- ** mination of Defolation fpoken of by Da- ** niel, the Prophet, Jiand in the Holy Place, " (whofo readeth, let him ur^derftand.) Let " them which be in Judea, flee into the ** Mountains. — For then fhall be great Tri- ** bulation, fuch as was not flnce the Begin- *' ning of the World to this Time — And ** they fliall fall by the Edge of the Sword, ** (WW) fin Number 1,100,000, fays fofephus) " and they fhall be led Captive, (in Number *^ fays fojepbus, 97,000) into all Nations, ** and Jerufalem fliall be trodden (or inhabit- ** ed by Gentiles) until the Time of the Gcn- I " tiles (uu) Matthew XXIV, |, »5, and ai.-^^ww) Luke XXI, 24. 66 The iNrRODUCriON. " tiles bs fulfilled."— Ver. 32, '' Verily I " fay unto you, this Generation fhall not pafs " until all be fulfilled/' which it was in the jQth Tear of the vulgar Era. For Jofeohus, who was an Eye 'Witnefs of- the miferable Defolation by the Romans, tells us, (^^^ of the Accomplifhment of all thefe Prediftions ; when Titus laid Siege to the City J when Jerufalem was encompaffed with the (Roman) Armies; v/lien they,. caft a Trench about it, and enclofed it in on every Side J and when ihey caufed the daily Sacri- fices and Oblations to ceafej and when \titus's Soldiers, in Spite of all his Endea- vours to prevent it, fet the Temple on Fire ; and whilli it was in Flames, they fet up the Standards of the Legions, on the Eaftern Porch, and there they facrificed before them after their idolatrous Manner. He alfo re- cords the Month and Day of the Month when Jerufalem was taken and plundered, and the Temple deflroyed; and remarks, that the fecond Temple was burst by the Romans the (xx) Lib. Xr. Chap. 47. ^he INTRODUCriON. 67 the £ime Month, and Day of the Month, on which the iirft X'emple was burnt by the Babylonians. Lib. VII. Chip. 9, 10. Sixty-lhree Years after Daniel had made the above Prophecy of the Commandment, for the Return of the Jews, and for the re- Aoring the Polity of Jerufalem, both civil and ecclefiaftical, Artaxerxes Longimanus gave forth, (in the feventh Year of his Reign, A. M. 3550, which anfwe s to A. I. P. 4256) his Decree and Command to Ezra, the Prieft, fyy) ** to go up to Jerafctlem, and with '* him all the Priefts and Levites, and all the ""People of Ifrael, which are minded of their ** own free Will, to go with him, and to " carry in his Hand the Silver and Gold, ** which the King and his Counfellors had ** offered unto the God of Ifrael, and all the ** Silver and Gold, the free will offering of ** the People and the Priefls, and whatfoever " more fhall be needful for the Houfe of thy '* God, which thou flialt have occafion to " bellow," Now (yy) Ezra VII. xi to 27. 68 ne INrRO DUCriON. Now let it be obferved that the feventh Year of the Reign of Artaxerxes, begins and ends aftronomically at the Vernal Equinc^x, as all Kings Reigns recorded in Scripture, after theExodus of the li'raelites out of Egypt, do. — Here begins the firft Point of the Pe- riod of 70 Weeks, or 490 Solar Years, con- taining 365 D. 5 H. 49 M. each — and wc are informed by Mofes, (^z) that they num- bered by Sabbaths of Years. Now thefe 490 Years begin in the folar tropical Year of the World, 3550, when the iixth Year of the Reign of Artaxerxes Longi- manus. King of Perfia, ends, and the feventh Year of his Reign begins. — Now if to A.M. 3550 the 490 Years are added, it will make 4040, the PaiTover when the Meffiah was cut off, as is proved by the Calculation at the End of this Introdudion. — (0 Alfo, as the Mofaic Chronology places the Creation in the 706th Year of the Julian Period; fo, if we add that Number to it, it will fliew us that it was the 4746 th Year of that Period when Chrift fuffered. Ezra (zz) Levit. XXV. 8.— (1} Page . rhe INrRODUCnON, 69 Ezra informs us, (2) it was in the Month of Nifan, in the Beginning of the feventh Year of Artaxerxes, in the folar tropical Year of the World, 3550, when he fet off from Babylon to reftore the ecclefiailical and poli- tical State of Jerufalem. — And as may be ob- fervcd by the Calculations at the End of this Introdudion, it was on the 14th of Nifan, A. M. 4040, juft 490 Years after Ezra re- ceived this Commandment, that the MefTiah was cut off A. I. P. 4746, on the 3d of April, on a Friday, in the 19th Year of the Reign of Tiberius Csefar, when Pontius Pilate was Procurator of Judea ; when Daniel's Prophecy of feventy Weeks was completed, by the Death of Chrift, who died on the Crofs, on the Day, Hour, and Minute that the pafchal Lamb was ordered to be Slain ; for God di- redis it to be killed en the fourteenth Day of the Mouthy between the two Evenifigs, ii) That the exad Time may be known when the pafchal Lamb was ordered by Mofes to be llain, I will give you the Time according (2) Ezra VU.— (3) Exod. XII. 6. 70 The INrRODUCriON. to David Levi, who cannot be fuppofed to give a partial Account of it in Favour of Chrifl. — -He tells us (4) the Manner of fo- lemnizing the Paflbver while the firft Temple flood. — '* It muft be obferved, (fays he) that ** the Lamb was to be without Blemifh, a ** Male, of the firft Year, from the Sheep or '* the Goats, and brought to the Temple, ** and there to be killed on this fourteenth Day " of Nifan, between the two Evenings, that ** is, according to the common and very an- " cient Tradition, betwixt the Time of the " Sun's declining from his Meridian Alti- ** tude, till three o'Clock in the Afternoon, " and from Three till Six : after which, the ** Sun going below the Horizon, the fifteenth " Day commences." — St. Matthew (5) and St. Mark (6) both tell us^ that Chrift gave up the Ghoft the ninth Hour, which was at Three o'Clock in the Afternoon, or between the two Evenings, the Time precifely when the pafchal Lamb was to be flain. — Thus, Chrift died on a Friday, lay in the Grave all Saturday, or the Jewifh Sabbath, and was raifed {4) Page 45.— (0) Matthew XXVII. 50— (6) Mark XV, 34- The INTRODUCTION. 71 raifed again on Sunday, the Morrow after the Sabbath, when the original feventh Day was again rellored, and kept as fuch by Chriftians ever fince, which was the Day appointed to wave the Sheaf before the Lord, explaining and fore-fhewing the Refurredtion, v/hich both our Saviour (7) and St. Paul tell us was typical, and gave us an Idea of it; for as the Grain was the iirft Fruits of the Earth, fo was the Refurredtion of Chrid the fir ft Fruiis of the Spirit. 1 he firft Chriftians were Jews ; therefore, in order to keep a Memorial of the Birth of Chrift, which happened as has been obferved, at the Feaft of Tabernacles ; they took the Boughs of green Trees, to drefs up their Houfes and Churches, or Places of Worfliip, in the fame Manner as the Ifraelitcs and Jews were commanded and ufed to do, and to dwell therein, and to rejoice therein, till the eighth Day, or Chrift's Circumcifion, or of the great Feaft, — (8) This Cuftom, this Memorial of the Birth of Chrift, has been kept by Chrif- tians, '♦7) John XII. 84, and Corint. XV. 26, 23, 36.— (8) Levit. XXIII. 35. 7?. "The INTRODUCriON, tians, without Interruption, from the Birth of our Saviour to this Time: and though now almofl left off, except in our Churches, and amongft the common People, who do not think it Superftition to commemorate the Birth of Chrift ; but our falliionable Gentry are now fo wife in their own Conceit, (9) that they think it Fooliflmefs to believe any Myfteries at all; and Superftition to make ufe of Memorials or Ceremonies, — They are alfo fo charitable to give the Name of En- thuliafls to all thofe who do -, believing no- thing but what they can explain, according to their own Reafon or Imagination.— But this is contrary to the Inftrudtion which St. Paul gives us, (10} that without Controverfy, (fiys he) great is the Myflery of Godlinefs : God was manifeil in the Flc fli — that by Grace we are faved through Faith — (»i} that Faith is the Subftance of Things hoped for; the Evidence of Things not feen, (»2) for we are faved by Hope ; but Hope that is feen, is not Hope. (13) Now, (9) Proverb* XXVI, 12.— (»o) I. Tim. III. 16.— fii) Ephcfians U. f . (t2J Hebrew* XI. 1.— (13) Romans VIII. a^. the INrRODVCTlON, 73 Now, as I am going to conclude this In- trodud:ion, and begin my Calculations, with fome critical Remarks on the Holy Scriptures, let the Reader join with me in Prayer to our God Jehovah, that he will open our Eyes, that we may behold wondrous Things out of thy Law, (h) and that his Holy Spirit may aflift us with Grace, whereby we may ferve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear. (15) tJr, J in TO u 9 Stonehoufe, Plymouth, Sept. 27.» In the Year of our Lord, 1787, (according to the Vulgar Era) In the Year of the World, 5794. In the Year of the Julian Period, 6500. N,B, To prevent any fpurious Editions being impofed on the Public, I {hall iign my Name at the Bottom of the Diagrams, and at the Conclufion of the Introducftion in each Book. % 'Jinnti^ K CALCULATIONS. Ch) P^aln» CXIX, j8.«-(i5) Hebrews XII. %% 74 CJ LCV LA'tlONS. . Having now concluded my Introdudilon, I fliall ?-dd forne (Jalculations of Equinoxes, new, full Moons, and Eclipfes, to confirm what has been cbferved therein. — All of thefe begin at the Point wherein Mofes places the Sun and Moon at the Creation, and they come out at the obferved Time when they happened. Now, If the unbelieving Deifl, or the doubting Sceptic is not fatisfied herevi^ith, I call on either one of them, in the friendly Words of Horact\ to find out one Equinox, full, new Moon, or Eclipfe, which do not confirm it; if he cannot, let him fhew Caufe why he withholds his Afient to it; as the Sun and Moon bear Witnefs that it is as true as that they are in Heaven. Si quid novijii redlius ijiis, Candidus imperii ; fi non, his lit ere Me cum, Horace, The Point I begin the following Calcu- lations from, is the Autumnal Equinox, in the CALCULATIONS, ys the Year 706, of the Julian Period. 7'he Sun, the Earth, JMoon and her Node being then all in the firfl Point of Libra, when an Eclipfe of the Moon ma ft have h-ppened, had they been in Being. — This is an exa^ft Point to begin my Calculations, and from that Point, to the prefent Time, I calculate with a Mathv^matical Exa(!T:nefs. —I fay, that Mofee, (in his Account of the Creation, to- gether with his Dired:ions for keeping the FelHvals, in Commemoration of that great Event,) has informed us, where thQ Sun and Moon were placed at that particular Inftant of Time. — If my Calculations are true, you muft admit that I received my Inftrudjions either from Mofes, or that I obtained them fome other Way. — Now, it does not appear, that this can be obtained otherwile than either by Calculation, Obfervation, or Re- velation. — As to the firH: it is impoffible to be done ; and, it couid not be obtained by the fecond, as there was no liunan Being to obferveit; but MofeS fays, it was revealed by God, and to confirm his Hiflory a-id Chronology, he teils us the Places of the Sun 76 CALCULATIONS. Sun and Moon at that Time, which was 2370 Years before he was born ; and this alfo at a Period of Time, when, (as the ge- nerality of People think) that all Sciences were in their Infancy, — But the following Calculations prove that his Relation is true. Is not this fufficient Evidence to prove any other Hiilory to be true ; if fo, why fliould Mofes's Hiflory be excluded ? I have dated this Introdudion, Sept^ 22, A. D. 1787, which agrees with the 6500th Year of the Julian Period.' — This is the real Day I have iiniihed it ; but, had it not been fo, it would have been a very proper Day to have dated it from 5 as this Day, at 46 Mi- nutes pafl Five in this Afternoon, (16) the Earth will have made and iiniflicd 5794 Re- volutions through the Ecliptic, in the firft Meridian ; and in the Meridian of Green- wich Obfervatory, at ten Minutes part Four To-morrow Morning. — This is the precife Point of Time when A. M. 5794 ends, and 5795 begins, according to the Mofaic Chro- nology (16} See Page 8S. CALCULATIONS, yj nology of the World. — But as Mofes diredcd the Ifraelites to meafure Time by the Sim and xMoon jomtly, (whofc Motions were to be a Check on each other, and by that Means to prevent any Miftake in keeping the Seaibns) fo it was meafured by the Sun j and the Seafons were pointed out by the Moon. (17) Thus, as the Moon was fifteen Days old at the Creation, or a little paft its Oppofition or Full, fo this Feaft of Ingathering, (which, was ordered to be obferved in Commemora- tion of it,) was not to be kept, till the 1 5th Day of the Moon, next after the Sun had entered Libra. Now, as has been ob- ferved, the Sun will enter Libra this Day, but the Moon will not be Full, or in Op- pofition to the Sun, at Greenwich, till Thurf- day the 27th Inftant, at 22 Minutes paft One in the Morning ; and the Jews will be- gin their Feaft of Tabernacles at Six o'Clock in the Evening. And with it they muft ce- lebrate the Birth of Chrift, who was born on the firft Day of that Feaft, and circumcifed on the eighth or the great Day; at which Time (17) Pfalm CIV, If. 78 CALCULA Tl N S. Time the Moon will have made 71662 Lu- nations or Revolutions round the Earth.— The Length' between thefe two Points has been meafured by 21 16214 Rotations of the Equator round its Axis, which being divided by 7, mike 30216 Vv'eeks, and leave in Re- mat nder two Days, to which add the four Dayp of the Creation Week, (before the Sun and Moon were placed in Heaven to meafure and pc^int out the Seafons, the Days, and the Years,) and it will bring it to the Sixth Day of the Week, or Saturday, regularly from the Creation.— This proves, befides thoufands of others, that Sunday was the original Se- venth or Sabbath-Day. — The Saturdays Sab- bath can claim no higher than the Exodus of the Ifraelites out of Egypt. If this is not mathematical Demonflration that the Sun and Moon, in the Year 706, A. L P. where in the Places which Mofes in- forms us ', I fliall be glad to know in what it falls fliort of it. CALCULATION CALCULAriONS. 7^ CALCULATION Of the Eclipfc which happened in the Year 471 1, of the Julian Period ; which was the 26th of Auguftus Casfar, during Herod's lafl Ulnefs. The Mofaic Chronology places the Year of the Creation in the 706th of thje Juliaa Period ; therefore if we fubftrad: 706 from 471 1, it will give 4005. The Year of the World anfwering to the 26th of Auguftus Csfar. Subftrad One to find where A, M. 4004 ends, and 4005 begins. SOLAR, CALCULATIONS. S O L A P., A. M. 4004 Julian Years Minutes y^ 1 1 Julian Excefs 4004 4004 Minute 7-^.1440x44044/30 Days in a Day j ' J^o^o v 844 Hours in a Day X ^4 337S 1688 -7-i44o\ 20256/14 Hour* )\ 20256/ J 1440 \^ 585S 5760 96 Minutes in an Hour X ^o •-r 1440^ S?^^*^ Minutes J 5760I SOLAR. CALCU LAriOl^ S. SOLAR. 4004 y(^ 1461 Quadrants in a Year 4004 24024 16016 4004 Days H. M. Quadrants 7 _^4A5849844/ 1462461 o o Julian Years in a Year J ' J [o)\ 30 14 4 Jul'an Excefs 1462430 9 56 Sun in Libra, ift Meridian Add to bring Merid. of Jerufalem 1 3 4 J462430 23 00 Sun in Libra, Je« rufalem. Add, to Oa. 25. 298 1462728 23 00 Julian Biffext, 4004 1462461 267 23 oo- Aug. 31 243 Sept. O. S. 24 23 00 at Jerufalem,P'M that is Sept. 25 ii o O.S, 1462728 23 00 add to bring to Aries 178 17 58 1462907 16 58 Julian Biffext. 4005 1462826 6 81 10 58 Feb. 28 59 March 22 O.S. 22 10 58 Sun in Aries, Js- ruralem. L 82 CALCULATIONS, LUNAR CALCULATION, A. M. 4005. A. M. Yean in a Cycle -ri 9x4004/2 10 Cycles J38 \ 20 19 14 Lunations in a Year X ^2 28 14 168 Intcircatory Lunations 5 73 210 Cycles 235 Lunations in a Cycl« 1050 630 420 49350 Lunationt 173 49523 Lunations CALCULAr IONS, 83 LUNAR CALCULATION, A. iM. 4005. Days H. M. S. In 40,000 Lunations are — 1181223 00 46 40 9,000 Ditto -V— ^^577S 4 -2 30 500 Ditto 14765 6 54 35 20 Ditto — . ggo 14 40 35 3 Ditto 88 14 12 5 1462442 i6 56 25 Subflraft 1 Day for 49680 Lunations x Moon full ifl Meridian, Libra 1462441 16 56 25 add to bring to Merid. of Jcrufalcm 13 4 Moon full Jerufalem j 462442 6 00 25 To bring to Oft. 24. 297 3462739 6 00 25 Julian Biffcxtile 4004 1462461 278 6 00 25 Sept. 30 273 Oa. 5 6 00 25 and one Day for Apparition 7 Fcaft of Taber- nacles \yhen Chrift was born 84 CALCV LAT IONS, LUNAR CALCULATION, A. M. 4005. Days H. M. S. Moon full in Libra 1462442 6 00 55 add 5 I -inatioui to bring to i^ifces 147 15 40 8 ivioon full n Pi fees lo bring to 06t. 24. 1462589 297 2:. 40 33 Julian Biflextilc 4005 Feb. 1462886 14628^6 60 59 21 40 33 6 15 40 33 March O. S. To N. S. 1 11 ^5 40 33 12 15 40 3jF.M, Eclipfe of the Moon in Herod's laft Illnefs, Match 12 L. i^ H. 40 M. 33 S. that is March 13 D. 3 H. 40 M. Morn. D. H. M. 9dd Half Lunation 14 18 : 2 March N. S. arition 27 10 1 I'i 2 New M on 1 of ^ Ian Add 28 22 2 of Kifan March 42 2a 3» 2 April 11 PalTover Evcn# CALCU LAriONS. 85 CALCULATION SOLAR, A. M. 4040. OJ CIIRIST'i Death on the Cro/s* \4039 /Julian Years Minutes /X^^ I Julian Excefs 4039 4039 i44o\ 44429/30 Days 3\ 44429/ / 43^0 V 1229 Hours X24 4916 2458 1440 \29496 20 Hours ^2880 ( Minutes )v 60 1440 \4i 760 ^29 Minutes ^2880 V 12960 12960 (.0) * In the firft Year of Darius the firft, which anfwers to A. M. 3488, Daniel prophefied, (18; that a future Decree fliould he made for the Reftoration of the Jews, (who were then in Captivity,) again to Jerufalem ; and from the going forth of that Commandment, to the cutting off of theMefliah, ihouldbe 70 Weeks,or 490 Years, — 63 Years after^ and; after (18) Daniel IX, 24, 25, 26, 27, U CALCULAriONS. CALCULATION SOLAR, A. M. 4040. OJ CHRIST'S Death on the Crofs, 4039 3461 4039 24234 36156 4039 D. H. M. -f4 '\5900979 /1475244 18 o Julian Reiuftion ^ (3)^ 30 '^'^ 29 Julian Excefs Solar Reduction 1475213 21 31 Sun in T "bra, ift I'Jeridian, add to bnng to Jerufalexn 13 4 * 1/5'^ 14 'O 35 Sun in Libra, Jc- rufalem add to bring to Aries 178 17 58 M75393 4 33 Sun in Aries, Je- i^^rufdltm add to bring to 0£!. 25 298 1475691 4 33 Julian Rcduftion 4040 1475.610 81 4 c3 Feb. 59 March O. b. 22 4 ^3 Sun in Aries, Je- raldlem two future Kings Reign, this Commandment was iffued by Artaxerxes Longimanus, at the End of the Sixth and Begin- ning of the Seventh Year of his Reign, A. M. 3550, to Ezra, (19) to refhorc the ecclefiaftical ana political State of Jerufalem. Now if we fubftraft 3550 from 4040, it wil^ leave the 490 Years exaftly, between iffuing that Decree, to the cutting off of Chrift. See Page 21 , (19I Ezra, Chap. VII. CALCULATIONS. S7 CALCULATION, LUNAR, A. M. 4040. A, M. \4039/2 J38 I A, M. Years in a Cycle -r i9'\4039/'2i2 Cycle* 23 19 49 38 Lunations 11 Xi2 Intercatory Lunations 132 4 136 • 212 Cycles 235 1060 636 424 Lunations 49820 136 49956 Lunations jftofNifan 147539* before the Suja, extra, D. 4 7 V 475395 (l^^P^ J (5)VFnday to 14th of Nifaa ^4 7V475409 f "°77* J (5) \.Fnday 88 CALCULATIONS, CALCULATION, LUNAR, A. M. 404c. Days H. M. S. In 40.000 Lunations are 1181223 00 46 40 9,o«o Ditto ■ 265775 4 2.2 30 900 Ditto - ■ 26577 12 26 15 50 Ditto 1476 12 41 27 5 Ditto 147 15 40 8 j. Ditto———— 14 18 22 1475214 16 19 o Moon New, 1 Mcrid. Libra Subf. 1 for4968oXunations 1 1475213 i6 19 o add to bring toMeridian ) 13 4 of Jerulalem 3 1475214 5 23 Moon New, Jcn faienij Libfv add to bring to Aries 177 4 24 i/[7539i 9 47 NewMoon 1 Nifan add to bring to Oft. 24 297 1475688 9 47 Julian Redu£lion 4040 1475610 78 9 47 Feb. 59 March 0.*S. 19 9 47 1 Nifan 12 14 21 47 33 21 47 March 3 1 April P. M. 2 ti 4 14 Nifan, PafTover when Chrill died Days from the Creation, to the 14th of Nifan, when Chrift died, 1475405 4 Days before tlie Sun 4 . Weeks. 7V475409 (2107722 ^ (5}^ 5th Day, Friday CALCULATIONS, 89 I iliL'il add one Calculation more in order to con^rm vvhrit I have obferved ; which will alio be an Explanation tu fume oi tlie follow- ing Letters. In A. D. 171 5 there was a re.narkible and total Eclipfe of the Sun, which was lecn in London, about Ten o'Clock in the Morning. According to Mr. JVhifions Calculation^, the Middle of it was April 22 D. 9 H. 51 M.- Therefore as this Eclipfe wa? fo well ob- ferved and recorded, there can be no Miftake about it ; and as it is fo certain a Point, I fhall calculate that Eclipfe from the original Point at the Creation, when the Moon was Full and in her Node, and the Sun in the lirfl Degree of Libra. — I fhall then calculate from that Eclipfe, to the Full Moon next I'hurfday Sept. 27, 1787. — -This, if it comes out right, will be Demon ftration, that the Point we calculate from, according to Mc fes's Chronology, is true, and that the Length of the Solar Year is exadly 365 D* 5 H. 49 M. and the Length of a Lunation 29 D. 12 H. 44 M. I S. 45 T. as we have afligned it. M The 90 CALCULATIONS. The vulgar Era of Chrifl: is placed in A. M. 4007, to which add A. D. 17 15, and it will make A. M. 5722, to which add 706, the Number of Years the Julian Period be- gins before th:it Time ; and it will bring it to the 6428th of that Period. Subftradt i from A. M. 5722, to make the Calculations at the End ot that Year. SOLAR CALCULATION. A.M. 5721 Julian Years : 1 1 Julian Excefs 5721 Minutes in a Day 1440 \6293i - 43 D. J 57feo V 5331 4320 1011 Hours X 24 4044 2022 i44o\ 24264/ 16 H. J 1440 \ 9864 8640 1224 Minutes X^o 1440x73440/51 M. 77200 \ 1440 1440 1?" CALCULAriONS. SOLAR CALCULATION. 91 5721 Julian Years X*46i QuadiaTits in a Julian Year 34326 22884 Days PI. Quadrants ) _^ \8358381 /'2089595 6 o Julian Re- in a Day j * ^j (i)t duaion 43 *6 51 Julian Exc. Sun in Libra, ifl Meridian 2089551 13 9 add to bring to Aries 178 17 58 Sun in Aries, i ft Meridian 2089730 7 7 add Meridian of Greenwich 10 24 add for Oft. 25 Julian Reduftion, 5722 To Feb. 28 2089730 298 17 3V 2090028 2089960 17 31 68 59 17 31 March O. S. 9 17 31 P. M. that is March jO; 31 M. pail 5 Mornimg. 92 CALC ULATIONS. CALCULATION SOLAR, A. L P. 6500. A. D. 1787, A. M. 5794. 5794 5794 5794 1440 63734M4D >576o ^ 6134 5760 X24 1496 748 1440 8976/6 H, J8640V X60 1440X20160/14 M ■'1440 \ m 1 1 —.a 5760 5760 calculat: IONS, 93 A. D. 1787. CALCULATION SOLAR, A. LP. 6500. 5794 _ , X1461 Quadrants 5791 347^4 23176 5794 Uavs H. "• 4^8465034 .2116258 12 o Julian Reduction (^)\ 44 6 14 Julian Excefs 2116214 5 46 Sun in Libra, 1 Merid. add Meridian 7 10 24 P. M. 5 H. 46 M. Af- of Cre^iiWich 3 ■■' ternoon 2116214 16 10?. M, 4 10 Morning to Oft. 25 298 ii 1 ] 65 1 2 16 10 Jiilian Red uclion 2 1 1 6 i ^ 8 . 254 10 10 To the End of Auguft ?.j3 Sep^ •> S 11 16 10 M.S. 11 Sept. N. S, 22 16 10 P. M. that is Sept. 23, 10 M. paft 4 Morning Days fmce the Creation. 2116215 4 7\2ii62i9, 302317 Weeks fincethcCreation J oV 7 Sunday 1794: t 4V795/'44^ J 3 V Year of Quadn eniuiB 94 CALCULATIONS, LUNAR CALCULATION. A. M. Years in a Cycle -r 19 "\572i/3oi J 57 V 21. »9 Lunations 2 12 Intercalary 24 6 (25) 301 Cycles ^•(23.5 Lunations in a Cycle 1505 903 602 70735 70760 Moon Full in Libra 'ijiii bring to Aries 6^ Ltions in 7 _^^ ^/■707661/Moon New in Aries Year 3 * "v6o ^5897 Lunar Years ijanations a 107 116 io8 86 84 (2) I Lunations CAL CU LAriONS. 9S LUNAR CALCULATION. Years in a Period -~ ^o\e,Z(^'j f ir^S 289 270 197 180 (17) Years 2089774 Extra. Da;fs 4 7\2o89778 /'298539 Weeks ; (5)1 Friday In 138 Periods are 50 Ditto — 8 Ditto 17 Years are 2 Lunations I Ditto Days H, M. S. 1467078 (24) 9 00 531550 8 45 00 85048 1 24 00 6024 5 41 57 59 1 28 3 14 18 22 New Moon, 1 ft Merid. Aries 2089774 11 50 o add for Meridian Greenwich 10 24 add for Oft. 24. 2089774 22 14 297 2090071 22 14 Julian Redu£Hon, 5722 2089960 To March 31 111 22 14 90 April O. S. 21 22 14 P.M. that IS April 22 D. 10 H, 14 M, in the Morning 96 CALCULATIONS. LUNAR CALCULATION. From the Eelipfe A. D. 1715, New Moon Aries, and add 895 1 Lunations, to bring to Full Moon in Libra, 1787. Days H. M. S. To 70766^ Lunations 2089774 22 14 o add 800 Ditto 23624 11 3 20 90 Ditto 2657 18 2 37 5 Ditto 147 15 40 8 X Ditto . .1- 14 18 22 2116219 13 22 5 add to bring to Oft. 24 207 2116516 13 22 5 Subflraft Julian Reduftion, 5794 21 ibz^Z 258 13 22 5 Calends of Jan. to the End of Aug. 243 Sept. O. S. 15 13 22 5 Moon Full in Libra add N. S. 11 N.S. 26 13 22 5 P. M. that is Sept. 27 D. 11 H. 22 M. 5 S. in the Morning A.M. 5794 4^5795/1443 ^ 3\ of Quadriennium 2116219 Extra Days 4 7'\2n6223 /302317 Weeks (4) vfhurlaay. By our Calculations, both from the original Point of the Full Moon at the Creation, and alfo from the Eelipfe which happened at London, 1715, there have been 71662 Luna- tions lince the Moon was Full at the Creation, and that the laft will end wuIt a Full Moon next Thurfday Morning, Sept. 27. at 22 M. pall One, The EXPLANATION 97 Of the Method inadi Ufe of in the foregoing Calculations. The above Calculations of Equinoxes and SoliHces are made in a different Manner from the Method generally ufed; which is, firfl to find the Places of the Sun and Moon in the Ecliptic, and then, by Equations and Anomilies, to make the 360 Degrees of the Equator to agree with the 365^ Rotations of the Earth, through the Ecliptic. Thefe Calculations are not made in that Manner, but from the Method obferved by Nature, viz, by the Number of Rotations the Earth makes between each of them i in the fame Manner as Mofes taught the Ifraelites to calculate their Seafons; and that in the mod fimple, eafy, and (I will add) exad: Man- ner, and requires no farther Knowledge in the Sciences, than the firfl: four Rules of Aritnmetic — and this Method I fliall explain in as clear and concife a Manner as I can. The Julian Period is a certain Meafure of Time, for that Reafon I calculate by that N Period. 98 EXPLANATION Of the Method made. UJc of in the foregoing Calculations, Period. — But, as the Julian Year contains 1 1 Minutes more than the Solar Tropical, ^o we muft fubllrad: that Sum from every Julian Year, to make it agree with it. — Dr. Keil, in his XXVIIIth Led;ure, has explained this in fo clear a Manner, that I (hall give it in his own Words. — " It muft be acknowledged, " fays he, that the Time appointed by Julius ** Caefar, for the Solar Year, is too much ,• " for the Sun hnillies his Courfe in the Eclip- ** tic, in 365, Days, 5 Hours, and 49 Mi- *' nutes ; and therefore he begins again his *' Round 1 1 Minutes before the Solar Year *' is ended : fo that if the Sun in any Year " has entered the Equinox upon the 20th of " March, at Noon Day; after four Years " he will arrive at the Equinox 44 Minutes "before Noon; and fo every Year, 11 " Minutes fooner than by this Reckoning; *' fo that in 131 Years, he will anticipate, or ** enter the Equinox a whole Day before the ** ?.ocli of March; and therefore the Celejlial ** Equinox EXPLANATION 99 OJ the Method made Ufe of in the foregoing Calculations. " Equinox will not always fall upon the fame *' Day of the Month, but by Degrees it will ** move towards the Beginning of the year."(a) Hence, you may obferve, in our firft Cal- culation on the Birth of Chrifr, that we iiiultiply A.M. 4004, by 11 Minutes — The Produd; of which is the Number of Mi- nutes that 4004 Julian Years contain more than 4004 Tropical Solar. — Then, in Order to bring thefe Minutes to Days, we divide that Sum by 1440, the Number of Minutes in a natural Day, or whilil: the Equator com- pleats one Rotation from Sun to Sun, — The Remainder we multiply by £4, to bring it to Hours, and that Remainder by 60, to bring it to MinuteSo In Order to find the Number of Days, we multiply 4004 by 1461, the Number of Qwadrants, or Quarters of a Day in a Julian Year. — We then divide the Pioduia by 4, which (a) See Diagram and Calculations. 100 E X P L A N AT I O N OJ the Method made UJc of in the forcgiin^ Calculations. which brings them to Days. — If there is any Remainder, it is Quadrants.— Hence we have the Number of Days and (^adrants in 4004 Julian Years -, from this Sum we Subflrad: the Days, Hours, and IVIinutes of the Rctro- ceffion, and the Remainder gives the exacft Quantity of Days, Hours, and Minutes, in the fame Number of tropical folar Years ; and this, by Obfervation, will be always found exadlly true, from the Creation to this Time. — Hence we can calculate the Day when the Sun will enter Libra, in any Me- ridian, but not the Hour and Minute.— This appeared the grcatefl Difficulty to get over, but by a lucky and accurate Obfeivation of Dr. Bradley, A. D. 1753, it has anfwered our Purpofe fo far, as that all our Calculati- ons made by it come out true. 1440 is the Number of Minutes in a Day, which has the fame Number of Points or Terminations, on the Equator, anfwering to every one of them; fo that in 1440 Years, the EXPLANATION loi Of tki Method TT.aii UJe. of in th: foregoing Calculations. the tropical folar Year will have began on every one of thein, and at the End of that Period, ihc Sun will again begin a new Cy- cle, in the fame Meridian, and on the fame Point of the Day it did 1440 Years before, bat li jt on the fame Day of the Week, which is the Charafteriilick of each Cycle. A. D. 1753 ^^ ^" Connection \\it!i A. M. 5760, and A. I» P, 6466, v/hen the fourth Cycle of the Sun was iiniilied -, and the Sun entered Libra on the finie Point of the Day, the fame Hour and Minute it began it 1440 Years before, (b) Dr. Bradley obferved it to enter Libra that Year, at Greenv^dch, Sept. 22d Day, loth Hour, 24th Minute. — Now, as the Sun was placed in Libra, at the Creation, at Noon, in the firfl: Meridian ; but, at the Time when he made his Obfervation, it was palTed on 10 Hours, 24 Minutes to the Weilward; by turning Time into Meafure, the firft Meri- dian (b) Se: Page a^. J02 EXPLANATION OJ the Method made Ufe of in the foregoing Calculations,. dian will be found to be 156 Degrees to the Weft ward of Greenwich Obfervatory. — We have accordingly made this the Root, and poftuiated it as true, and have found all our Calculations to turn out right on" that Pojlu- latum. — As Jerufalem is 35 '^ 20 M. of Lon- gitude, Eaft of Greenwich ; fo if we turn this Meafure into Tims, it will produce 2 Hours, 40 Minutes, u-hich added to 10 Hours,, 24 Minutes, (the Meridian of Green- wich) it will make 13 Hours, 4 Minutes.— On this Principle the above Calculation was made; and by it the Sun was foutid to enter Libra that Year at Jerufalem, Sept. 24th D„ 23d H. o M. P. M. that is Sept. 25th Day, nth Hour, GO Minutes, Morning. — To which we add 178 Days, 17 Hours, 58 Mi- nutes, the Diftance between the iirft Point of Libra, and the firft Point of Aries j by which the Sun was found to enter Aries at Jerufalem, March 22d Day, 5th Hour, 58th Minute, P. M. or Afternoon. — -As the Sun was placed vci Libra, Odt. 25th, A. I. P. 706, EXPL AN AT I N 103 OJ the Method made Ufc of in the foregoing Calculations. 706, according to the Julian Calendar, fo, in all our Calculations, we add 298 Days to the Sum, (the Number of Days from the Ca- lends of January, to Odl. 25, when Time began) and then fubftradt the Julian Reduc- tion from it. — The Remainder will give the Day of the Julian Month fought. — Hence, as the firft of the Month was not to be counted from the Synod , but from the Ap- parition, we poflulate that the Moon, if flie had been in Being, would be in one of her Nodes, and exadly oppofite to the Sun, on the third Day of the Week, juft 24 Hours, or one whole Day, before the Sun entered Libra.-— This is a mofl exadl Point, and from it we begin all our Calculations, and they al- ways come out according to the obferved Times; this we call the original Radix or Root, and from this Root we calculate by Years and Lunations, and thofe Years and Lunations, are meafured by Days. — In all thefe Calculations we make the tropical folar Year to contain 365 Days, 5 Hours, 49 Mi- nutes 104 EXPLANATION OJ ike M:thod Tnade Ufe of in the foregoing Calculations. nutes precifely, and a Lunation 29 Day?, 12 Hours, 44 Minutes, i 5. 45 T. It may be obferved by thefe Calculations, that in every 49680 Lunations, we throw ofF one Day.— -This Day is thrown off for much the fame Reafon that 1 1 Minutes were thrown off every Year from the folar Com- putation. — For in a Period of 30 Yej?rs, the Reckoning over-runs the compleat Days, 10 Minutes and 30 Seconds. — In this determi- nate Proportion, the Moon makes a flow, gradual, and uniform Progreflion quite round the Ecliptic, and in 49680 Lunations, gets a Day, in the fame Manner as the Sun gets one Day in 131 Years, according to the Ju- lian Reckoning ; therefore it mufl: be dif- charged, othervvife we Ihall count one Day more than is performed by Nature. Before the late Regulation, it had been obferved, that the lunar Reckoning had an- ticipated the Agronomical four Days, and fo much EXPLANATION 105 OJ the Method made Ufc of in the foregoin? Calculations, much DifFrrence there were between the Ec- clefi^ilical and Aftronomical Full Moons.— This Anticipation was attri*buted to the Moon being now nearer the Earth than (he was f^'ine Years ago, and that (he performed her Lunations in lefs Time now than (he did formerly j and what appears the mure extra- ordinary is, that Aftronomers fliould afcribe thefe lunar Anticipations to the Moon's com- ing to the End of the lunar Cycle of 19 Years, one Hour and Half before the Sun ; whereas, it may be obferved, by ccmparing the 19 Years Cycle of the Sun and Moon to- gether, that inftead of the Moon coming to the End of that Cycle an Hour and Half be- fore the Sun, the contrary is the Fadt j for the Sun comes to the End of the Cycle i H. 55 M. 51 S. 15 T. before the Moon. Here it follows. Days H. M. & T. A Lunar Cycle containing 235 Lunations 6939 16 26 51 15 A Solar Cycle of 19 Tropical bolarYe-rs 6939 14 31 00 00 Exccfs of Lunar Computation above the Sokr 1 55 5» ^5 O From io6 EXPLANATION Of tht Method made Ufe of in the foregoing Calculations, From the above it may be remarked, that the Contrary to what Aftronomers maintain is true, viz. that the Moon comes to the End of the Cycle before the Sun; fhe indeed de- parts from the Sun at the End of every Cy- cle, but then it is by a Progreffion Eaftward, and not by a Rctroceflion Wefbward ; for the New Moons and Full Moons in that Space of Time fall out almoft tw^o Hours later, and not an Hour and Half fooner. On comparing 19 Julian Years with 19 Lunifolar, we (hall find that the Julian Reck- oning over-runs the Lunar i H. 33 M. 8 S. 45 T. juft in the fame Manner as it was ob- ferved the Julian Year over- runs the Tropi- cal Solar; and muft be expunged for the fame Reafon. — Here follows the Comparifon. Days. H. M. S. T. 19 Julian Years contain " ^939 ^^ 00 00 o 19 Lunifolar Years contain — — =- 6939 16 26 51 15 Exeeft of the Julian above ihe Lunar— a 33 8 45 Hence EXPLANATION 107 OJ the. Method made Ufc of in the foregoing Calculations. Hence appears the Rcafon why Aftrono- mers maintain, that in 19 Lunifolar Years, the mean New Moons and Full Moons hap- pen an Hour and Half fooner, than they did at the Beginning of the Cycle. — Inftead of which, it is found, on comparing 19 Solar with 19 Lunar, that the Sun comes to the Point where they fet out from together, i H. 55 M. 51 8. 15 T. (which wants but 4 M. 8 S. 45 T. of two Hours) before the Moon. But that the Julian Reckoning over-runs the Lunar, 3 M. 8 H. 45 T. more than an Hour and Half in every Cycle; which, (like the 1 1 Minutes Difference between the Julian and tropical folar Year) has been the Occafion of the apparent Anticipation ; which has no Foundation in Nature, but owes its Exiftence entirely to a miftaken Computation. Having premifed thus much, I fliall finifli this Explanation with giving an Account of the Method ufed in the Lunar Calculations, and for that Purpofc, ihall explain the Cal- culation. io8 EXPLANATION Of the Method made Ufe of in the foregoing Calculations. dilation, P. 9^, where the total and central Eciipfe of the Sun, which was obferved in London, A. D. 171 5, is calculated frcm the original Point of the Full Moon, the third Day of the Creation ; to that very Point when it was obferved at London j and from, that Point, to the Full Moon next Thuffday Morning, Stpt. 27th. The Year c f the World anfwering to 1715, has been f< und to be A.M. 5722, fr-m which we throw ( fF One, as was obferved in the Solar Ktckoning, and then divide 5721 by 19, the Number cf Years in a C)-cle, which gives 301 Cycles, and leaves in Re- mainder }z of another J we then multiply the Remainder 2 by 12, the Number of Lu- nations in a Year ; which make 24 Luna- tions. —And, as about one Month is inter- calated every three Years, to make the Com- putation agree with the Solar, we add One to this Sum, which makes 25 Lunations. — "We then multiply thefe 301 Cycles, by 235, the EXPLANATION 109 Of tJie Method made Ufe cf in the foregoing Calculations. the Niimher of Lunations in a Cycle, which give 70735 ; to which we add the 25 re- m-iining Lunations, thefe make 70760, which brings it to the Full Moon at the autumnal Equinox; but, as this Eclipfe happened at a New Moon, near the vernal Fqninox, we add Six Lunations to bring it thereto, and PTaif a Lunation to bring it from the Full of the Muon, (at which Point all thefe Luna- tions end, as tht^y began at that Point at the Creation) to the New. — fhefe make in the Whole joy66^. — We then divide thefe Lu- nations by twelve, (the Number contained in a Year) and that gives 5897 lunar Years, and leaves 2 Lunations and Flalfin Remainder. To bring ihcfe to Perioas of 30 Years, we di- vide 30, which gives 196 Periods, and 17 Years of another Period. — We then add the Periods and Lunations together, which makes 2089774 Days, II 1:1. 50 M. which is the Diitance between the tuii Moon at the Crea- tion, and the Eclipfe of the Sun, which hap- pened in ijis* ill the firit Meridian; but in Order no EXPL AN ATION Of the Method made Ufe of in the foregoing Cakulattoni. Order to bring it to the Meridian of Green- wich Obfervatory, we add lo H. 24 M. which makes 2089774 Days, 22 K. 14 M. for the New Moon at Greenwich. — Then, as the Calends of January are 297 D, before 0(5t. 24, we add that Sum to it, as we did 298 in the folar Computation, to bring from the Calends of Jan. to 0(ft. 25, which is one Day fhort of the Solar Reckoning, as the Moon was Full one whole Day before the Sun began to meafure Time at the Creation. With this Addition to the above Sum it makes 2090071 Days, 22 H. 14 M. — From which we fubftra(fl the Number of Days of the Julian Redudion, for A. M. 5722, which leaves 1 1 1 Days, 22 H. 14 M. from the Ca- lends of January -, from thence, to the laft Day of March inclufive, arc 90 Days, which we fubftrad; from the above Sum ; and then find that the Point of Time, when the Moon interfered the Path of the Earth, in Con- jundion with the Sun, was April 21 Days, 22 H. 14M. P.M. that is April 22 D. 10 H. 14 M. E X PL AN ATIO N m OJ the Method made U/e of in the foregoing Calculations, 14 M. in the Morning. — -Thus it may be obferved, that our Calculation differs only 23 Minutes from Mr. Whifton's j which, fuppoling Mr. Whifton's to be precifely true, is but a very little, confidering the Length of Time of 70766 Lunations, or 5722 tro- pical folar Years. In Order to know the Day of the Week when this Eclipfe happened, we divide 2089774 Days, the Number of Rotations the Equator has made between the fourth of the Creation, and that Point, (when the Moon interfe(fted the Earth's Path) by 7, the Number of Days in a Week, firft adding 4 for the firft 4 extra Days, before the Sun began to meafure Time; and it will give 298539 Weeks, and leave in Remainder 5, (Friday) the fifth Day of the Week. Between that Eclipfe and the Full Moon which will happen next Thurfday, Sept. 27, there will have paffed 895 i Lunations.-^ We 112 EXPLANATION CJ the Method made Ufe of in the foregoing Calculations. We therefore add the Quantity of thefe Lu- nations together, and find it to cont. in 2 1 162 19 Days, 13H. 22M. 5S We then add 297 Days, to bring it to Od:. 24, after fubftrad:ing the Juiim Redudtion f^r this Year, A.M. 5794, it leaves 258 D. 1 7 H. 22 iM. 5 S. from which we fubilradl 243, the Number of Days from the Calends ^f January, to the End of Auguft inclufivej and we {hall have Se]->t 15 D. i ^ \l. 22 M. 5 S. P. M. for the Full Moon this Year, in LibrUy which is according to our Reckoning, Sept. 16 D. I H. 22 M. 5 S. P. M. O. S. to which we add i i, to bring to N. S. and then it will be Sept. 27th, at 22 Minutes, 5 Sccunds palt One in the iVlorning. For the Day of the Week 2116219 Days Extra Days 4 -V 7,2116223 , 305317 Weeks J (4)^ liiuiluay I now hope I have given demonJ}rative'E\i*- dence that what 1 aflerted is true, viz. that Mofei EXPLANATION 113 OJ the Method made Ufe of in the foregoing Calculations, Mofes has given us an Account of the Place of the Sun and Moon at the Creation ; which, according to his Chronology, happened at a Full Moon, at the autumnal Equinox, in the 706th Year of the Julian Period, I am now willing to join Iflue with the doubting Sceptic, and bring my Caufe to be tried and determined by the difcerning Pub- lic. — I fhall beg Leave to fum up the Evi- dence of this laft Calculation on/y. The Matter at IfTuc is, whether Mofes in his Hiftory of the Creation, has given us In- ftrudiion, where the Sun and Moon were placed at that Time — It appears to me that he has done it, and I populate it as true, viz. that the Sun was placed in Li3ra, on 0(5t. 25, according to the Julian Reckoning, at Noon, in the iirft Meridian, on Thurfday the fourth Day of the Week. — That the Moon was 1 5 Days old ; that had fhe been in Joeing, flie would have been diredly in p Oppofition 114 EXPLANATION Of the Method made lift of in the foregoing Calculatiom, Oppofition to the Sun, on Wednefday Noon, the third Day of the Week, and in her Node, Od:. 24j according to the Julian Reckoning, and that fhe would then be totally and cen- trally eclipfed ; and that this happened in the Year 706, of the Julian Period. — This is the Jlrjl or original Root or Point from whence I begin all my Calculations. — The Point I meafurc to is a mofl certain One; and was obferved by many Thoufands of Peo- ple. — -It is the Eclipfe of the Sun which happened at London, on a Friday, April 22. The Middle of which, according to Mr. Whiflon's Calculations, was at nine Minutes before Ten in the Morning. — This was in A. D. 171 5, and we know this Year was in Connexion with 6428 of the Julian Period. Now as the Mofaic Chronology places the Year of the Creation in A. I. P. 706; if wc fubftrad; 706 from 6428, it will give 5722^ the Number of the annual Revolutions which the Earth has made between thefe two Points; which this Eclipfe proved to be cxadly true. From EXPLANATION 115 OJ the Method made Ufe of in the foregoing Calculations. From tliis Point to next Thurfday, Sept. 27, at twenty- two Minutes paft One in the Morning, there will have pafled 26444 ^o~ tations of the Equator, and as much as mea- fured 15 H. 8 M. 5 S. beiides. — Now the firil Point of this fecond Calculation begins at London, at the central Point of the total Eclipfc, 171 5, and ends at 22 Minutes paft One in the Morning, on Thurfday, Sept. 27. Between thefe two Points, the Moon will have made 895^ Lunations — that is, from her Conjunction with the Sun, A. D. 171 5, to her Oppofition, 1787. — This is the lunar Meafure between thefe two Points. — The folar Meafure will be found to agree with it. Our firft Point of folar Meafure is Oft. 25, at Noon, A. I. P. 706, when the Sun en- tered Libra, in the firft Meridian, on Thurf- day the 4th Day of the Week. — Our next Point is this Day, Sept. 22, when the Sun will be found to enter Libra in the Meridian of Greenwich, at ten Minutes paft Four To- morrow Morning, A, I. P. 6500. — Between thefe ii6 EXPLANATION Of the Method made Ufe #/" iyi the foregoing Calculations, thefb two Points, the Earth will have made 5794 annual Revolutions through the Eclip- tic, which fhe has performed in 21 162 14 D. 1 6 H. I o M. and will end To-morrow Morn- ing, the yih Day of the Week or Sunday, at ten Minutes paft Four. The firft: lunar Calculation began at the original Point, at the Creation, and ended at the total Eclipfe of the Sun, A. D. 17 15. — The fecond began at the Point where the firfl ended, and finifhed at the Full Moon, Sept. 27, at 22 Minutes paft One in the Morn- ing, — By comparing the Sum of thefe two lunar Calculations, we (hall find them to agree exactly with the folar Meafure, begun at the original Point, at the Creation, and ending To-morrow at ten Minutes paft Four in the Morning.— — Here they follow. Dayi. H. M. Lunar Meafure 21 1 62 1 9 13 22 Sunday Solar Ditto 21 16214 ^^ loThurlday 4 21 12 It EX PL AN AT I O N ny Of the Method made lift of in the foregoing Calculations, It may be obferved, that the Difference between the folar and lunar Meafure is 4 D. 21 H. 12 M. and wants but 2 H. 48 M. of live Days Difference between the lunar and folar Reckoning; but between Su: day and Thurfday, there are only four Days — It mull be remarked, that the Moon was Full one whole Day before the Sun began to mea- fure Time, therefore one Day muit be fub- flradled from the lunar Computation, which makes the exad: Difference to be 3 D. 21 H, 12 M. as appears by thefe Calculations.— Does not this prove to Demonftration, that what I have pollulated i% true ? Advertifement. f ii8 ) Advertifement. 'T^HE following Letters were occaji- oned by a Tour of Mr, Heavifide and Mr. Penrofe^ through Cornwall, A. D. 1783, to view and examine, the Nature of the Mines, Clifts, Druid Mo- numents, and other Antiquities found there: — This, as may be imagined, oc- cafioned many Obfervaiions and Re- marks, in Order to account for the df- ferent Phenomenayd<7/,thcir Parts are dilated, and muft neceffarily be moved farther afunder; whether they be Solids or Fluids. — Thus, an Iron Bar, being heated, increafes in all Di- menfions, and the more (o as it is farther and farther heated ; but on being again cxpofed to the Cold, it contrails, and its Parts are forcibly prejfed together, and return through all the Degrees of Dilatation, till it comes to its firft Bulk, or to the fame Degree of Heat which it had when that additional one was firft applied ; being never two Minutes of the fame Dimenfons^ — • Hence, fays Boerhaave^ ** If there were the greateil Degree of Cold, Y '* and 170 On VEGETATION. LET. V. ** and all Fire were taken away, all Nature " Vv'-ould grow into one concrete Body, folid *' as Go/d, and hard as Diamond. -But, up- *' on the Application of Fire, it would re- " cover its former Mobility. — Confcquently ** every Diminution of Fire is attended with ** a proportionable Diminution of Motion, " and Vice Verfa.'' — Now, as we have the Authority oi Sir Ifaac Newton and Boerhaave, to affirm that the Heavenly Spaces, and all Matter, are filled with an ethereal Fluid, which adts in two Capacities, viz. by Light or Heat entering their Parts, and expanding them, and by Spirit or Cold comprejjing and forcing them together-, we (hall endeavour to trace out the Method Nature makes ul% of to caufe Vegetation from a Seed to a perfed: Plant or Tree. Every Year, nay every Day, Experience confirms us, that Heat and Cold, which are the Signs of Light and spirit, are the operat- ing Caufes of Vegetation. — Thus, on the coming on of Winter, as the Heat of the Sun decreafes. Vegetation languifhes in Pro- portron LET. V. On VEGETATION. 17: portion as he withdraws his Warmth. .Thus, it the Autumn proves warm, Vege- tation is carried O'l with greater Vigour, and longer, than when, on the contrary, cold prevails. — And in the gfeateft Cold, in our W^inter, it is quite ftop'd and at a Stand; and thus it continueb, till by the Increafe of Heat in the Spring, the vegetable Juices are again put into Motion, when Seeds, Plants, and Trees begin to vegetate. — Therefore, in Order to explain this Operation, I fhall take the following Method. — ift I Ihall examine, after a Seed is put into the Ground, what are the Caufes which make it vegetate, and to become a Plant : — 2dly, what are the Caufes, when Spring comes on, that make Plants and Trees to vegetate, and pu(h forth their Buds and Leaves -, and 3dly, when Summer ad- vances, what occaiions Trees to grow, to bring forth their Fruits and Seeds to Perfec- tion. Thofe Perfons who have been mofl con- verfant with, and who have made the greateft Difcoveries in microfcopical Obftrvations, alTert, 172 On VEGETATION. LET. V. afTert, that every Herb and Tree bear their own proper Seed, after their Kind. — Thefe, on being thrown into the Earth, which is of a proper Heat, Moifture, &c. fpread forth their Roots, and receive from thence their Nourifhment and Support. — That the Li- neaments of the future Plants, of every par- ticular Kind, are in the Seed itfelf. — So is the Form of every Shoot of a Tree in the Bud, before it is forced open, and made to grow by the natural Agents aifling thereon. Thefe Buds, on the coming on of the cold Weather in Autumn, are covered clofe, and defended therefrom, by a thick mucilaginous and gummy Juice, very obferveable in many Trees, efpecially the Horfe Chefnut, Afh,&c. and thofe Trees which fhed their Leaves firft, and are lateft in the Spring before they Shoot. This gummy Subftance continues thereon, till the Warmth of the Spring, or fome arti- Jicial Heaty diffolves it, and frees the Bud from this obftruc^ing Matter. — The fame Heat which diffolves the Gum, penetrates the Bark of the Tree, thins and makes fluid the Juices contained in the 'uafcular Series of Veffels, LET.V. 0« VEGETATION. 173 VefTels, between the Bark and the Wood, and expands thc^m.— The Manner and Power of which may be underftood by the EfFedt Warmth has on a Bottle of Ale, or other Liquor, which it expands with fuch Force, that unlefs it iinds a Paflage by the Mouth of the Bottle, or fome other Way, it burfts the containing Bottles. This cxpanfive Force continually increafmg by the frefh ad- dition of Heat, enters the Bud ; (a Paflage being made through the Rind for that Pur- pofej) where the Refliilance of the gummy Subftance being taken away, it expands his Parts, and fp reads open its Leaves. — When this is done, it becomes in a growing State ; the Method, of which will hereafter be ex- plained; but before we do that, it will be proper to examine the Make and Form of the different Parts of a Plant or Tree which I fhall now defcribe. I ft. There is a thin outer Rind. 2dly. The inngr Rind much thicker than the former, though both thefe Rinds are in general but thin, and of a rtticular Form, with a Series of 374 On VEGETATION. LET. V. of VefTel s between them; all thefe expand and dilate as the Tree increafes in Size. — — Their Ufe feems to be for the fame Purp)ofe as the Skin of Animals, either to inhale or exhale, according to the Alterations of the Weather, and alfo to dilate for the Enlarge- ment of the Tree. — The '-^d is the Blea, of a Jpungy Nature ; it is of a confiderable Thick- r^efs, and Uniform in its Texture, compofed of hexagenal Cells, which appear to be de- llgned for Refervoirs, for containing the watery and nourilhing Particles, abforbed from the Atmofphere, under which lie the 4th Subftance, called the vafcular Series. — Its Structure is extremely Simple, being a fingle Courfe of greenifh Veflcls, lodged be- tween two Membranes. — Thefe Veffels have a free Communication with the Wood and Blea. — Here are found the greateft Part of the Juices for the Support of the Plant or Tree, all thefe pafs upwards or downwards, according as the Heat or Cold, Moiftnefs or Drynefs prevail. — Here the Weather has a great Influence, for as the Heat from the Sun gets Strength, in the Spring of the Year, LET. V. On VEGETATION. 175 Year, it thins and expands the mucilaginous Juices here contained, and forces out the Bud. On the contrary, as the Cold of V;' inter ad- vances, tkefe Fluids are condenfed, thick- ened, and become mucilaginous. — We come next to the 5th, the Wood, and 6th, to the pyramidal Veflels contained therein ; thefa pyramidal VefTels are not continued Tube.s, are feldom found many Inches long, (as may be obferved in Oak, Elm, and Horfe Chefnut, &c.) and refemble thefe in the Bones of Animals. — A new circular Ring of thefe Tubes arc formed every Year ; thefe which are formed in Summer, are larger than thofe formed in Winter. — Thefe Rings of lubes, facing the South, are alfo larger than thofe towards the North -, fo that moft Trees arc eliptkal inftead of round, with the moft pro- minent Side towards the South. — -A new Root, a new Branch, and a new Circle of Fibres are formed every Year : Thus it may be obferved, that a Root or Branch of the ' laft Year, has only one Circle of Fibres, whilft the other Roots and Branches, as well as the T runk, have as many Circles as they are 176 0?i VEGETATION. LET. V. are Years Growth. — The Roots are puflicd forward, and formed from a Subftince, found at the Extremity of every fibrous Root, in Form of a fpungy Nipple. — The 7th is the P/>/6. — Whatever Part of the Plant we exa- mine, we find thekjeven and no more.— The Root, the afcending Stalk, and defcending Fibre, are one and the fame, and not three Subftances. — The Fibres of the Root are fuppofed to be Jimple, capillary y Tubes -, but, upon a minute Infpedtion, we difcover them to confift of the fame component Parts of the Plant. The only Part remaining neceifary to be defcribed are the Leaves, which are found to be formed of a Number of VefTels, inter- woven amongft each other, in a net-like Form, very much refembling theAnaftomofis of the Blood Velfels in the Lungs of Animals, and appear to be of the fame Ufe to Vegeta- bles, that the Lungs are to Animals, viz. to throw ofiF the fuperfluous Moifture -, thefe have innumerable Openings, which anfwer both for the Difcharge of the fuperfluous Moifture, LET.V. 6>7i VEGETATION. 177 Molfiure, and alfo for receiving the nutri- tious Particles from the Atmofphere. — The Leaves are formed by the expanding and un- folding the Buds : thefe Buds make a Perfor- ation through the feveral Integuments, where- by an eafy PaiTage is given for the expanding Sap, to enter, to enlarge, and unfold the Leaves, which are fpread out thereby, and being full of Pores, the Heat from the Sun has an eafy Paflage through them, 2nd there- by to enter their Fluids, and expand them, till they are fpecijically lighter than the fur- rounding Atmofphere, and are forced off by it, — Thefe Pores alfo admit the defcending Dew, when the Coldnefs of the Air is fo far increafed as to overpower the internal Heat of the Juices contained in the Plant. — Having given an anatomical Defcription of the diffcrr- ent Parts of a Tree or Plant, if you delire any Thing farther on this Subjedl, I would advife you to confult Malptghi and Grew, or a more late Author, the ingenious Dr. Hunter, In Order to prove my Theory on Vege- tation, it ma/ be thought neceffary to pro- Z duce 178 On VEGETATION. LET. V. duce fome Experiments, as well as the P/je- nomena of Nature, to confirm it. — As I can- not make, or find any more fit fi^r this Pur- pofe, than thefe already made by Dr. Hales, who, (as will be allowed by all) was accurate in making, and faithful in relating them, and had no farther Intention to anfwer, but that Truth might appear ; for the above Rea- fons I fhall take the Liberty to tranfcribe fomc of them in his own Words. Dr. Hales tells us, that in Order to be informed how far Heat and Cold anfwered the difi^erent Purpofes of Vegetation, ** He " made ufe of fix Thermometers, the firfl of " which was above Ground, in the open Air^ " the fecond two Inches under Ground, in a *' South Afped:, the other four at different ** Depths, till the fixth was two Feet under " Ground; (he tells us) that he kept a ** Regifter of their Rife and Fall, during the ** Month of Augufl, and obferved, that in *' the greatefl Noon-Tide Heat, the Spirit ** in that Thermometer, which was expofed *• to the Sun, was rifen, fince early in the ** Morning, LET. V. On VEGETATION. 179 ** Morning, from 21 to 48 Degrees. ^ — The *' fecond Thermometer, whole Ball was two *' Inches under Ground, was at 45 Degrees, ** and the 3d, 4th, and 5th Thermometers " were gradually of lefs and lefs Degrees of ** Heat, as they were placed lower in the " Ground, to the fixth Thermometer, which " was two Feet under Ground, in which the ** Spirit was 3 1 Degrees high -, the 5th and ** 6th Thermometers, kept nearly to the ** fame Height both Night and Day, till to- *' wards the End of the Month ; when, as *' the Days grew fhorter and cooler, they ** then fell to 27 and 25 Degrees, (t) " When in the coldeft Day in Winter, *' the Frolfc was fo intenfe as to freeze the " Surface of the ftagnant Water, near an ** Inch thick j then the Spirit in the Ther- ** mometer, which was cxpofed to the open * Air, was fallen four Degrees below the ** freezing Point; the Spirit of that Ball ** which was two Inches under Ground, was ** four Degrees above the freezing Pointy '' the (t) Halct's Staticks, Vol. I. Ex, XX. i8o 0?i VEGETATION. LET. V . ** the 3d, 4th, and 5th Thermometers were '* proportionally fallen, lefs and lefs, as they ** were deeper to the fixth Thermometer ; ** which being two Feet under Ground, the ** Spirit was ten Degrees above the freezing ** Point.^^ — In this State the Work of Vege- ** tation feemed to be at a iland, at lead: ** within the Reacn of the Froft. — But when '* the Cold was fo far relaxed, as to have the ** Spirit in the firft Thermometer, but five ** Degrees above the freezing Point, the fe- ** cond eight, and the fixth thirteen Degrees, *' though it was fiill very cold ; yet this be- ** ing fome Advance from Freezing towards *' Warm^ and there being confequently fome ** Exp an/ion in the Sap, feveral Evergreens *' and hardy Plants grew," The above Experiments of Dr. Hales, on the fix Thermometers, from that in the Air, to that which was two Feet under Ground, fhow us the diifcrent Degrees of Heat at the different Depths, and alfo the Manner in which they retained it. — It mufi: alfo be re- membered, that Solids and Fluids acquire their LET.V. On VEGETATION. i8i their Heat fooner, and retain it longer, in Proportion to their Denlity. — Thus, put a Piece of Metal in Water, and place it on the Fills J the Metal will be (o hot as not to be touched, by the Time the Water is warm :— Alfo, if you fit near the Fire, with a Key in your Pocket, the Key will be hot, and your Cloths hardly warm. The fame Thing may be obferved, where the Sun Ihines upon a Piece of Metal ; this, in a flrong Sun-fhiae, will be found to be much hotter than the furrounding Atmof- phere, — The fame Effed: may be obferved with Regard to Cold, as has been by Heat, viz, by expoling a Key to the Co/^ Either, in a Froft, it will be found to acquire a Degree of Coldnefs, much exceeding that of the At- mofpherc. — Hence, (as will be explained hereafter) as the Earth is 1500 Times denfer than the Air, fo it will be found, by that Means, to be very ufeful in carrying on Ve- getation. From the above Fads, I fliall endeavour tQ 382 073 VEGETATION. LET. V. to draw proper Conclufions : In Order to do this, I ihall obferve the different Changes a Vegetable undergoes, from the Seed to a per- fect Plant. — For this Purpofe I Ihall make Choice of a Kidney- Bean ; as in that, thefe different Changes, which the Seed undergoes, will be more perceivable than in feme others. By putting a Kidney- Bean into the Ground, and covering it with a proper Quaatity cf Mould, at a proper Seafon of the Year; in a few Days, the warm afcending Vapour frcm the Earth enters its Pores, and forcibly ex- pands the Lobes of the Bean : — This expand- ing Vapour, (from the make of the Bean,j is forced from thefe Lobes into the capillary Veffcls of the Radicle, which, by continually receiving a frefli Supply, is forced out and elongated, which when extended to a certain Degree, refifts more than the Power from above j at this Time, ffill receiving addi- tional Nourifhment from the Earth, the ex- panded Seed Leaves are forced out of the Ground -, after this the Plume being unco- vered, by the opening of the Lobes, the ex- ^ p^nfive LET.V. 0/i VEGETATION. 183 panfive Force opens and unfolds its Leaves, and when they are fiifficiently enlarged, fo as to throv/ off the fuperfluous Moifture, be- comes a perfed; Plant, an hydraulic Machine, Sui Generis, and wants no more Affiftance from the Lebes, which now drop off as ufe- lefs. Having now, according to my Propofal, explained the Method whereby a Seed be- comes a perfed: Plant, and, as my Letter is already extended to a greater Length than, perhaps, you will like to read at one Time, I will leave the Confideration of the Means and Caufes of its Growth and Support, to my next Letter, which you may expecft to receive foon after this. Adieu, F. PENROSE. STONEHOUSE. Oft. II, 1783. i84 a?z VEGETATION. LET. V. To JOHN HEAVISIDE, Esq. "Experiments from Dr. Hales , which prove that Vegetables infplre and expire according to the Drynefs and Moijlure^ and the Heat and Coldnefs of the Air. — T^he Method Nature makes ufe of to perjorm Vegetation. — Threes and Vegetables grow in the -Form of a P.yra- mid, unlefs prevented. — ^he Caufe aj/igned why Plants i?i a Green-houfey or other Roomy point towards the Window.'-^'^The fuices of Vegetables always in Motion y but do not cir- culate like the Blood in Animals. — So?ne more Rxperimmts from Dr. Hales, to ex- plain the Method Nature makes ufe of in the Bleeding Seafon, fin the Spring of the Tear) to force out the Buds and heaves. Dear Sir, IFinifhed my kft Letter with the Account of the Progrefs of a Vegetable from a Seed to a perfedt Plant ; and according to my Pro- mife, I have fent you an Account of the Methods LET. VI. On VEGETATION. 185 Methods Nature makes ufe for its future Growth and Support. Having received the greatcft Inforrmation for doing it, from the Experiments of the judicious Dr. Hales, I (hall now take the Li- berty to make Ufe of fomc more of them, for confirming what I Ihall now fend you. The following Experiments were made in Order to obferve the different Effects pro- duced by the different Degrees of the Heat by Day, and the Cold by Night; — on the Growth of Vegetables j and alfo, the differ- ent Effects produced on them, by the dif- ferent Changes of the Weather. — For this Purpofe he planted a Cabbage and a Sun- flower, each in a Pot, which he conflantly weighed every Day, for a Month.— He found, ** that fome Days the Cabbage perfpircd, ** when the Weather was hot and dry, more ** than a Pound and Half. — That the Sun- " flower, in twelve Hours, of a very warm ** Day, perfpired one Pound and fourteen ** Ounces ; the middle Rate one Pound four A a " Ounces 5 i86 On VEGETATION. LET. VI. '* Ounces ; — The Perfpiration of a warm, dry ** Night, without any fcnfible Dew, was a- " bout three Ounces ; but when any fenfible ** but fmall Dew, then the Perfpiration was *' nothing. — When a large Dew, and feme ** little Rain in the Night, it increafed in *' the V/eight two or three Ounces. H From the above Experiments, it may be obferved, that thefe Vegetables perfpired more or lefs, according to the State of the Atmofphere which fur rounded them, whe- ther it was warm or cold, moifl or dry^ — That they perfpired moil in a warm and dry Air 5 on the contrary, in moift Weather, or a large Dew, they injpired very confiderably from the Atmofphere, as their Increafe of Weight demonftrates. Hence it is clear, from the foregoing Ex- periments, that the Leaves of Plants arc ferviceable towards carrying on the Work of Vegetation, in bringing Nourifhment from the (u) Hales'« Stiticki) VoL I. Cxp. t. LET. VI. On V£GETATION. 187 the lower Parts and Roots -, — Plenty of Dew is imbibed by them, by which Means they receive a great Part of their Food from the Atmofphere, which is always (locked with vegetable Nourishment. — Hence we find, that alter the Plume of the Seed, and the Leaves are pufhed out, they perfpire or in- ipire, according to the Heat, the CoMnefi, the Drynefs^ or Moiftnefs of the Air; in the Day-Time, when the Air is hot and dry, it dilates, and expands their Pores, (more efpc- cially when the Sun (hines) and rarefies their Juices, whereby it afcends in the Atmofphere; thus a Vacuum is made, and Room is given, for the Sap afcending from the Roots ! The fmall fibrous Roots act the Part of Syphons, and the moid Vapour, afcending from the Earth, is abforbed or fucked in, by the Roots, fafter or flower, more or lefs, in Proportion to the Number of Roots, and the Rarefadion of the Fluids in them ; for thefc Juices will recede and accede according to the Heat and Rarefadion, or Cold and Compref- fion, till an Equilibrium is formed :— When that j88 On VEGETATION. LET.VL that happens to be the Cafe, and every Pore and Veficlc is filled, then the Moifture, Dew, or Rain will remain on the Leaves, in the fame Manner as it may be obferved to do on oiled Paper, when every Pore of the Paper is filled with Oil. — This may often be obfeived in a growing Seafon, in the Morning, in the Spring of the Year. Thus, fo long as the Heat proceeding from the Sun, is powerful enough to rarefy the Juices, in the Leaves of the Plant, to a fuf- ficient Degree, they continue to perfpire the fuperfluous Juices, aicending from the Roots, and what they fend up, as regularly continue to fupply the Place of thofe perfpired -, unlefs (as it fometimes happens) in a hot and fultry Day, that there is more Moifture perfpired by the Leaves, than the Roots cari fufiiciently fupply, during that Time. — When this hap- pens to be the Cafe, we obferve the Leaves of the Plant to flag, and to continue in that State till the Coldnefs and Moiilncfs of the Air is fo far incrcafed as to prevent the Heat from rarefying more Juices than can be fup- plied in the fame Time from the Roots, LET.VL 0.>i VEGETATION. 189 As the Heat of the Sun goes off in the Evening, and the Air becomes colder, and loaded with Dew, the Perfpiration of the Leaves abates, till the Coldnefs and Denfe- nefs of the Atmofphere, together with the defcending Dew, fill up the Pores of the Leaves, flop the Motion of the Sap upvi^ards, and by its Increafe of Gravity, makes the Sap to defcend towards the Roots, and carry with it from tlic Dew, fuch nutritious Par- ticles of the Atmofphere, as it may contain : thus it finds its V/ay to the mofl capillary Roots, forces out the Sap that Way, and elongates them 1 The Difference of Denfity between the Earth and the furrounding Atmofphere, adds greatly to the Growth or Elongation of the Roots of Trees and Vegetables : The Earth being fo much denfer than the Atmofphere, it retains the Heat, it receives from the Sun, a confiderable Time longer^ neither is it fubjed: to the fudden and great Changes often occafioned in the Atmofphere; indeed fomc little below the Surface (as was proved by the 190 0?i VEGETATION. LET. VI. the Thermometers) it retains the lame Heat great Part of the Summer, Night an(J Day, It is the Nature of Trees and Vegetables, (if their Growth is not prevented by other Trees or Vegetables Handing too near them) to take the Form of a Pyramid ; the loweft lateral Branches being longer than thofe im- mediately above ; and, as the Tree advances, the lateral Branches fucceed in firil, fscond, and third Order, &c. — -Thus they continue to grow in this Manner, unlefs the Rarc- fadtion and Perfpiration of thefe lateral Branches are prevented by others growing too near them, as may be obferved to be the Cafe in thick Vv'^oods, Groves, Corn, and other Vegetables, which ftand fo thick and clofc to each other, as to {hade and hinder the Expanfion and Condenfation by the Heat and Air, and of Confequence the Perfpiration of the lateral Branches. — When this happens to be the Cafe, the Rarefadion and Perfpira- tion can only be carried on in the upper Part of the Tree or Plant : — Hence, by the Sap being perfpired from the top Branches only, the LET. VI. On VEGETATION. 191 the Tree is enlarged in no other Part, and grows in Height onlvi thus, by the Per- ipiration being carried on no where but the Top, moft, if not all, the lateral Branches, perifh for want of Perfpiration, and of Con- fequence Nutrition. — Hence, the Reafon why Trees grow upwards, for the Sun-Beams defcend in ftraight Lines to the Earth, and enter the Tree at its Top, whereby the greatell Rarefadtion will be there, and the Juices in the Tree, afcending from the Root, will be forced thereto, and the Branches will there be enlarged and lengthened; but when Plants ftand fingle, or at a proper Diftance, and furrounded with a Freedom of Air, the lateral Branches grow in a juft Pro- portion to the Top, as the AtmofpheUy and all Fluids y prefs equally every Way, Hence alfo is the Reafon why Plants, in a Room or Houfe, where there is but one Window, (efpecially if that Window faces the South ;)-.the Plants placed therein will always grow towards the Window, where the Sun- Beams and Light enter: Thus, Plants 1^2 On VEGETATION. LET. Vl, Plants which perfpire very plentifully, as the Sun- flower, may be obferved in Height of the growing Seafon, to follow the Sun, with their Tops pointing to him ; in the Morning they bend towards the Eall, at Noon South, and in the Evening towards the Weft. — By the fame Caufe, Trees or Plants, near a Wall, always grow from it, pointing towards the Sun ; nay if a Plant is placed in fuch a Situation, that no Sun-Beams are fent on it, its Growth will tend to the Place from whence the Light proceeds Thus, during the Summer Seafon, whert there is Heat enough to make Vegetables grow, their Juices are in continual Motion, as well as the Blood in Animals, but with this Difference; that the Blood in Animals undergoes a continual Circulation, but the Motion of the Sap in Vegetables, is only from their Roots, through their whole Sub- ftance, where, at particular Places, the plafack Make of thofe Parts abforbs and retains fuch Portions of the nutritious Juices, as are pro- per for their Support and Licreafe. — Thus it may LET. VI. On VEGETATION. 93 may be obferved, particularly in a Grain of Wheat, which puts forth three different Suc- ceffions of Roots, for the different Periods of its Growth ; iirft, after putting a Grain of Wheat in the Ground, three Fibres are iliot from the Radicle ; upon the Wheit fpcaring, freiTi Fibres are ftruck out ; foon after they are eftablilhed, the three firfl Fibres, with their Branches, gradually decay. — As foon as it comes in Ear, frefh Fibres make their Ap- pearance, foon after which the fecond decay. The above Account of thefe three Sorts of Roots, made by culmiferous Plants, i.re given us by the ingenious Dr» Cullen, who tells us it was a Difcovery of Bennet's, and are term- ed by him, the Infancy, the Adolefcence, and Maturity of the Plant. Now let the Unbeliever, who makes an Idol of his own Underftanding, meditate on the Power given by God, to a Vegetable, to enable every Part thereof to cull and appro- priate fuch Parts only, of thenutritiousjuices they receive, as are fitted for the Growth and Support of thefe only,whcther it be for Leaves, B b Roots, 194 Ow VEGETATION. LET. VI. Roots, Stalks, Flower?, or Seeds. — If he cannot underftand the A(flions of this Jimple Machine^ let it humble his Pride fo far as not to be Wife above what is revealed ! Having explained the Method Nature makes Ufe of to caufe the Vegetation and Growth of Plants, I fhall now, as I propofed, en- deavour to explam the Means whereby Trees pufli forth their Buds, Leives, Fruit, and Seeds* — In Order to do this, I fhall again take the Lib ty to make ufe of fome more of Dr. Hales' c Experiments, which he made on Vines, to afcertain the Strength of tht Expanfion of the S.ip, at the Bltecing Sea- fon, in the Spring ot the Year. — ** April 6th, *' at nine, A. M, Rain the Evening brfore, •* he cut oiF a Vine, on a Southern Aipen VEGETATION. 195 "a Fog: — At 11, A.M. 17 Inches high, ** the Fog gone." *' April loth, at 7, A. M. Mercury rS Inches high -, he then added more Mercury, fo as to make the Surface 23 Inches high: T^e Sap retreated a little into the Stem, upon this additional Weight, which Jhews with what an abjolute Force it advances. — At Noon it was funk one Inch." ** April nth, at 7, A.M. 24J Inches high, Sun-fhine. — At 7, P, M. 18 Inches high." ** April 14th, at 7, A. M. 20^ Inches high; at 9, A. M. 22i fine warm Sun- (hine. — Here we fee that the warm Morning Sun gives a frejh Vigour to the Sap^ — At 1 1, A. M. the fame Day, i6i — ^he great Fer- fpiration of the Stem makes it fink '* ** April 1 6th, at 6, A. M. 19^ Rain.- At4, P.M. ii^ Inches." — Though it had funk fince Morning, he found by Exp. 34, that 196 On VEGETATION. LET. VI. that it had rifen fince Noon two Inches. — Th's Difference he fays was accafioned^ in the Jirji, by the Perfpiration of the »Stf/>.-— The other Stem being fo very Jhort, there was little Room for it." "April 17th, at 11, A. M. 2\\ high, Rain and W^arm ; at 7, P. M. 29^ fine warm rainy Weather, which made the Sap rife all Day, there being little Perfpiration by Rea- fon of the Rain," ** April 1 8th, at 7, A. M, 32^ Inches high, a?2d would have rifen higher, if there bad been more Mercury in the Gage. — From this Time, to May the ^th, the Force gra- dually decreafed. — The greatcft Height of the Mercury being 32 i Inches, the Force of the Sap was equal to 36 Feet, 5I Inches Height of Water. " Here the Force of the rifing Sap in the Morning, is plainly owing to the Energy (of the Sap) in the Root and Stem. — In ano- ther mercurial Gage, (fixed under the Bot- tom On VEGETATION. LET.M. 197 torn of the Vine, which ran twenty Feet high) the Mercury was raifed by the Force of the Sap, 38 Inches, equal to 43 Feet, 3 Inches I of Water. As the greateft Height the Atmofphere will rife Water is thirty-two Feet, fo this Force was about one Third greater than the PreiTure of the At- mofphere." Dr. Hales tells us " That the Mercury conftantly fubfided in a Gage, fixed on a Branch of a large old Vine, by the Retreat of the Sap, about nine or ten in the Morn- ing, when the Sun was hot 5 but in a moift, foggy Morning, the Sap was later before it retreated viz. till Noon, or fome Time after the Fog was gone."— About four or five o'clock, P. M. when the Sun went off the Vine, the Sap began to pufli afrefh into the Gages, but it always rofe fafleft from the Sun Rife, till nine or ten in the Morning. — The Sap on the Branch of a large old Vine played the moil freely to and fro, and was therefore fooneft affedled with the Changes from hot to cold, or from wet to dry, and Vice 198 On VEGETATION. LET. VI. Vice ver/a"{^) — He obferves that the great Force, exerted by the Branch of this large old Vine, ** was not from the Root only, but muft alfo proceed from fome Power in the Stem and Branches." — After the Leaves are puihed out, no Trees will then bleed, neither have they any Force to pufh out their Sap; all is then perfpired by the Leaves. — ** Moifture and Warmth made the Sap moft ** vigorous, Ex. 38, but the Vigour of the *' Sap would immediately be greatly abated ** by cold Eafterly Winds." (x) *' If, in the Morning, while the Sap is in a riling State, there was a cold Wind, with a Mixture of Sun-fhine and Cloud ; when the Sun was clouded, the Sap would imme- diately fubfide, at the Rate of an Inch in a Minute, for fevcral Inches, if the Sun con- tinued fo long clouded : But as foon as the Sun-Beams broke out again, it would 'im- mediately return to its then riling State, jufl as any Liquor in a Thermometer rifes and falls ^yith the Alternacies of Heat and Cold; whence, fays he, it is probable, that the plentiful (wj Hales'* Exp. XXXVI.--[x} fixp, XXXVIII. LET. VI. On VEGETATION. 99 plentiful Rife of the Sap, in the Vine, in the Bleeding Seafon, is efFedled in the fame Manner. — When, fays he, three Tubes were fixed at the fame Time to Vines on an eaflerft, a font hern y and ivejiern Afpe(fl, round my Porch, the Sap would begin to rife in the Morning, firft in the eaftern Tube, next in the fouthern, and laft in the weftern Tube : and towards Noon it would acccdingly begin to fubiide, firft in the eaftein Tube, next in the fouthern, and laft in the weftern Tube." ** Rain and Warmth, after cold and dry, would make the Sap rife all the next Day, without fubfiding, though it would rife then lloweft about Noon. — The Sap begins to rife focner in the Morning, in cool Weather, than after hot Days." ** When at the Diilance of four or five Days, Tubes were fixed to two different Branches, which came from the fame Stem, the Sap would rife highefl; in that which was laft fixed J yet, if in the fixing the fecond Tube, 20O On VEGETATION. LET. VI. Tube, there was much Sap loft, the Sap would fubfide in the firft Tube/' ** In very hot Weather, many Air -bub- bles would rife, fo as to make a Froth an Inch deep, on the Top of the Sap in the Tube." ** But when towards the latter End of ^pril, the Spring advances, and many young Shoots are come forth, and the Surface of the Vine is greatly increafed and enlarged by the Expanlion of the feveral Leaves, whereby the Perfpiration is much increafed, and the Sap more plentifully exhaufted, it then ceafes to flow in a vifible Manner, till the Return of the following Spring." " And as in the Vine, fo is the Cafe the fame in all the bleeding Trees, which ceafe Bleeding as foon as the young Leaves begin to expand enough to perfpirc plentifully, and to draw off the redundant Sap. Exp. 44, ** Since by other Experiments it is LET. VI. On VEGETATION. 201 is found, that the grcateft Part of the Sap is raifed by the Warmth of the Sun on the Leaves, which feern to be made broad and thin for that Purpofe ; for the fame Reafon it is probable, it (hould rife alfo, in thofe Parts which are moft expofed to the Sun, as the Bark is " " ** It is found that the Trunk and Branches of Vines were al- ways in an imbibing State, caufed by the great Perfpiration of the Leaves, except in the Bleeding Seafon," (u) Therefore to prove the great Power Seeds receive, ( when fown ) from the expanlive Power of a warm Vapour — Dr. Hales put fome Peas into an Iron Pot, with fome Wa- ter, and then fixed on it a Cover, and on that 1 84 Pounds Weight, which the dilating Peas lifted up ; he alfo found they would lift up any Weight that was not fufficient to prcfs them together, (w) " We fee, fays he, by this *' Experiment, the vaft Force with which " Iwelling Peas expand; and 'tis doubtlefs *' the fame Force which is exerted, not only ** i" pujhing the Plume upwards into the Air, C c " but (u; Haks's Suticks, Vol. I. Exp. XI-VI.— H Vol. I. Exp. XXXII. 202 On VEGETATION. LET. VI. ** but alfo in enabling the firft Shooting of " the Radicle of the Pea, and all its fubfe- " quent tender Fibres, to penetrate and (hoot " into the Earth." Having now given the Experiments I pro- pofed, with Regard to Vegetati(in, with fome Obfervations thereon, in my next Letter, I fliall endeavour to explain that Operation in as fliort and eafy a Manner as I can. AdieUt F. PENROSE. StONEHOUSEi oa. 18,1783. . To LET. VII. On VEGETATION. 203 To JOHN HEAVISIDE. Esq. j4 Recapitulation of the Method Nature makes uje of to carry on Vegetation. — T'he natural Agents hot and cold Ether. — Fire and Mo^ tion /ynommous. — The Phenomenon of Vege- tation a proper one to explain the Agency of Nature. — The Caufe why Trees Jhed their Leaves in Autumn ; and the Means made if e of to pujh jorth their Buds and Leasts in the Spring. — The Scripture Account of Vegetation perfeBly agreeable with Nature, Cold and hot Ether, the Agents which fup^ port and carry on Animal as well as vegeta^ hie Life. Dear Sir, IN my three former Letters, I defcribed the Agents, and the Method Nature made Ufe of to carry on Vegetation, which were long, and which, I imagine, you thought tedious, on Account of the many Phenomena and Experiments there related, to prove that what 204 On VEGETATION. LET. VII. what I faid was confirmed by Nature. — I {hall now, in Order that you may have a more clear Perception of it, recapitulate that natural Operation in as ihort and clear a Manner as I can. j4 Recapitulation of what has been obferved. In the firft Place I fliewed from Sir Ifaac Newton's own Words, that he fuppofed there was an ethereal Fluids -which filled the Pores of all Bodies -, and alfo that this Fluid filled all Space, from the Sun to the Orb of Saturn, and beyond. Secondly, That this Fluid aded in two Conditions, one of which he called Light or Heat, and the other Spirit or Cold. — That thefe two were in continual Circulation and Struggle, from the Sun to the Ex- tremities of the Syftem.— The Light or Heat, afcending from the Sun, opening and expand^ ing; and, the Spirit defcending to the Sun, contraSling and comprejjing every Thing. — After this I gave Boerhaave^ Account of what were the Agents Nature made Ufc of in LET. VII. On VEGETATION. 205 in her Operations, which was " That Fire ** or Motion were Jyf2onimous," for, fays he, '* let an Iron Bar be heated, it increafes in ** all Its Dimenfions, and the more fo as it is ** farther and farther heated ; but on being ** expofed to the CoIJ, it contra(5ls, and its *' i^'arts are forcibly prelled together, and re- ** turn through all the Degrees of Dilatation, " till it comes to its firfh Bulk, or to the ** fame Degree of Heat which it had when ** the additional one was applied, being never "two Minutes cf the fajne Dimenjions^--^ ** Hence, fays he, if there were the greatcft ** Cold, and ail Fire were taken away, all ** Nature would grow into one concreate *' Body, /olid as Goldy and hard as a Dumofid, ** But upon the Application of Fire // wuuid ** recover its former Mobility,'* Finding that thefe two great Philofophers, as well all the Ancients, attributed the lirft Agent in Nature to be Fire; and that all Nature were filled with an Ether, which adled in two Qualities, viz. Light and Heat, or Spirit and Cold -, and imagining that the Phenomina 2o6 On VEGETATION. LET. VII. Pbemmina produced by natural Operations, were more fimple, expreffive, and lefs equi- vocal than Experiments produced by Art j I endeavoured to find odc that would anfwer our Purpofe; accordingly, that of Vegetation appeared to be mofl likely to do it. — There- fore I examined theObfervations and the Ex- planations of diiFerent Philofophers thereon -, and found little Ailiftance from any but the ingenious Dr. Hales, who, from a Set of well chofen Experiments, accurately per- formed, and faithfully related, hath cleared this fimple Operation from its Intricacy. By which it appears, that a Seed is covered with an outward Shell, which is of fuch ^ clofe Contexture, as to prevent the common Atmofphere from entering. The Seed, by being put into the warm Ground, is a(fted upon by the warm Vapour, which is continually afcending into the out- ward Atmofphere. — The Light or Heat of this adive Vapour enters the outward Shell, penetrates and expands the Lcjbcs of the Seed LET. VIL On VEGETATION. 207 Seed (which Lobes anfwer the fame Purpofe to Seeds, that the Placentia docs to Animals) expands and enlarges them ; from hence, by the plafiick Make of the Seed, it is forced into the Radicle, which it alfo extends and elongates, and pufhes into the Mould, and by being continually adted upon in the above Manner, it continually increafes, till by its Number of Fibres, it receives a greater ex- panfive Force, by the v^arm Vapour it re- ceives from below, than what is fupplied by the Lobes, which now burft the inclofing Shell, and by this Force, from below, are impelled above Ground, when the Lobes fc- parate, and the Flume appears, which is now enlarged, and its Leaves fpread abroad, and becomes a perfed: Plant, and the Lobes or Secondines drop off as ufelcfs. A Plant and a Tree are hydraulick Ma- chines, and are fupported and made to grow by the two Agents Light or Heaty and Spirit or Cold. — As either one of thefc adt upon the Parts of the Plant or Tree, fo does its Growth and Incrcafe go on,— A Tree is compofed of a Root 2o8 On VEGETATIOK. LET.VIL Root which is in the Ground, a Trunk a- bove the Ground, and Branches which are fpread in the Air, anfwering to the Roots below. — Now it is found by Ex;perience, that you may pull up a young Tree by its Roots, plant the Boughs or Branches in the Ground, and let its Roots fpread in the open Air, as its Boughs ufed to do, it will grow in this Form, pufli out Leaves, BlolToms, Fruit, and Seed. — The Leaves are formed wide, thin, and full of Pores, and anfvver the fame Purpofe to Plants, that the Lungs do to Animals, to perfpire the fupciiiiuous Vapour fent up from the Roots. — 1 hus, in warm Weather, when the Sun fhines on the Leaves, the Light or Sun- Beams enters their Pores, expands their Juices, and as foon as they are fpecifically lighter than the Atmofpbere, are forced off by it. — Hence a Vacuum is there formed, which is imme- diate'/ filled up and fupplied by frefh Vapour afcending through the Tree or Plant, from the Roots. —In this Manner the Juices re- ceived by the Roots, are carried throughout the whole Plant or Tree ; and, after it has colledcd LET. VII. On VEGETATION. !09 colle(9:ecl fucli a Portion of it as is fit for the Support of every Part, the fuperfluous Moif- ture is perfpired by the Leaves :— This conti- nues all the Day, till the Heat of the Sun- Beams begin to decline in the Evening, and the Cold increafes. — Thus, as that comes on, the Cold condenfes fomc of the Moiflure in the Atmofphere, and prelTes it down towards the Earth, as the Pleat goes off. — The cold, moift Air and Spirit enter the open Pores of the Leaves, and as they overpower the Heat, force the Juices through the whole Subftance of the Plant, down to its fmalleft Roots, which they force out and elongate. — In this Manner the Plant grows and increafes in Bulk, till the Cold is fo very powerful, to contrad: or prefs the Juices into a Concreafe, when all Vegetation ceafes, and the Leaves drop off as ufeiefs. Thus, as the Cold of Autumn comes on, the Juices of the Tree are infpiffated, the Buds and outer Rind are cu have, th.tt therefore I take no Pleafurc in iNa-Lural l^hilofophy, or that I am fo ealily E e tired 2i8 On the DELUGE. LET. VIIL tired of the Subject, as not to wiili for the Sentiments of fo ingenious and well-informed a Searcher into Nature, as you are. — Far othervvife; for though I have been debarred of proper Opportunities of Information, and my Habits of Life have been fuch, as to pre- vent me from any clofe Application to Study, yet I have always felt a Propenfity to know and account for the Phenomena of Nature, and the Caufes of thofe various Appearances, which every Moment, and every where, ftrike the Eye of the ieaft attentive Obferver. But as my Inlets to Knowledge have been feWj very few indeed, compared to yours, it would be extreme Folly in me to contend Jerioujly with you on this Subjedt; and there- fore would wiili you to look on what I objed: to your Syflem, as rather deiigned to draw out Information^ than to produce Convi5iion, In this Light, give me Leave to afk you, why, in that general DifTolution of Sub- ftances, which you fuppofe to have taken Place at the Deluge, thofe Shells, Bones, Shrubs, &c. that are undoubtedly found (as you LET. VIII. 071 the DELUGE. 219 you fay) in all Parts of the World, both on thebummits of Mountains, and In the Depths of the Earth ; w&j were not thofe Suhjlances dijfoh^d likewife? And what Reafon can be given, why the Caufe, (whatever it was) that could diflblve Rocks, and Marble, fliould not diflulve thofe Subflances which are of fo much loofer a Contexture ? This is a Quef- tion which has juft now occured to me, on looking into the Beginning of your Letters 5 and 1 mull confels, it feems to me as rather favourable to my Hypothecs than yours. — I fhail therefore be much obliged to you for your Thoughts upon it ; and as my prefent Lcifure will not allow me to enter further into your Theory, at this Time, I fliall beg Leave to defer my further Confideration of it, till my Hurry is a little over, when I fhall, with your Permiffion, trouble you with what further Remarks may occur to me upon it. I am. Dear Sir, Tour very obedient. And faithful Servant, Prince's-Street, J. HEAVISIDE* Sunday, Jan, 11, i784» 220 On the DELUGE. LET. IX. To JOHN HEAVISIDE. Esq. Prejudices of Education hard to be overcome, therejore many 'Things in Mr.. Penrofes Theory may appear doubtful at fi'Jl, as they differ from fome which are generally taught : There may be Arcana in Nature^ whicL hufnan Keafon may not be able to explain. — Anfwer to Mr. Heavifide's laft ^ery. — A Conjlitution andCuflom obferved by the Royal Society t concerning Difquijitions.— The Waters the Outjide of this terraqueous Globe, not fiifficient for the Flood. — Centre of Gravity altered at the Flood. — Caufes ajjigned why Bones, Shells, &c. were not diffolved. Dear Sir, YOUR Mind being prepolTeiTed with Ideas very different from many Things in my Theory, I doubt not but fome will flick with you, at firfl, (whatever they may do af- terwards) I am fure they did fo with me; but as neither you or I are any further con- cerned LET. IX. On the DELUGE. 221 cerned than for the Amufement of ourfelves, and the Inveftigation of Truth ; £0 we fhall be more likely to agree about them, than the generality of Difputants ; whofe Endeavours are often to explain the Truth away^ and I truft, we ihall be both ready to embrace it, let it be found by either of us. In Order to get at Truthy we ought to fuf- pe(fl our own preconceived Opinions, to di- veft ourfelves as much as may be from our Prejudices, and makeufe of the greateil Im- partiality in Judgement ; for we mull: obferve, how greatly all People are biajjed to the Ideas which have been ingrafted on their Under- jlanding, by Education and Ciijlom -y notwith- ftanding fome of them may be the greateft Abfurdities. — Thus, for Inftance, we find many of the Wives of the Indian Kings are brought to believe, that by Self Murder, (a Crime which we think the greateji, and tnojl contrary to Nature I ) they fhall inherit the greateft Blifs.— Under this Perfualion, many throw themfelves into the Funeral Pile with their dead Huibands -, encouraged and ani- mated 222 On the DELUGE. LET. IX. mated to it, by thofe who are believed to be the beft and wifeft of their People. — We may alfo obferve, that a Perfon educated in Italy, will be a Catholick -, in England, a Prote.n;ant ; in Turkey, a Mahometan ; in India, a Gentoo. — Errors^ from the fame Cciufe, reign in Philofophy as well as Divi- nity; our philofophica* Opinions are generally forn^ed in the fame Manner, from Education^ and the Company we keep ; and often under the Protedion of fome great ISiame, whofe Notions few dare to oppofe^ or even to in- veftigate or examine. — Thus the Earth, Moon, and Planets were believed to circulate round the Sun, by the Ancients, down to Pythagoras.— hht^ that the Ptolemean Syftem took Place, then the 'TychoniCf and now the ancient Syilem is again recovered by Coper- nicus, and his Followers, and dernonflrated to be true by the immortal Newton, and be- lieved by nearly All. The above Obfervations fliew us how eafily we are made to believe falfe Opinions by Education, and with what Dilticulty they are LET. IX. On the DELUGE. 223 are eradicated afterwards. — A great many of them are often believed to be innate, and im- planted in our Mind by God. — Hence, in Matters of Conf'^quence, we Ihould not re- ceive implicitly thofe Opinions we have been taught, or are generally believed as true, without Rxaminatioji ; wherever this is the Cafe, it muft be a great Obftacle to Improve- ments in Arts and Sciences* — For the above Reafons, though I may obferve feme Things which are contrary to your preconceived Ideas, cr to general received Opinions, or what you? may have been taught to be true; yet, I hope, from your known Impartiality, you will not difcard them without Examination. You have chofen a Qiieftion, the Anfwer to which will affiil: to elucidate my Theory, and I hope my Explanation of it may prove fatisfadlory to you ; although, as you obferve, it has a contradictory Appearance. — '* Why ** in that general DilTolution of Subftances, " which you fuppofe to have taken Place at ** the Deluge, thole Shells, Bones, Shrubs, ** &c. that are undoubtedly found (as you " (fay 224 On the D E L U G E. LET. IX. " fay) in all Parts of the World, both on ** the Summits of Mountains, and in the ** Depths of the Earth ; why were not thefe *' Subflances difTolved, and what Reafon can ** be given, why the Caufe (whatever it was) " that could diifolve Rocks and Marble, ** fhould not diifolve thefe Subftances which ** are of a much loofer Contexture ?" In the firft Place, I fhall beg Leave to ob- ferve, that though the whole Operations of Nature are ALL carried on in a mechanical Manner, yet there may be fome Arcana which may be out of human Power to explain. — But it is the Duty of every Searcher after Truth, not to evade the Queftion. — But if he cannot explain it, to confefs it. — I hope, from what follows, that you will think, that I do not make the above Obfervation with a Defire to get rid of your ^lery, but only to lay in my Claim, left I fhould want it here- after. — However, you (hall find that I will anfwer quite to the Point in Qneflion, with- out Evafion. I fliall LET. IX. On the D K L U G E. 225 I fhall now purfue the fanne Method I did in my former Letter, firft giving the hifto- rical Account of the Event, and then prove it to be true from Facts or Obfervations. It may be obferved, that Mofes, in giving us the Account of the Flood, (v/hich in Fa(fl is the only one v^^e have, or can have) tells us, that God faid ** /, even J, do bring a ** Flood of Waters upon the Earth." — Ac- cording to this Account, it was a Miracle, performed by God himfelf, by altering the Operations of Nature j but yet performed by material Agents, in a mechanical Manner.— Had it not been performed by material Agents, it could not be Evidence to our Senfes, nei- ther could we underftand it, whilft our whole Machine, by which we receive our Ideas, is material. In Order to explain thefe feeming Con- tradidions, I ihall obfervc the Method di- reAed by the Royal Society. — ** The Con- ** flitution and Cuflom of which are, that •' every Difquifition mufl either terminate in Ff "a 226 On the DELUGE. LET. IX. " a mathematical Demonftration, or be form- " ed upon fome one or more Experiments, " Obfervations, or Hiftories of Fa(5ts, for a ** Foundation of Reafoning, and the Con- ** cluiions drawn, muft necelTarily appear to " flow from the Premifes ; and the Daneer " of drawing general Conclulions in natural ** Philofophy, and Phyfical Difquifitions, lies " not in Arguments, a Pojierwn, from the ** EffedT: to the Caufe; but in the hypothetick ** Way, that is, by Parity or Similitude ^ to ** Parity and Similitude of EfFeds, which ** muft be often a fallacious Method, and the ** Source of many Errors ; for this fame ** Caufe, adling by one and the fame Power, *' according to the fame Laws, is often made ** to produce not only different, but even ** contrary Effedis, according to the fpecifick ** Differences of the Subjects aded upon. — ** Thus Heat makes Clay hard, but foftens " and melts Wax, Metals, &c." — The Cafe before us is another Inflance of the fame Kind. Here we have two Fads open to our View, (befides LET. IX. On ike D E LUGE. 227 (befides a Number cf others of the fame Ori- ginal) viz the hardeil: Rocks fliew us, that they were in a State of Solution, when the Shells, Bones, &c. were mixed with their very Subftance; on the contrary, that thefe Shells, Wood, and Parts of Vegetables, are almoft in a perfed: State, though of a much loofer Contexture. I believe all Philofophers, who have wrote on the Flood, have allowed, that there was not a fufficient Quantity of Water on the Out- lide of this Globe, to cover it a tenth Part fo high above it, as we are told the Waters pre- vailed. — If this is fo, and the Fad: is true, we muft fearch fome other Place for it ? none will be found but within the Bowels of this Earth ; accordingly Mofes tells us, that this Flood was brought on ** by the breaking up the " Fountains of the great Deep, and opening ** the Windows of Heaven." — (Or, as it is exprcfled in the Original) opening the Cracks and Chinks, whereby Air palfes through the Earth.— That Steam or Vapour is continually palfmg through them, is at this Time ob- ferved by Miners. It 228 On the D E L U G E. LET. IX. It appears, before this Phenomenon could fucceed, that the Centre of GRAVITY (let it be a Power inherent in Solids or ab extra) and the Attrav5lion of Cohefion mull be al- tered.-^Let us fuppofe (for fuppofc it we mufl, as we are not informed of it) that God by his own A(fl, (I even I, fays Jehovah) al- tered the Place of the Centre of Gravity, from within the Earth, to fuch a Diftance on the Outfide 'y the Confequence would be as Mofes has told us it was. — The Waters would flow outwards by all the Fountains, Openings, and Chinks of the Earth, Rocks, &c. (the Number of which will be more ealily con- ceived by viewing our Cliffs of Marble, than can be defcribed ) which would make no Reiiftance (Gravity being altered) but would be diifoved and carried away by the Impetuo- fity of the Efflux, and with many other Bo- dies, make one common Colluvies. It may be obfcrved in this common Def- trudtion, that Earth, Rocks, Stone, &c. (which were kept or bound together by Gra- vity or AttraSilon of Cohefion ,) on the Alter- ation On the DELUGE. LET. IX. 229 at ion of the Centre of Gravity, and the Ef- fjiix, caufed thereby, of the Waters, mull: be reduced, if not quite, nearly to their fmalleft Parts.— On the contrary, Shells, Bones, Shrubs, Leaves, &c. which are not held together by Gravity, or Attraction of Cohefion, but by Fibres, Sinews, Tubes, Membranes, &c. tied, twifled, and compli- cated together in a wonderful Manner, would not be affeded by it; the Attradion of Gra- vity would not untwifl their Fibres, there- fore thofe Parts of Animals and Vegetables, notwithilanding their foft Texture, wouid remain as before. After the Waters had prevailed God's ap- pointed Time, Mofes tells us that God re- membered Noah, and would not fuifer him to be deftroyed, which he muft have been, had the Waters not aiTuaged. — God, by his own immediate Adt, by his Spirit , or what may be called Ether, (this is the fame Word as tranflated Spirit, Gen. 12.) reftored the Power of Gravity to the Place appointed to it 230 On the DELUGE.- LET. IX. it before the Flood; and the terraqueous Globe was again reftored to its priftine Form. (4) From what has been oblerved, the follow- ing Conciufion feems naturally to arife, that Gravity was the Agent which forced off the Waters, — If fo, is Gravity a material Power ? If it i?, does it lie in Solids or Fluids ? — ^No great Difficulty feems to be in giving an An- fwer to the above Queftions ! Farewell, my dear Friend, till I write you again, which I will do foon.; F. PENROSE. STONEHOUSEj Feb. 2, 1785. (4( See Let. I. III. Let. X. On Chronology and Aftronomy. 231 To JOHN H E AV I S I D E, Esq. As the fir jl inaterial Agents cannot come within the K?iowledge of our Senfes, fo differtnt Philofophers have formed different Opinions, But Ajlronomy may be proved by mathema^ t'lcal DemoJiJiration.—Hifiory is no more than a Romance ^without Chronology i which is not certain, unlefs proved by Afironomy .—Where to begin our Afiroiiomical Epoch. — Mofes's Account of the Place of the !Sun and Moon at the Creation, proved by Mathematical Demonfiration.-—Firfi Meridian proved by an Obfervation of Dr» Bradley's. — As Mr. Penroje is not fearful of being convicted of 'Error y Leave is given to Mr. Heavifide to Jhew this Letter to any Proficient in Aftro- nomy , and get their Criticifms on it, ' Dear Sir, I Thank you for your Prefent of the Book, on the Deluge, which I have read al- ready — It is coming down in Betfey's Box, on 232 On Chronology and Aftronomy. Let. X. on board the Rofe; when it arrives, I ihall give it another Reading, and doubt not but I fhall receive Satisfaction from fome Parts of it; and I (hall, (which I alTure you I always do) endeavour to diveft myfelf of all precon- ceived Ideas. — As the firfl material Agents j have not, neither ever can they come under the Examination and Knowledge of ourSenfes; fo different Sedts of Philofophers have form- ed different Hypothefes about them, which has been the Caufe of fuch a Variety of Opi- nions.- — For fome Years pafl, my principal Study has been Aftronomy. — A mofl fublime Science! T\\tPhenomena of which may be prov- ed from mathematical Demonjiration ; but even this Proof will be of no Signification to thofe who have preconceived Principles oi a dif- ferent Nature, and are thereby prevented from examining whether they be true or not. — There is another Thing againft my Notions in Aftronomy ; it requires fome Attention to underftand them ; therefore few will be pr o- per Judges of them; fome of them are con- trary to the general preconceived Opinions, and as popular Prejudices are difficult to be over- come. Let. X. On Chronology and Aftronomy. 233 come, (o thefe Notions of mine will be op- pofed. — This Study is certainly of great Ufe; for Hiftory is no more than a Romance, with- out Chronology, and there can be no Cer- tainty in Chronology, unlefs proved by Aftro- nomy : Indeed without fome fixed and aftro- nomical Era^ to which hiftorical Narmtions may be referred, however true in themfelves, they will be deemed very little preferable to Romance. — Tho' I have heretofore troubled you with fome of my Notions on Philofo- phical Subjects, which, perhaps, you may have thought both a Wafte of Time and Trouble to read over j yet, you fee I am fo fond of fcribbling, that I cannot help perplex- ing you with a brief Account of fome of my aftronomical Ideas. In the firft Place, I muft agree with Kgil, who fays, ** As in the Heavens there are cer* *' tain Points, from which Aftronomers bc- *' gin their Computations of the Planets " Motions, fo alfo there muft be certain ** Points, or Inftants of Time, from which, ** as from Roots, all Calculations muft begin . Gg '* and 2 34 On Chronology and Aftronomy. Let. X. " and all memorable Adiions are difpofed and * recorded, according to the Scries of Years ** which follows from that Root. Thcfe '* Roots are called Epochs or Eras, from ** which we generally count our Years or Times." (5) The Beginning of Time may be confidered as an indivifihle Injlant ; but Time is a deter^ minate fuccejjive 'Duration, meafured by Mo- tion ', fo that Motion and Time are ccetaneous. If we trace it back to the firft Moment, it muft be the Inftant before planetary Motions had any Exigence, or were Nothing; and when planetary Motions fhall ccafe, then Cometh the End of T ime. If we know any thing when planetary Mo- tion or Time began, (as moft Hiflorians pre- tend tCj) it muft be difcovered, either by Ol>- fervation or Calculation, or be revealed from God. But as there was no human Witnefs to the Creation, it could not be difcovered by Obfervation, neither could it be difcovered by (5) Intvoduftion, Page 7, Let. X. On Chronology and Aflronomy. 235 by Calculation : But Mofes has revealed it ; and I have certainly the Liberty to take Mofes's Account as true, if I hereafter prove, from Mathematical Demonftration, that it is fo. Hence I begin my Epoch of Aftronomy, on the fourth Day of the Creation, when, Mofes tells us, the Sun and Moon were for- med and placed in the Heavens, to point out Times and Sea/bns, Days and Tears. — Here then we have one Datum or Root, viz. the fourth D.iy of the Week, twelve ©'Clock, (which it muil be on the Place in which the Sun was in the Meridian.) "Jofephus tells us, the Jews reckoned their Years by the Sun, and their Months and Days by the Moon. Mofes alfo orders the Ifraelites (lead they fhould be at a Lofs when to begm their Days) to keep their Sabbaths from Evening to Even- ing. ^^^ Hence we find that the Chronology of Time began, on the fourth Day, at Even-' ing, which w^s the Day after the Moon's Oppofitioii, or when (he was full; when they (ViX. (6) Levit. XXIII, 38, 236 On Chronology and Aftronomy. Let. X. (viz. the Sun and Moon) enlightened the whole Earth, as Mofes tells us That the Ifraelites, and their Pofterity, might not be at a Lofs to know the Time of the Year, and alfo the Diftance of the Moon from the Sun, JVIofcs inf^ituted the Feaft of Ingathering, (after they had gleaned up their Olive and Vi?ieyards) to be kept in Remembrance of that great Event, — This Feaft was to be kept on the 15th Day of the Moon ( as it is in the Hebrew) or Month, in the Knd or devolution of the f Solar J Year.^^) ^s every Month was begun on the Evenine of the Vi- fibility of the Moon, fo this 15th Day mud be juft after fhc was paft the full. The Jews keep their Feafls of Tabernacles and Ingather- ing in this Manner, to this Day; and, ac- cording to their Tradition, it is in Comme- moration of the Creation of the World, which happened at this Seafon -, viz. at the autumnal Equinox, the Sun in Libra, at the full of the Moon. To be fhort. ^^^ I fliall now aflume the following Data, and prove, (7) Exodus, XXIII, 16— Deut. XV, 13 (8) ladroduaion, Page 6, Let. X. On Chronology and Aftronomy. 237 prove, by Mathematical Demonilration, that they are true. Viz. ifl, that the Sun was formed on the fourth Day of the Week, at the Creation, at twelve o'Clock, in the iirft Meridian, at the Autumnal Equinox, or the Sun in Libra, tlie Moon 15 Days pad the Conjund:ion, the Day after the Oppoiition. Secondly.— That according to the Mofaic Account, A. D. 1753, is in Conne>ing thus far, and no farther ; — I contended that we ought to have Liberty to enquire what Agent, or Agents, were the Caufe of thefe Fffdts; and not to make Ufe of Words which feemed to point out fome occult Quality, and that it was the ne plus ultras and improper to en- quire any farther. ■ — No ! We ought to ufe thefe Words, as Sir Ifaac Newt o?i has dired:ed, only to exprefs Phenomena in Nature, to which he was going to apply his mathemati- cal Demon ftrationb : Thus in his Optlcksy (which was one of his lail Works,) fays he, ** 1 would have Gravitation and Attrac- ** tion to be underfluod as an BffeB only, ** which might be occaji'jned by the Preffure of '* a mojijubtle Ether, (with which the Space, " from the Sun to the Extremity of the Syf- •'* tem might be filled^ or tofomething which ** he did not know'' -Daily Experience fhcws us, that Gravita- tion 254 ^^ Chronology aiid Aftronomy. Let. XII. ' tion and Attracftion are relative Terms only, as Gravity and Levity, and are always in Pro- portion to the Specific Gravity of the Body, and the Denfity of the Medium that fur- rounds it. As, for Inflance, drop a piece of Cork out of your Hand, in the Air, it will be forced to the Ground, by being of a greater fpecific Gravity than the Atmofphere ; put this Piece of Cork at the Bottom of a Bafon, cover it with Water, and the Cork will be forced upwards, and lie iniht Medium between Air and Water, higher or lower in Proportion to its fpecific Gravity. The Ex- periments on Balloons greatly confirm and explain the above Theory. The following Axioms (I think) are al- lowed by all Phylofophcrs : i ft, that Matter connot a6t but when acfted upon ; 2dly, that it occupies Space, and cannot ad: in two Places at once, but only in the identical Space it occupies ; therefore it cannot ad: at a Dift- ance from itfelf, or in any Place it does not occupy. Hence it muft be the furrounding Medium which caufes the Gravitation of Bo- dies. Let. XII. On Chronology and Aftronomy. 255 dies. — -Thus, as was obferved by the Cork; — a Body, placed in any fluid Medium, will rife or fall, in that Medium, in Proportion to the fpecific Gravity of that Body, and the Den- lity of the furrounding Medium. My AfTumption is, that the Jirjl Agent in Nature muft be the moft fubtik (or active) and univerjhlly expanded ^ and capable of enter- ing all Pores, and Interftices, of the moil dtn^Q Subftances in Nature, even Adamant /— And I fuppofe that the Ether, which Sir Ifaac Newton imagined, ^^^ might, by its Pul- iion, be the Caufe of Gravitation and Attrac- tion, & be compofed of two Qualities ; which, for the Purpofe of being underftood, (not be- ing able to find more proper Names,) I will call Heat and Cold. — I fuppofe this Ether to occupy all Space, from the Sun, at the Cen- tre, to the utmoft Extremity of the Syflem ; which two Qualities are in continual Con- flidl, in the Manner we have obferved ^'°^ the cold and hot Air, or Atmofphere to be. — Thefe Ethers, mixed with the Atmofphere, being {9) p. D.f. V, VIII Lib. I, Sec. II, 1*1 o) Sec Letter IV, Page 164. 256 On Chronology and Aftronomy. Let. XII. being the Caufe of the Confllsfl, we always obferve, between hot and cold Airj each en- deavouring to polTefs the Place occupied by the other j — the Heat expanding, and the Cold compreiTing. IF they are the iirO: A- gents, their Power will be indefinite, and ca- pable of deftroying all material Subftances, as we have numberlefs Inftances and Experi- ments every Day, which confirm it. Does not the Experiments in Electricity prove tiiat it is univcrfally expanded and enters all Sub- ftances, and that it is in all Matter, Ice not excepted ? Boerhaave, and a great many Philofophers, have thought that Motion and Fire were fyno- nimous Terms, as has been obferved.^''^ Viz. where Fire abounds, there will be the great- eft Motion, and Cold the oppofite. — Hence we fee the Caufe of all Winds, Hurricanes, Earthquakes, &c. which deftroy every Thing, and force all before it : in thoje, the Fbeno- mina of Attradion, Gravitation, and Cohe- fion, are all loft. — Hence may be obferved, that all Matter, by having Fire added to it, is (11) -Letter v. 169. N Let. XII. On Chronology atid Aftronomy. 257 is expanded, and occupies more Space. Thus the Sun Beams, ftriking againft the Earth, a great Part of them are refleded, and of Confequence there muft he a greater Quan- tity of thefe Sun Beams, or Heat, at the Sur- face, than at an Inch from it, and a greater there than at two Inches, and fo on. — When the Rarefadion is made on the Surface of the Earth, the Cold, or more denfe Ether^ ruflies towards the Earth, together with the Atmo- fphere, and forces this lights Heat, or rarefied Air, upwards from the Earth ^ and with it every thing that is of lefs fpecific Gravity than the Atmofphere. — The Earth, being placed and furrounded with thefe Ethers, it has no more Refiftance than a Body, of the fame fpecific Gravity, placed in the middle Part of a Tub of Water ; — it would neither rife to the Top, nor gravitate to the Bottom, but would remain in the Middle, and move as the Body of Water moved; unlefs by Means of Heat, or fome other Caufe, the watery Medium, on one Side, Ihould be expanded, & made to occupy more Space, and to be of lefs fpecific Gravity than it was on the other : Kk If 253 On Chronology a?id Aflronomy. Let. XII. If this was the Cafe, then the Medium, or Water, on the other Side of the Body, having greater Gravity or PreiTure, w^ould force it- felf into that Place of lefler Gravity, and of lefs Refiftance ; and, by that Preflure, would force the Body to turn round together with it. —- Thus the Earth, being placed in and furrounded with Ether?, can have no Refift- ance : 1 he fide of the Earth next or oppofite the Sun, having the Atmofphere heated and rarefied, and the other Side covered with cold and denfe Ether j— this cold and denfe Air, by forcing itfelf into the Place occupied by the hot and rarefied, carries the terraqueous Globe round with it. Thus, the Heat from the Sun, and the Cold from the Extremities, continually adling, caufe the perpetual Mo- tion of the Earth. Hence, whilft thefe two Motions remain a Ballance to each other, fo long would the Earth go round the Sun ; go- ing round its Axis alfo at the fame Time, — Does not all Experiments in Electricity, Gunpowder, and the late Experiments on Balloons confirm it ? Hence Let. XII. On Chronology and Aftronomy. 259 Hence, the greateft Heat, or Rarefadion, being on the Earth, every Body of greater fpeciiic Gravity than the Atmofphere, is forced towards it; and contrary, all Bodies of lefs fpecific Gravity, are forced from it. hence the fpheroidicai Shape of the terraqueous Globe; for if the Water, or fluid Parts, arc prcfTcd by the cold at the Poles, more than they are at the Equator, they muft form a Spheroid, as Experiments on the Shape of the Earth have proved it to be. — Hence alfo, we are informed of the Caufe of the Tide, or Sea, always flowing from the Poles to the Equator j (as Cook, in his Voyage to the South Pole, found they always did) ; and this is alfo obferved at Nova Scotia, New- foundland, that the Tide always flows from the North Pole towards the Line ; which is contrary to the Dodrine of Attraction ; for the Earth being a Spheroid, longcft at the Equator, the Tide flows uphill, or from the Centre of Attradion, — The fall of Bodies is alfo proved not to be in an cxad Perpendicu- lar to the Place they fall from, but more to- wards the Equator, or where the Rarefa<^ion is 26o On Chronology and Aftronomy. Let. XII. is the greateft, and Refiftance the leaft. — Another Experiment, which alfo fecms to prove the above is, that when they drop a Weight, or Lead, into the Sea, to try its Depth, the Preflure, or Weight, on the Finger, cannot be felt at more than Two Hundred Fathoms, let the Weight be as great as may be; and the PrefTure of the Line, on your Finger, becomes lefs and lefs every Fathom it defcends. — Was the Attrac- tion the greater, the nearer it comes to the Centre of the Earth, the contrary of this would be the Cafe. — I ihould imagine, that was a Barometer to be carried down Two Hundred Fathoms, into fome of our deepeft Coal Pits, the Quickfilver would fmk in Pro- portion as you defcended, in the fame Man- ner it does when you afcend into the Atmo- lj)here : But this is a mere Hypothefib, which I believe has never yet been tried; but I much wonder at it, as we are fo curious in Experiments. — If you have any inquifitive Acquaintance amongft the Coal Miners, who may be willing to make this Experiment, I think it would be a ufeful one. ^ Thus, Let. XII. 0« Chronology rt?Z(^ Aftronomy. 261 Thus, you fee, I do not oppofe any of Sir Ifaac Newton's mathematical Demohftra- tions, (who, perhaps, was the greateft Ma- thematician that ever lived,) nor his Calcula- tions of the Effe^s the Sun, Earth, and Moon, &c. have on each other; — I only lay a Claim for Liberty to explain the Caufes of thcfe Effe^s, — The whole Difference lies in 1 his ; whether the firft Ageiits in Nature be Solids or Fluids : — Mod of Sir Ifaac Newton's Followers believe that they are in Solids. I, on the contrary, think they are in Fluids ; the moft fubtile, the moft a(ftive; therefore, as from Experiments, Fire feems to be the moft fubtile and active ; of Confe- quence the jirji material Agent. Indeed there was one Thing elfe, which was con- tended for a great While ; but, I believe, is now given up : Viz. that the Space between the Sun, Moon, and Earth, vt'as void oi Mat- ter, a Vacuum-, otherwife, fay they, if it contained Matter, it muft have Rcfiftance, which, on thefe Principles, would have over- came all Motion before now. — For, fay they, a Body once put in Motion, will allways continue *6i Ott Chronology fl«J Aflronomy. Let. XII. continue in Motion, if it meets with no Re- fiftance, but if it meets with Refiftance, it would be continually lofing Part of its Mo- tion, every Minute, and in Time ftand ftill ; which muft have been the Cafe with the Planets, before now, if they met with any Refi (lance. I am. Dear Sir, Tour obliged and Faithful Friend, F. PENROSE. STONEHOUSE, Uonday^ April lit 1785. Let. XIII. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 263 To F. PENROSE, Esq. Doubts propofed concerning fome Parts of Mr, Penrofes Phihfophy, in Order that Truth may be a/cert ained. ^eries concerning cold Ether 5 and the Prejfure of that cold Rt her into the Hot, or where it is more rare,--' IVhat is the Caufe of the Motion oj the Earth ? — What is the Caufe that the Earth does not fall into the Sun ? — Do you impute it to a Current of Ether ? — An/wer to the lajl ^eries conclufve, if it be allowed that Mofes was fo far ignorant of AJlronomy, as to be incapable of calculating the Eclipfes which preceded his T^ime, — He is faid to Jjave been learned in all the Learning of the Egyptians -, — State of the Sciences in Chal- dea and Egypt, Dear Sir, IS H O U L D have thanked you for your obliging Letter fooner, but that I have been a good Deal out of Town ; and I have had 264 On 72^/:.'?'^/ PHILOSOPHY. Let. XHI, had a lurking Sort of rheumatic Fever hang- ing upon me for more than a Month paft, which broke my Reft and Spirits very much, and thereby made me relu(5tant either to write, or to fet about any Thing elfe. Thank God, I have almoil: got rid of it within the laft Fortnight, fince the Weather has been warm. I am greatly obliged to you for the Trouble you have been lb good as to take, to inform me of your phllofophical Principles, and niall make no Apology fur offering feme of my Doubts to your Coniideration ; becaufe without a fair and candid Difcuffion, of any Subjedl, Truth cannot be afcertained. In ftri(5t Propriety indeed, I ought rather to fay, I muft beg fome farther lUuflration, on fome Points which I do not underftand, nor fee the Ccnfequences which you draw from the Pre- mifes, I have lived a Life of fuch Hurry lately, that the above has been wrote at twice, and each Time a Week from the other, tho' I have taken every probable Opportunity of ha- ving Half an Hour to myfelf; and 'tis odds whether Let. XIII. Ojinalaral PHILOSOPHY. 265 whether I (\\i\\ not be interrupted now, in five Minutes. To begin — Heat and Cold are certainly re- lative Terms, as up and down are -, and fomc Philofophers deny them totally : But I do not mean to quibble about Terms ; for no Doubt there are fuch Effcdis produced as we call by thofe Names. — Nor have I any Ob- jedlion to your Ether ^ for I think there pro- bably may be fuch a fubtile Matter, which pervades every fenfible Subflance that we arc acquainted with. — But when you talk of the cold Ether driving out the hot, do not you recur to that Gravity which you want to ex- plode ? For by faying that the Denfity of the former caufes it to rufh into the Place of the latter, becaufe it is there more rarefied, &c. is allowing of a Principle, little if at all dif- ferent from our Ideas of Gravity. — The In- ftances of a Cork, or Piece of Wood put into Water; the Air Balloons, &c. &c. all go to the fame Principle ; for they will all of them reft when they come into a Medium of equal Denjity with themfelves ; and in this Cafe, L 1 Denfity 266 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XHL Denfity and Gravity feem to me fynonimous Terms. I will alfo readily grant you, that the Sun Beams a(5ting flrongly upon that Surface of the Earth, which is oppofite the Sun, will rarefy the Atmofphere there, and that the denfe cold Air on the oppofite Side the Earth, will then pufli it forward into that rarefied and lighter Atmofphere : Nay, I will grant you that it will caufe the Motion round the Axis of the Earth, (though I by no Means think that a rotary Motion muft necejfarily follow from it,) yet I would afk why the Earth did not proceed in a fl:raight Line di- rectly to the Sun .? We will fuppofe the Earth this Inftant formed, and at refl : The Sun Beams play upon it, and rarefy the Air on that Side which is oppofed to them ; (I fhall take the Liberty of ufing the Word Air, as a fhorter Word, inftead oi Atmofphere) the dcnfc Air on the other Side will pufh it forward into that lighter Air mofl certainly ; but I do not fee why it fhould caufe a rotary Motion round the Axis ©f the Earth ; much lefs Let. XIII. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 267 lefs can I fee any Reafon for its elliptick, an- nual Motion from this Caufe ; Recourfe mufl therefore ftill be had to an original Impulfe, or trajecftile Force, for its annual Motion; and then what is the Power that brings it back from that immenfe Diftance at which it is, in the Summer Solftice ? or prevent its flying off in a Tangent ? If the mere Rare- fadion of the Air was fufficient for this, would it not caufe the Earth to fall plump into the Sun, and not take that circuitous Courfe which we fee it does ? Would you impute it to fome Current of the fubtile Ether ? We know and allow that there is fuch a Current from North to South, which is the Caufe of Magnetifm ; but that will not ferve to carry the Earth round its annual Orbit. — Or would you affign various Currents for that Purpofe ? If fo, there mufl likewife be a Caufe afligned for them, which I fear will be flill more incomprehenfible than Sir Ifaac's Dodtrine of Gravitation and Propulfion. — In {hort, this is the great Dejideratum in your Theory, which puzzles me, and to which you have not fpoke at all in yoHr Letter. — I readily 268 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XHL readily affent to the Idea that Motion and Fire arc the fame Thing ; / /jave always thought it fo: For Fire or Heat has no Exiftence till Motion is excited. — The Principles of Fire, I prefume, lye in Steel and Flinty but it muft be drawn out, and put into Action by Colliiion, and then there is evident Motion. I will not difpute theCaufe you allign for the fpheroidical Shape of the Earth ; though I think that Shape is fufficiently well accounted for by the centrifugal Force, (which cannot be denied to exift) adting upon the Globe while yet moift, during its rotary Motion round its Axis. — I dare fay that your Hypo- thecs, that Quickfilver would fall in Pro- portion to the Depth it was carried into a Coal-pit, would prove true; and I will en- deavour to get a Trial made of it; for I think it would be curious to know whether it falls in the fame Ratio beneath, as above the Sur- face of the Earth, and I have a Friend in the North of England, whom I can truft, and hope he will get the Experiment made for me. let. XIII. Gn nalural PHILOSOPHY. 269 I give you many Thanks for the Expla- nations you favoured mc with, refpe(5ting the Queries in my laft; they are very concluiive, provided that it be ailov/ed that Mofes was lb fi^r ignorant of Aflronomy as to be incapa- ble of calculating the Eclipfes which had pre- ceded his Time.— For though he is faid to have been learned in all the Learning of the Egyptians, who were at that Time the moil learned People in the World : And though the Ifraclites were originally from Chaldea, (if I miflake not) who were the lirft People who ftudied Aflronomy ; yet I am willing to allow that neither of thole Nations were ca- pable of calculating a Scries of Eclipfes for two thoufand Years backwards. — The Con- fequence is, that Mofes mull have wrote from Infpiration, and that his Account is a true one. — Yet if I had Lcifure, I Ihould like to ftate fome Difficulties which arife from the State which the Arts were certainly in, fome hundred Years ago in China; the long Du- ration of that Empire, (I do not mean their fabulous one) and the numerous Strata of Lava which are found one under another, to great Depths 270 07inatural FUILOSOFRY . Let. XIII. Depths under the Earth, and which niufl: have been vomited out many Ages before hii]:oricaI Times; (perhaps before the In- vention of Letters) and which would feem to carry us back to Times long before Mofes's Account of the Deluge. — But this I mud leave to fome other Opportunity, having no prefent Profped: of more Leifure than I have now ; and I have had fo little lately, that 'tis above a Fortnight fince I began this Letter, and have hardly been able to write five Lines at a Time ; fo that I fear you will find it a very confufed and unconnedted one ; which I trufi; you will excufe, as it arifes from a Wifh to fhew the Senfe of your Favour, the firfi: Moment it has been in my Power, rather then defer it longer in order to write a more corredl one. / aniy Dear Sir, Tour 'very obedient y And obliged Servant ^ J. HE AVI SIDE. Prince's-Street, hlay i6j 1785. Let. XIV. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 271 To JOHN HEAVISIDE. Eso. Mr. Heavifide s ^ere anfwered. — Calculations of the Motions of the Heavenly Bodies de- rnonjlrably true -y but the Principles of na- tural Philofophy cannot be demonftrated with that Clearnefs and Preci/ion as tho/e in AJiro- tiomy. -'Three Principles of Matter.— Gravity explained. — Cold and Hot Ether defcribed according to Sir Ifaac Newton. — Centre of Gv2iviiy fuppofed Jormerly to be placed in the Centre of the Earth, but late Experiments prove that Gravity does not tend to the Centre of the Earthy but to the Superficies y and to the Place where there is the great ejl expan- five Heat. — Gravity proved to be increafed or leJJ'ened in Proportion as Heat and Cold prevail.' — The FrefTure of the Cold Ether or Gravity aBs exaBly in the fame Proportion on the Poles and the Equator, as the fphe- roidical Shape of the terraqueous Globe Jhews it does. —The Centre 0/ Gravity proved to be near the Surface of the Earth, where every Thing tends. Dear 272 On natural PHlLOSOf HY. T.ot. XtV. Dear Sir, BY your laft Letter, we were forrj to he informed that your Conllitutiori had been fo much dilbrdered both in Health and Spirits; but as you found Benefit from the Change of the Weather from Cold to Warm, we hope that the late fine Weather has made a perfed; Cure. — I am afraid my long and te- dious Letters difturb you, and put vou to great Inconveniencies, both by reading and writing Anfwers to them. — Notwithflanding I imagine this to be the Cafe, I will trouble you with One more ; as, what I am going to obferve may, perhaps, appear fatisfa6lory to fomey that the World was created at the Time Mofes informs us it was. — There may be others who imagine, or pretend to imagine, that the World is eternal-, fuch Perfons, I apprehend, neither mathematical Demon- ftration, nor any Thing elfe will convince. In your former Letter 'you fay, that not- withftanding the Sun and Moon were in the Places Mofes records them to have been at the Let. XIV. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 273 the Time he mentions the Creation to have happened ; yet, fay you, ** may there not have been many Cycles before that Time ?" And you obferve, that the Chinefe Hiilory mikes that Empire to have been in Being fome hundreds of Years before. — In Anfwer to this I fhall again remark, that Hiftory, without Chronology, is little better than a Romance ; and there can be no Certainty that Chronology is true, unlefs proved by Aftronomy ; but when the Sun and Moon give their Teftimony to it, there cannot re- main a Doubt, they are two faithful Wit- nelTes. Now, Sir, as to this Queflion, I obferve, that I never undertook to prove, by Mathe- matical Demonftration, that there might not have been a Series of Years before the Time in which Mofes places the Creation. To prove a Negative is always attended with great Difficulty, and often impoffible ! What I attempted was to try Mofes's Hiftory and Chronology, by the Evidence of Aftio- M m mony. 274 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XIV. nomy, and to examine whether the Sun and Moon were in the fame Places in the Hea- vens, as Mofes tells lis they were, at the Time when the Creation happened; which your aftronomical Friends allow I have done, — This appears to me to be Evidence fufficient to eftablifh any other Hiftory : If fo, why fhould it not Mofes's Hiftory .? — And it is not credible that he would have calculated thofe Places of the Sun and Moon, two thoufand Years before he was born, — If he could not, and we find it in his Hiftory, it muft be revealed from God, as he tells us it was ! As I obfcrved to you before, I aft'ume, (from Mofes's Hiftory, and Dr. Bradley's Obfervations) that the Moon was Full, and iniier Node, A. I. P, 706, Oft. 24th Day, loth Hour, 24th Minute, at Night, in the Meridian of Greenwich Obfervatory; be- tween that Time, and the Year 6490, which is in Connedion with A. D. ^1783, when, on a Wednefday Night, the third Year after Bifl*extile, there happened an Eclipfe of the Moon, Let. XIV. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 275 Moon, Sept. loth Day, 12th Hour, 40th Minute. — Between thele two Points of Time the Earth made 5789 Revolutions through the Eciiptick, and was interfered in her 5790 Revolution, by the Moon, 12th Day, i6th Hour, 14th Minute, before llie entered Li- bra; during this Time fhe made 21 14741 Rotations round her Axis. — While the Earth was performing thefe Rotations, the Moon performed 71,612 fynodical Revolutions, and interfe(5led the Earth as above. — Here we have two Points of Solar Time, Od:, 25th 706, Julian 'Period, the Sun in Libra, and Sept. 22d Day, i6th Hour, 54th Minute, 6490, L P. the Sun in Libra, meafured by the Number of Rotations the Earth made between them. — We have alfo Od:. 24th Day, loth Flour, 24th Minute — 706, when the Moon was in Oppolition to the Sun ; and Sept. 10th Day, i6th Hour, 40th Minute, 6490, when the Moon was obferved to be in her Node, and exactly oppofite to the Sun, (by the Eclipfe which then happened.) — T tw en thele two Points, the Time is mea- ii / the Number of Rotations the Earth has 276 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XIV. has made, witb as much Eafe, and as great an Exa5i?2efSf as the Diilance between any two Places are by a Surveyor's WheeL Hence alfo by knowing the Quantity of the Motion of 71,612 Lunations, we fhall have the precife Length of Time of one Lu- nation. — Here you have mathematical Preci- Jionl As the Interval which lyes evenly be- tween thofe two Points, is meafured by the Number of Rotations the Earth has perform- ed during that Time ; and alfo the Point of Interfedlion where the Moon ends her 7 1 6 1 2 th fynodical Revolution, meafured with the fame Exadlnefs, and alfo the Diftance be- tween that Point of Interfe<5lion, and that other, when the Sun entered Libra.— Hence I remark, that the Revolutions of the Moon, when compared to thofe of the Earth, are fo complicated, fo curious, various, and exad;, that it requires 7,948,800 fynodical Revolu- tions, which arc more than 600,000 Years for Her to go through all her Variations, and to caufe the Moment of her mean Oppofition to fall again on the fame Point of the Equa- tor, Let. XIV, a;i ?i^/«r^/ PHILOSOPHY. 277 tor, in the fame Meridian, on the fame Day of the Week, and the fame Year of BifTex- tile. ("^ — -This appears to me to be fafficient Evidence, that the World was created at the Time when Mofes informs us it was, and that the Kiftory of the Duration of the Em- pire of China is fabulous. I have teafed you thus far on a Suhjed: that muft appear dry to any one who does not take a particular Pleafure therein -, with a De- fire, (if it is not too troublcfome,) that you would fliew it to thofe Gentlemen who join- ed with you in Quering whether there might not have been Solar Cycles before the Time when Mofes places the Creation to have hap- pened. In Order to give you fome Satlsfadion for this Trouble, I will promife that I will afk no more fuch Favours ; for I am fatisfied, the Trouble of perufmg and making Re- marks thereon, mufl: be very vexatious to one who has fo little Time to fpare. — If you iliould (a) Kennedy's Cliron, P. 196. 278 On7iatural^KlLOSO?nY. Let. XIV. fhould have an Opportunity of {hewing the above to the Gentlemen who faw the other, be pleafed to inform them, that the above Calculations were made without Tables, Equa- tions , or Anamolies, after a moft eafy and fimple Manner; by the firll four Piules of Arithmetic only. ^"^ I obferved. to you in one of my Letters fome Time ago, that as the firfl Principles of natural Philofophy could not be demon- ftrated with that Clearnefs and Precifion as thofe of Aftronomy, I deferred entering up- on them. — In Aftronomy we only calculate and demonftrate the Phenomena of the Mo- tions, which the Heavenly Bodies are known, and obferved, to have. — Sir Ifaac Newton, in his Philofophical Calculations, went no far- ther than this, and therefore they are certainly true: But if we Philofophize, or draw In- ferences from them, we muft always take Care that they flow eafily from, and are not in the lead contradidory to the known Prin- ciples of Matter. — Now, Sir, the following are (b> Introduftion, P. 8». Let. XIV. Oa natural PHILOSOPHY. 279 'are Principles cf Matter, which I believe are allowed by all Philofophers, — ift, that Mat- ter occupies Space, and has Refiftance. — 2d, that no two Particles of Matter can occupy the fame identical Space, at one and the fame Time. — 3d, that it can only adl where it is prefent, not the leaji Diflance from the Place it occupies. Now, I believe, you and I, and all Phi- lofophers, have feen and obferved the EF- FECTS which the Heavenly Bodies have on each other, known by the Name of Gravity. I endeavour to account fur thefe Effedis by the Ethers, or the Matter which fills the Heavenly Space, in the fame Manner as Sir Ifaac Newton fuppofed, and confequently is in Contact wi th them. ^^^ This is my Theory and my Ideas of it. — Without this Ether occupying the Space between them, I fhall be glad to be informed how they a(ft on each oth^r, in a Mechanical Way^ asd not by fay- ing that Gravity is the Caufe of it -, which is no more than faying that a Ship failed from London (c) Sec Let. IV. P. 162. 28o On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XIV. London to Plymouth, without telling us that the Air was a continued Medium hetween the two Places, and that a Current of that Air or Wind carried her there. — Do vou fuppofe that Gravity is (as it is often ex- plained) fomethlng fuper added to Matter? If fo, is it fpiritual or material ? If material, it muft ad; according to the known Laws of Matter.- — If you fay it is fpiritual, there muft be an End of the Controverfy, for it is what I don't underfland, and mud not pretend to explain. — I fliould alfo be glad to be inform- ed, that if the Motions of the Earth or Pla- nets are occafioned from an original Impulfe or trajeBile Force, hew this Force is continued and fupported^ l"or if you allow Matter to reach from the Planets to the Sun, and to the End of this Syftem, it muft rejijiy and if it refifts, it muft have taken oiF fuch a Quan- tity of the trajedile Force, that they muft have ftood ftiil Ages ago j when, in Fa6l, we know their Motions are the fame they Were feme thoufand Years ago. — Thefe are Diffi- culties which I think will not be furmounted, till we allow the Jirjl Agency in Matter to be in Let. XIV. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 2Sl in Fluids, and not in Solids, and the more Subtile the Fluid, the greater the Agency. In my laft Letter, when I mentioned the different Modificatio is of Ether, I told you th,t I ufcd Heat and Cold, (if poflible,) to explain my Ideas of them, though I did not think them proper ones, but I could find no better ; but then I did not join the Ideas of the Senfations which Heat and Cold have on our Bodies, but pure elementary Heat and Cold, fuch as may be obferved from the Ef- feds of Lightning, and eled:ncal Experi- ments. Tht ft Ethers T endeavoured to explain by a Quotation from Sir lliiac Newton, who calls theni .>>/r/> and Light ; I there defired to be ur.derttuc;a in the fame Manner whenever I r -> ■ ie of them. ^^^ T - is Year's Philofophical Tranfadlions, ic l-'.if >ry of Experiments made on ence of Cold on the Earth, and, at N n the (d) Leuer IV. P. 163. 282 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XIV. the flime Time, at different Heights from it ; which arc curious and worthy to be read : The Gentleman that made them, (whofe Name, if I remember right, is Cavendifh,) obferves, that Cold is reflected, rifes or flies off from the Earth, as well as Heat. — Ac- cording to my Theory, both Heat and Cold mufl be intercepted by the Earth, and be refle6ted from it, by interrupting their Paf- fage, whereby they are made to rebound from it. As you feemed to be puzzled by the Ufe I made of Heat and Cold, snd that you under- flood thereby, that I wanted to explode Gra- vity -, I fhall therefore endeavour to explain my Ideas of that Phenomenon of Nature, which is certainly a juft and true one, and not to be difputed ; therefore, I hope, you will not imagine I wanted to explode it. — My Defign is to clear it from fome Difficul- ties attributed to it, and to elucidate its Power. — In Order to do this, I fhall take the immortal Newton for my Guide, who tells us, Let. XIV, Oiinalural PHILOSOPHY. 283 us, ^^) " That the El&er which fills the ** heavenly Spaces, is a Medium which pcr- " vades all Bodies, and that there is no Va- " cuum but what it fills ; that it readily per- ** vades all Bodies ^ and by its elaftic Force, ■ ' is expanded through the whole Heavens, *' and that it may fiiffice to impel Bodies from *' the denfer Parts of the Medium to the *' Rarer, with all that Force or Impulfe which " we call GRAVITY," (^^ He alfo defcribes this Medium to adl with a two-fold ^ality, which he calls Light and Spirit. — The one expanding itfelf from the Sun, and the other condenfing and preffing this expanded Etber towards the Sun. — That thefe oppofite Forces are carried on in a vibrating Manner, being alternately in Fits of eafy Reflexion, and eafy TranfmifTion. — In Order to fhew the Place where the Centre of Gravity is fuppofed to be, and hov/ it a6ts, I Ihall give you the Defcription of it by Mr. Fergulon. *' Bodies, fays he, are heavier near the Poles, " than thofe towards the Equator, becaufc ** they are nearer the Earth's Centre ^ where ^^ the ;e) Optkk, P. 323, 325.— (f) Letter IX. P. ^■f^. 284 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XIV. * the whole Force of the Earth's AttraBion ' is accumulated. — Bodies carried from the * Poles towards the Equator, gradually lofe * their Weight. — Experiments prove that a * Pendulum, which vibrates S.^conds near * the Poles, vibrates flower near the Equa- ' tor, which ihews us that it is lighter or * lefs attracted there. — To make it ofcillate * in the fame Time, it is found neceflary to * diminifli its Length. — By comparii^g the * different Lengths of Pendulums fwinging * Seconds at the Equator, and at London^ * it is found that a Pendulum mufl be 160 2 — 1 fOO * Lines fhorter at the Equator than at the * Poles." (s) It is alfo obferved that the cold Ether at the Poles, gives 2l gravitating Power to Bodies removed there from the Equate r, nearly as 1 Does not this P'ad; fhew us 222 that the cold Ethers or, as Sir Ifaac Newton calls it. Spirit, makes Bodies to gravitate, and is the Caufe of Gravity as he fuppofed it did ? Thus we find that the cold Ether prcfles at each Pole, juft in the fame Proportion, more (g) Fergufon. P. 50, S. 117. Let. XIV. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 28.^ more than the ^ot Ether at the Equator. As the equatorial Diameter of the Earth ex- ceeds t le p jlar D'nrpptpr in Meafure. — By the Experiments of Mejfrs, Maupertids, &cc. in the Years 1736 and 1737, the equatorial Diameter of the Earth was found to be - '""^ Miles more than the Polar, which is ' nearly. Hence it may be obferved, that the fphe- roidal Shape of the Earth is exad;]y according to Gravity or the ethereal Prejfure, — For the cold Ether is found to prefs or make ;Vin, 9,— fv) Job, IX, 6~(w) Prov. VIII. 27, 28, 29. 320 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XVI. Globe, I fliall defer pointing out the Agents Nature makes Ufe of, and the Method they ad by, in order to carry on the diurnal Ro- tation, and the annual Revolution, to my next Letter, which you will receive foon. AdieUf F. PENROSE. STONEHOUSE, Qa,i^, 1785. Let. XVII. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 321 To JOHN HEAVISIDE, Esq. Mr. Heavifides ^e/iiony '^ Why does not the " Earth gravitate into the Sun, Gfr." an- /wered,^ All Space filed with ETHERS, which reach from the Sun, to the Extremi- ties of this Syjlem^ and are in continual Con- flidi, and caufe a vibrating Motion, by their Endeavour of getting the better of each other. Thefe Ethers the Caufe of Projedtion and Gravity. — T^he Earth and Planets of dif- ferent fpecifck Gravities, according to their Dijlance jrom the Sun. — "The diurnal and annual Motion of the Earth accounted for, The Phenomena of Nature, and the Scrip' tures, confirm the Tefiimony of each other. Dear Sir, IN the laft Letter, I fent you my Conjecftures on the Make and Form of this terraqueous Globe; by which you may obferve, that I fuppofe the Thicknefs of the earthy Shell to be but fmall, in Comparifon with the inter- S s nal 322 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XVIL nal Void or Hollow in the MidJ} of it. — By the Phenofncna of Earthquakes, &;c. it ap- pears that this Hollow is filled with Fire, inflammable Air, and Steam. — Thus the whole Body of the terraqueous Globe v/ill be of no greater fpecifick Gravity, than the Ethers which furround it. — If this was not the Cafe, and it was folid to the Centre, it feems probable that it would be forced into the Sun : But, as it is of the fame fpecifick Gravity with the furrounding Ethers, they keep it at the fame Diftance from the Sun, and it fwims therein with as much Eafe as a Balloon does in the Air, above the Earth. Having mentioned thus much, I fliall now endeavour to anfwer the two Queftions you were fo anxious about, which you propofcd in your Letter dated May i6 ; and again re- peated in your laft. — Firfl, ** If the Earth, '' &c. were put in Motion by the Heat of ** the Sun, rarefying the Atmofphere between *' thefe Bodies, why did the Earth not im- *' mediately gravitate into the Sun, as the ** Medium muil be there more rareiied than ** anv Let. XVII. On natural PMILOSOPKY. 323 * any where elfe ?" — Sccondlv, " V/hat is ' the Impulfe or trajectile Force for its an- ^ nual Motion -, and then, vvhat is the Power * that brings it back again from the immenfe ' Diftance at which it is at the Summer ' Solftice ; or prevent it from flying off in a * Tangent V In fome of my former Letters ^'^ ' I obferved it was the Opinion of the ancient Phiiofo- phers, that the Heavens were filled with Fire or Light and Air, and that thefe were, the Agents which governed all other Things: Sir Ifaac Newton feems to think fo too, '>^for he fuppofed** that Light and Ether lay hid *^ in all Bodies ; that t\\^ Light proceeded from *' the Suriy and the Spirit J rom the Extremities I *' That if their eladic Force were exn.nded *' through the whole Heavens ; and that if ** this Medium be rarer at the Body of the '* Sun, than at its Surfiice, and rarer a): the " Surface, than at the hundredth Part of an *' Inch from the Body of the Sun; and rarer ^* there than at the fiftieth Part of an Inch *' from '\) Letter IV. Iiitroclu^lion.. P. 60.— fy) Opt. P. 32.1, j2j. 324 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XVU. ** from its Body j and rarer at this Place, " than at the Orb of Saturn; I fee no Rea- ** fon, (fays he) why the Increafe of its Den- *' fi ty fhould ftop any where, and not rather ** be continued through all the Diftances, from ** the Sun to Saturn, and beyond. — Then, if *' we fuppofe two vibrating Mediums, the " one rarer at the denfe Bodies of the Sun, ** Stars, Planets, and Comets, than in the " celeftial Spaces between them ; fo that if *' the elaftic Force of this Medium may be ** exceeding great, it may fuffice to impel ** Bodies Jrom the den/er Parts of the Medium, *' towards the rarer, with all that Force or ** Impulfe which we call Gravity, Hence we find, that it was the Opinion of Sir Ifaac Newton, and the ancient Philofo- phers, that there was an ethereal Fluid, which filled all Space, from the Sun to the Extremities of this Syflem. — That what :f- fued from the Sun, in Form of Light, was more rare than that which was returned from the Extremities to the Sun, which he calls Spirit.— By thefe Agents, (the ETHERS) all Let. XVII. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 325 all Motion was performed, and by the Spi- rit, everv Thing was forced to the Sun, with that Power we call Gravity. — That the Mix- ture of thefe two E tilers was of a different fpecinck Gravity, in Proportion as one or other abounded. — Hence, that the Bodies of the Earth, Planets, &c. circulating rouiid the Sun, mufl be of different fpecifick Gravi- ties, agreeing exacTtly vvith tiie fpecifick Gra- vity (/f the Medium (Mixture,) wherein they were placed. Thus the Earth mull be of lefa fpecifick Gravity than Venus -^ Venus i\\in Jupiter, ^c. This may be explained fo far, as to ui^^dcr- ftand my Meaning, by placing a Glafs or Metal Bubble, of the exadl fpecifick Gravity, between Water and Spirit of Wine — If wg place this Bubble at the Bottom of a Glafs Tube, and pour on it an Inch of Spirit of Wine, it will be forced and kept at Bottom by its own Gravity ; if we add an Inch of Water, it v/ill then remain at Reft, in any Part of the Fluid : — If vvc again add another Inch q^ Water by Degree?, we d^iall perceive. 326 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XVIL perceive, that the Fluid, by this Means, will acquire a greater fpcciiick Gravity than the Bubble, and will then, (according to the Laws of Hydroflaticks,)be forced, by Gravity, down to the Bottom, and will then force the Bubble of lefs fpecifick Gravity, to afcend to the Top. — This Motion of the Bubble in the Fluid, may be made to move or change its Place, in the fame Manner by Heat and Cold. Thus by applying Heat to the Top, or any Side of the Fluid, it will expand its Parts, and thereby make it to occupy more Space : Hence its Pores being filled with Heat or Fire, it will refifl: lefs, and the cold and denfe Parts of the Fluid wall prefs it towards, and into that Part which is more rare, and of lefs fpecifick Gravity, and refiftslefs. — Hence we may obfcrve, that Gravity and Levity are re- lative Effeds. Thus, the Earth being of the fame fpe- cifick Gravity, with the Mixture of the fur- rounding Ethers; thefe Ethers keep it at the fame Diftance it is from the Sun, and pre- vent it being projeded farther from the Sun, or forced nearer to it» Having Let, XVII. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 327 Having obferved thus much, that the Af- cent from the Sun, and the Defcent to it, are occafioned by the Rarity and Dendty'bf the different Mediums, as the different Mix- lures of the Ethers, between the Sun and the Extremities, according as the Quantity of either one prevails^ I fhall row endeavour to point out the Caufes of the diurnal and annual Motions of the Earth ; hut before I do this, let it he remembered, that Bodies of different Denfities, are a longer or a fliorter Time heating, and alfo that they retain their Heat a longer or a fliorter Time, according to their Denfities. ^^^ — Thus, Water will ac- quire a greater Heat than Air, and Earth than Water, &c. — This is obferved to be the Caufe of different Winds j for it is a known and invariable Quality of the Air, for the Cold to endeavour to force out the Hot, and the Hot to open and expand the Cold. — Thus the Earth being denfer than Water, it will acquire a greater Heat than the Sea. — ** It is obferved, that the Sea Breezes blow *' towards the Land, in the Middle Part of ** the (z) Src Let. V. P. «8i. 189. 023 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XVIL ** the DaV, in every Direction; and in the ** Middle or coldefl Part of the Night, the *' Land Breezes blow towards the Sea, and '* thus alternately they fucceed each other. — ** Hence the Equilibrium of the Preflure of " the two Atmofpheres being deftroyed, and *' the Land Atmofphere, by the Lleat being ** rendered fpecifically lighter than the Air at ** Sea, the former afcends by the fuperior " Preflure or Weight of the latter; therefore *' the Sea Breezes i?/ow towards the Land, in ** every pojjible DireSlion.—V^hQn Night comes " on, the Sun's Heat abates, until the Land *' Atmofphere becomes equally denfe with ** that at Sea. — The Equilibrium of PreiTure ** being thus reftored, the Sea Breezes totally ** ceafe. — Thus, Cold increafing by the Ab- ** fence of the Sun, and its fudden Departure *• below the Horizon, accumulates on the ** Surface of the Illands, and condenfes their *' incumbent Atmofphere more than that at *' Sea." I (liall now apply Dedu6lions from the Phenomena obferved, and by them I iliall en- deavour Let. XVII, On n^^wr^/ PHILOSOPHY. 329 deavour to explain the Motions of this terra- queous Globe, — Firft then, I fuppofe, there is a hot 'Ether or Light continually ifiuing from the Sun at the Centre, which is the Caufe of Proje5lmiy Rarefadlion, Expanfiori, and what we call a centrifugal Force y &c. and a cold Ether or Spirit continually defcending from the Extremities of this Syftem, to the Sun at the Centre, which is the Caufe of Attradion, Cohefion, PrefTure, Gravity, and what is called a centripetal Force, Thus, Light or one Moiety of the celeftial Ethers, (which is the rarer or finer Part,) is in continual Motion, from the Sun to the Circumference; and the other Moiety or Spirit, (which is the groffer Part,) is in con- tinual Motion from the Circumference or Extremities of this Syftem, to the Sun in the Centre ;— that thefe two Forces, by Mixture, exa(5tly balance each other at the Morning and Evening Edge of the Earth, and parallel with the Ecliptic. — The Motion of thefe ad- verfe Forces caufes an Expanfion, and lays a Strefs or Preflure on every Body, and every T t Particle 330 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XVH. Particle of the ethereal Fluid, (and is the Caufe of Cohefion,) and forces the Bodies contained therein, either nearer or farther from the Sun, according as the different Mixture of thefe two Particles prevail, and the fpecific Gravity of the Body. — Thus, when an Equilibrium is formed round that Body, it remains at Reft, and continues fo, till by Light or Pleat an Expanfion is made on one Side, or Part of it; when Motion en- fues, and continues fo long as the PrefTure behind is of greater Force than the Projed:ion or Expanlion before. The Mixture of thefe two Qualities of Ethers, being rarer or denfcr in Proportion to the Diftance between the Sun, and the Extremities of the Syftem. — Thus the Bo- dies of the Earthy and all the Planets, are formed of different fpecifick Gravities, accord- ing as they are placed either nearer or farther off from the Sun, and are placed in a Mixture of Ethers, of the fame fpecifick Gravity with the Planets placed therein ; and are thereby prevented from approaching nearer, of re- ceding Let. XVIL On natural PHILOSOPHY. 331 ceding farther from him. — Thus the Light projedting on one Side of the terraqueous Globe, and Spirit prcffing in at the oppofite, caufes the Earth's Motion round its Axis, in the fame Manner as a Cork or Piece of Wood may be obferved to circulate round, when a River is obflru6ted by a Bank, 2nd the Water made to circulate round. We will now fuppofe the Sun to be placed in the Firmament or Expanfion, and the Earth in the fame Place it now occupies; I will then fuppofe, (as Mofes informs us) that it was firft made to turn on its Axis by the immediate Power of God -, after that, having finifhed his Work, it was an .Auto- matoriy and he faw that it was good, and every Part of it capable to perform the Office he defigned it for. — Thus he left Nature, or the material Agents, to perform their own Work ; tinlefsj by a Miracle, he ftopped or altered them, to fl:iew his Power over them.— Thus, as has been obferved, the projeBile Force of the Light from the Sun, on th..:: Side of the Earth oppofite to it, was exa<5liy counterbalanced 332 On natural PHlLOSO?HY. Let. XVII. counterbalanced by the gravitating Force of the Spirit on the Backfide of the Earth, op- politc to the Extremities. — Now, it is well known, and has already been obferved, that Bodies receive and retain their Heat, in Pro- portion to their Denfities, and that this has been proved to be the Caufe of Winds, Hur- ricanes, &c.— Thus, that Side of the terra- queous Globe, oppofite the Sun, having its Parts greatly heated, and being more than one thoufand Times more denfe than the At- mofphere, it retains it a great While longer ;- Thus, the Atmofphere at the Evening Edge of the Earth, is more rarefied and expanded by this Heat, and the denfe Air or Spirit pref- fing in from behind, (and alfo from that Side oppofite the Extremities) to form an Equili- brium, forces it round its Centre, towards the Morning Edge, or from Weft to Eaft. — Hence the diurnal Motion 5-the lateral Rare- fadion being greater on this Quarter from Noon to Evening, or between South and Weft, than on its oppofite, receives a diiferent Impulfe, in a Diagonal of thefe two Forces, viz. that cf the projedile, on that Side the Earth Let. XVII. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 333 Earth next the Sun, and the gravitating, on that Side oppofite the Extremities. — Hence, the annual tapulfe through the Ediptick, which rnakes an Angle of 23 D. 30 M, with the diurnal ; and as thefe Forces are conti- nually ading, fo the Earth will continue her Motion round her Axis, from Weft to Eaft, together with that through the Ecliptick; — As thefe Etliers are of diirer^nt Qualities, both nearer or farther from the Sun ; and as the terraqueous Globe is exactly of the fame fpe- cifick Gravity with this Mixture of the Ethers, wherein fhe is placed, (which is in a con- tinual Current or Circulation round the Sun,) fo muft the Earth be carried round the. Sun with it. We may form fome Conception how thefe two oppolite Forces a(5l by the xMotions of a Pendulum, or a Weight lufpended by an in- flexible Rod on a Pin, as its Centre of Mo- tion. — ** Its Weight or Gravity will hinder ** its approaching any nearer to the Centre, '* and the Rod or Projection will prevent its ^' Weight or Gravity from carrying it farther ** from the Centre; but, neverthelefs, it is ^' capable 334 On natural PHILOSOPHY. Let. XVH. ** capable of being put in Motion by a fmati *' lateral Impulfe, and will defcribe not a *' ftrait Line, but Arcs of a Circle, whofe ** Centre is the Pin from whence it is fuf- *' pendcd. — And as the two Forces are fup- ** pofed equal, the Cafe of the Earth will be ** exaftly analogous to that of the Pendulum!" Thus the progreffive or lateral Impulfe be- ing always exerted in the Direction of the Plane of the Earth's enlightened Hemifphere, where the mixt Force of thefe confliding Ethers is equal, and Refiftence nothing. — Which Plane is always perpendicular to the Rays drawn from the Sun to that Place. — If in any Part of the Earth's Orbit, the Fref- Jure or Gravity be greater than ordinary, or the FrojeSiion of the Light lefs ; the Earth, in either Cafe, will be made to approach in that Part of its Orbit, nearer to the Sun : Or, if the lateral Impulfe be ftronger or weaker than ordinary, the Earth will be forced far- ther oft, or nearer to the Sun : And as the Moon and Planets are fometimes fo fituated, that if, by the Intervention of their Bodies, they Let. XVII. On natural PHILOSOPHY. 335 they interrupt the Acftion o^ Spirit or Light ; this Interruption may leiTen or increafe their Force, either to bring the Earth nearer to, or farther from the Sun. — Witnefs the Moon's Influence on the Tides ! The foregoing Account of the Phenomena of Nature, feems to confirm and explain to us the fhort Hints thereof given in the Scrip- tures, I fhall therefore fubmit to your Judge- ment and Candour, whether what I have faid may not illuftrate the Mofaic Account of the Formation of the Earth, and Reformation of it, at the Deluge ; and then conclude, that as the Phenomena of Nature, Reafon, and Revelation fo perfew ASTRONOMY. 337 To JOHN HE AVI SIDE, Esq. Dear Sir, IN your laft Letter, you were fo complaifant as to alTure me, that my long Letters gave you infinite Pleafure, and that I had not an- fwered your former Queflions. — In my two lad, I endeavoured to do it in as clear a Manner as I could ; I hope they will find your Health quite refiiored, by your Journey into NorfiDlk and Suffolk, together with your Sea Bathing, I herewith fend you a New Year's Gift, for A. D, 1786, in Hopes to profit by the Remarks of yourfelf and Friends. It is two Diagrams, (an original Defign of my own) conftrudted to Ihew the Places of the Sun and Moon, for every Day next Year, according to the Julian Calendar. — You will find fome Part of it to differ from what is generally taught in Aflronomical Ledlures, and received as true, viz. the Divifion of the y u Ecliptick 338 0;z ASTRONOMY. Let. XVIII. Ecliptick,and the Preceflion of the Equinoxes, but thefe appear to me contrary to the Ope- rations or Laws of Nature ; I therefore wifti to have them examined by Perfons well verfed in thefe Sciences ; and as the Improvement of Knowledge is the fole End of my Delign, fo if you will fend me the critical Remarks of your Mathematical Friends thereon, I doubt not but all thefe Difficulties will be cleared up. / am, Dear Sir, Tour faithful And obliged Friend, F. PENROSE. S T O xN E H O U S E, Dec. 26, 1788. Let XIX. On ASTRONOMY. 339 To F. PENROSE, E s o. I'he Obfervations of Mr, Heavijides ajirono- mical Friend^ on Mr. Fenrofes "Diagrams ^ not conchjive. Dear Sir, YOUR laft Favour founci me very early in the new Year at Potterels, where I had been for two Months, fo far from well, as not to have ftired out of Doors hardly in all that Time. My little Excurlion into Norfolk and Suffolk, was of fome Service to me for a While, but I foon grew worfe a- gain, and was unable to ftir^ indeed I have not been able to ride ten Miles on Horfeback, in any one Day, for near a Year and Half Daft; however, I have been recovering full as faft as I can expe(fl, for the laft five or fix Weeks, and have got up my Flefh and Strength again amazingly, if I can but keep free from Colds, to opprefs my Lungs, whick are ftill in a Situation too fufceptiblc of In« jury. — This State of Health has detered me from 340 C?w ASTRONOMY. Let. XIX. from ftaying in London more than a Day or two at a Time, when Bufmefs obliged me to it, till very lately; when, upon Trial, I found myfelf, thank God, equal to ftaving here without Prejudice. — For thefe Reafons I had no Opportunity till very lately of {hew- ing your Diagrams,(vvith which you favoured me, and for which 1 think myfelf very highly obliged to you) to any of my learned Friends; but I do alTure you, that I did not negiecfl the very firft I had ; and this very Day the Gentleman called, when I was out, and left it for me,with a Note, of which you will lind a Copy in the Margin ; I would have fent the Note itfelf, but that it would have made it a double Letter. As I do not think he has entered fo deeply into this Bufmefs as he fhould have done, I am by no Means fatisfied with the little he has faid, and therefore ihall endeavour to find out fome other Aflronomer, who will give it more Confideration than I fear he has done ; I fhould therefore have defered writing till then, but that as I think it probable you may wifli Let. XTX. (9?i ASTRONOMY. 341 wifh to have the Plate engraved foon ; I trouble you now, to beg you will give me your immediate Direcflions for having it done, if you widi to have it done noWy 2.nd I v^'ill ufw my bed Endeavours to find cut a good Engraver. — Pray vv'hat think ycu of this Gentleman'i> Idea on that Subjed: } On the other Side you will likewife find what my Friend Dr. Alexander, (to whom I wrote fome Time ago, to get fome Experi- ments made relative to the Weight of Bodies at different Depths in Mines,) fays on that Head : His Account feems in fjme Meafure to contradi(fl your Opinion as well as my own. — ^If you are not fatisfied with this An- fwer, and would put any more particular Queftions to him, pray fend them to me, and I will endeavour to procure an Anfwer to them; for it will give me great Pleafure to procure you any Information or Satisfaction in your laudable Purfuitb after Knowledge and Philofophy. — Nor would I iiave you think, that becaufe I am too idle a Fellow myfelf, to apply clofely to the Study of Phi- lofophy 342 0?j ASTRONOMY. Let. XIX. lofophy as you do, that therefore I take no Pleafure in fuch Enquiries; far otherwife; I really have great Pleafure in it, and Ihould follow the Purfuit clofely had I Leifure, and any Friend near me to afTifl or join me in it. The aftronomical Gentleman who had the Examination of your Diagrams, prefents his Compliments, and has returned it, and ob- ferves, that *' He fears fome of the Pofitions *' it contains will not be found to have been ** correcfled up to the latefl Difcoveries, or ** rather neweji Opiniojis.'' I anjy Dear Sir, Tour 'very obedient , And obliged Servant, J. HE AVI SIDE. Prince's-Street, Id, 22j 1786. Let. XX. (9;i ASTRONOMY. 343 To JOHN HE AVI SIDE, Eso. Dear Sir, YOUR laft very kind and obliging Letter came to Stonehoufe when I was in Cornwal], where I had been a great Part of the Pvlonths of February and March : — For this laft Month I have been confined with the Gout : — I thank God, I am now able to walk agam. — It gave us very iincere Pleafure to be informed, that you were recovered from your late Indifpofition. I am greatly obliged to you for the Trouble )^ou have taken, in confulting your Aftrono- mical Friends, about my Diagrams. — As I differ therein from what is generally taught by Aftronomers, about the Diviiion of the Ecliptick, the Preceffion of the Equinoxes, which appear to me to be Things of great Importance, I did hope that they would have thought it a Matter worthy their Examina- tion, and that I fliould be confirmed either that I was right, or that my Errors, if any, w^ould 344 On A S T R O N O M Y. Let. XX. would be pointed out and corrected.—I there- fore join entirely in your Opinion concern- ing it, viz. that they have not entered fo deeply into the Bufinefs as I could have wiflied they had done. — For, as they obferve, *' the Pofjions therein differ from the lateji *' DifcoverieSy or rather the newejl Opinions^ For that Reafon I wiOied to have them tho- roughly examined, as Truth is my Objed:. If you have not yet met with an Aftrono- mer, vvhofe Opinion may be depended on, I hope, from your great Acquaintance, you foon will have an Opj)ortunity of doing it. — I have fent one of thefe Diagrams to Oxford, with a Defire that it might be examined by the Geometricians and Aftronomers there, but I have not yet received any Intelligence concerning it. — I am afraid that many Teach- ers of Science go on by Rote, with the fame String of Experiments and Arguments that they have been taught, without giving them- felves Freedom and Trouble to examine the Truth of them. I Let. XX. 0« ASTRONOMY, 345 I give you and Dr. Alexander many Thanks for the Intetligence he fent you, concerning the Rife and Fall of the Mercury in the Ba- rometer, when under the Earth.— I am afraid that Dr. Alexander, by confulting Miners, who had the 'Rudiments of Fhilofophyy has anfwered the Inquiry from Theory and not from Experiment, — All Experience tell us, that the deeper we dig under the Surface of the Earth, the Heat is the greater, and of Confequesce the Air is the rarer; — therefore, for that Reafon, I am fearful that thofe Per- fons, whom Dr. Alexander applied to, have impofed on him, and anfwered his Queries from the Ideas they had of the Matter, and not from Experiment. — If they had madeUfe of a Thermometer, inflead of a Barometer, I believe their Theory would prove true. — I could only wiih for an Experiment without Theory,. — Let a Barometer be carried down into a Mine, mark the Height of the Quick- filvcr on the Surface of the Ground, and alfo every thirty or forty Fathom you defcend.— \i they had alfo a Quickfilver Thermometer, and iikewife mark the different Heights of Xx the 346 0?? ASTRONOMY. Let. XX. the Mercury, it would be more fatisfadory. I am forry that you and Dr. Alexander fhould have had lb much Trouble, and that he Ihould have met with fo many Difficulties about it.— All this I can moft readily believe, as I have met with the fame. — It might be imagined that I could get a Thing of this Kind eafily done in Cornwall. — I have ap- plied to many of my Acquaintance for that Purpofe, and told them that I fliould be glad to pay a Man for his Trouble in doing it. — I have been often promifed it, but have never yet been able to get it performed. — If I could go down in a Mine myfelf, I could eaiily get it done ! A Gentleman, when I was laft in Cornwall, promifed me to get it done, but I am fearful it will be fome Time before it will be brought about. I am. Dear Sir, Tour obliged and faithful Servant, F. PENROSE. STONEHOUSE, April lo, 1786. 4 Let. XXI. 0;i ASTRONOMY. 347 To F. PENROSE, E s o. Dear Sir, 1A M afhamed to fee that It is now fix Weeks fince I was favoured with your very kind Letter, and that I cannot even now anfwer it fatisfadiorily, either to myfelf or to you; for having been fo much out of Town, (in which I dare not flay long at a Time, on Account of my Cough,) and having had fo very much to do when I am here, and now finding that real deep Philofophers and Aftronomers are much more thinly fown than I apprehended, I have not been able to get at any one who has ventured to give me any decided Opinion upon your Diagrams. — I want much to get them fhewn to Dr. Maf- kelyne, but have not yet been fo luckly as to meet with one Acquaintance of mine that knows him enough to do it ; however, I do not yet defpair of finding fuch a one, if your Friends at Oxford fail you. I have wrote again to my Friend, Dr. Al- exander, 348 Ow ASTRONOMY. Let. XXI. exander, to try if he can procure a more cxad Experiment to be made with a Barometer, in a Coal-Pit ; which I dare fay he will do if he can -, but I need not tell you how difficult it is to put thofe Miners, (or indeed any Body elfe) out of the Way in which they have been ufed to tread, unlefs it were poffi- ble to imprefs them with a Deli re of real Knowledge, unadulterated with Prejudice, or make it their Intereft, I am. Dear Sir, Very truly, Tour Friend, and obedient Sernjant, J. HE AVIS IDE. Prince's-Streit, jfunei% 1786, Let. XXII. ASTRONOMY. 349 On thi MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS, To JOHN HE AVI SIDE, Esq. I'he Moon not a Pla?jef, but a Satellite attend^ ing the Earth, — 'The recorded Obfervations of Aft rammer Sy concerning Her, colleBed. — Her Make and Motions deft:ribed. — The Chaldean Cycle, with the Methods they made ufe of for calculating their Eclipfes. — The fhyfcal Caufes of thefe Motions explained, and confirmed by the Obfervations of Mr, Herfchel, and the French AJironomers. Dear Sir, I GIVE you many Thanks for the Trouble you have taken to get a decided Opinion on my Diagrams, &c. — As you exprefs a Hope, in your lafl Letter, to get Dr. Maf- kelyne's Opinion on them, I have herewith fent you my Theory on the Moon, and the lunar Motions, in Hopes that you may, at the fame Time, get his Sentiments on the lunar 350 ASTRO^^OMY. Llet. XXII. On the MdOi/'and LUNAR MOTIONS. lunar Motions alfo, and perhaps he will let you know what Objedions he has to any of them. The lunar Pvlotions are called irregular; but, on Examination, we fliall find no Irre- gularity belonging to the Moon or her Mo- tions, but all of them performed according to the moft exad; and perfe(5l Harmony and Pvlechanifm -, and that their apparent Intricacy proceeds from our Incapacity to comprehend their almoft innumerable Variety of Motions. If we fludy them with a proper Attention, we fliall find, that, inftead of being irregular, they are performed with the greateft Har- mony and Regularity, according to the moft ftrid: Laws of Geometry, Number, Weight, and Meafure ; and though their Number and Variety exceed the Power of comprehending them, or even of believing their Regularity, unlcfs by thofe who make them their parti- cular Study i for though the Moon i-equires 7,948,800 fynodical R^evolutions, (which are mere than 600,000 Years) for to go through all Let. XXII. A S T R O N O M Y. 351 On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. all her Variations, and finifli her Period or Cycle ; ^°^ yet all thefe various Motions are carried on in the mofl: curious, exad:, and mechanical Manner, according to Number, Weight, and Meafure, and cannot be calcu- lated or underflood by no other Method; therefore if any Theory concerning them will not bear the Tefl: of Geometry and Numbers, it mud be difcarded. — Having premifed thus much, I fliall, in the firfl Place, colle(fl the recorded Fafts and Obfervations of Aftrono- mers concerning them ; from which I fliall endeavour to draw the moll: natural Inferences, to explain thefe various Motions, and to point out their phyfical Caufes. The Moon is not a Planet but a Satellite, attending the Earth ; which, together with the Sun, are allowed to be the principal Caufe of her Motions, — Thefe Motions are gener- ally divided in a three- fold Manner; which are not only connedled with each other, but are alfo conneded with thofc of the Earth's, in (g) Kennedy, P. uj6, 210. 352 ASTRONOMY. Let. XXII. On tht MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. m a moft wonderful Manner. — In the iirft Place, flie has a Motion round the Earth from Change to Change j or, from Sun to Sun, which fhe performs in 29 D. 12 H. 44 M. I S. 45 T. which is called a Lima- tion, — 2dly, She has a forward Motion, com- pounded with this Lunation, from Wefl to Eaft, attending the Earth through the Eclip- tick, round the Sun ;— this fhe performs in twelve Lunations, 10 Days, 21 Hours, and 39 Seconds. — Thefe twelve Lunations are called a lunar Tear, and the 10 Days, 21 Llours, and 39 Seconds, are the Time re- quired for her to get up with the Sun again. Thefe 10 Days, 21 Hours, and 39 Seconds, are not dropt or loft, but go on as Part of the next Lunation, and is called the EpaB, and is the Difference between the lunar and folarYear.— She does not keep the Earth's Path round the Sun, through the Ecliptick, but goes round the Earth in a progreffive Circle, like a Screw, and forward, through the Ecliptick, at the fame Time, together with the Let. XXIL ASTRONOMY. 353 e>i the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. the Earth ; always, (throughout her whole Orbit,) keeping nearly at the fame Diftance from Her;-that is. Half the Diameter of her Orbit ; which is fuppofed to be about 240,000 Miles. — Thefe Motions of the Moon in her Orbit, round the Earth, and through the Ecliptick, is fo well defcribed by Mr. Fergiifon, in his Aftronomy, ^''^ that I fhall take the Liberty to fend it you, in his own Words.-—'* The Moon's abfolute Mo- *' tion (fays he J from her Change, to her firft " Quarter, is fo much. Jlower than the Earth's, " that fhe falls 240 thoufand Miles, (equal ** to the Semidiameter of her Orbit) behind ** the Earth, at her firft Quarter; that is, ** {ht falls back a Space equal to her Diftance *' from the Earth : — From that Time, her *' Motion is gradually accelerated to her Op- *' pofition or Full, and then flie is come up ** as far as the Earth j having regained what ** fhe loji in her firft Quarter.- — From the ** Full to the laft Quarter, her Motion co7i- Y y ** tinties (h> Fergufoii, P, iq.i. S, 267, 054 ASTRONOMY. Let. XXII. On the MOON and LUNAR MOTICXS. " tiniies accelerated^ io as to be jull as far be- " fsre the Earth, (at her third Quarter) as ** Ihe was behind it at her firjl -^ but from *' thence to her Change, her Motion is re- ** tardedy fo that flie lofes as much, with ** Kefped; to the Earth, as is equal to her ** Diftance from it, or to the Semidiameter **■ of her Orbit ; and by that Means flie comes ** in Conjundion (at the Change) as feen *' from the Earth»" Thefe Motions oi the Moon, both round the Earth and round the Sun, are performed from Weft to Eaft, and from Left to Right, in the fame Manner as the Earth goes round the Sun : — But, bef.des thefe two joint Mo- tions of the Moon, there is a Motion or an ediptick Current of Ether?, abjohitely belong- ing to the Moon, — This Current of Ethers goes alfo from Weil to Eaft, as do the Ecrth and Moon, but with this Difference, that as ihe Earth and Moon proceed Eallward, from }-eft to Right j fo this proceeds jufl in the oppolite Let. XXII. A S T R () X O M Y. 355 On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. cppolite Manner, from Right to Lett, and may moft properly be denominated t/je Fath of the Nodes or Eclipfes. — lliis alio creeps round the Ecliptlck in a progreffive Circle, in 18 Years, 10 Days, 19 Hours. 46 Mi- nutes, and 15 Seconds; when it again meets^ the Sun in the lame Point of the EcJiptick, and then begins a new Cycle. — This was in Ufe in Chaldea, and is called the Chaldean Cycle oj Eclipfes : — For, in this Period, there will be a regular Return of the fame Eclipfe for many Ages; only the Pxlipfe get 28 12 forward at every Return; and, by thefe flow Degrees, comes in at one Pole of the Earth, and after having palfed quite over it, goes out at the other : --Thus thole which come in at the North Pole, go out at the South ; and thofe which come in at the South, go out at the North ; after which thev are aa:ain loft in the Expanfe, but require more than one thoufind Years to do it. — Hence it may be remarked, that the Chaldeans, (from a- mongft whom Abraham was called) had a Meth'od 356 ASTRONOMY. Let. XXII. On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. Method of calculating Eclipfcs ; for they had only to keep an Account of Number of Days and Years ; the Method the Patriarchs and Ifraelites were taught to calculate the Returns of the Weeks, Months, and Years, and to keep their Chronology. ^'^ Thus by on/y numbering and. keeping an Account of the Days and Years of this Chaldean Cycle ^ which was iini{hed every eighteen Years, and the fameEclipfe was fure to make its Appearance again j for at the End of every eighteen Years, the Sun, Moon, and Nodes meet the Earth on the fame Point of the Ecliptick, and they then begin a new Cycle. — To illuftrate this, I fhall here add the Calculations of the fourth and fifth Return of that remarkable Eclipfe which happened at London, May 3, N. S. 1 71 5 — at 9 H. 51 M. or 2 H 9 M. before twelve o'clock, when the aftronomical Day is compleated, fo that it was May 2 P. 21 H. (i) Introdufticn; P. 27, 28, i.et. XXII. ASTRONOMY 357 On thi MO OK and LUNAR MOTIOXS. H. 5 I M. fubftradt this from the three Days of May, and it leaves D.H.M. -8 •-: 9—1715 To which add June 15 4 56 — 1787 the Edipfe It makes in the Whole 43 7 5 72 Years, 43 D. 7 II. 5 M. Yeart i). H. M. D. H, M. 4th— 4 Cyc'.e-i . — 72 43 7 j— June 154 56 P. iM — —87 ^th — 1 Cycle 18 i 1 19 46 15 June c6 o 4.: 15P.M iS It makei in the Whole 90 £4 2 51 15 5So5 From the above Example we may obferve with what Eafe and Certainty the Chaldeans might calculate the Return of the Eclipftrs, viz. by knowing exadlly the Length or Quan- tity of Time which the Sun, Moon, and Nodes require to perform their Circle, or to meet again in the fame Point of the Ecliptick at which they parted ; for though they do not meet precifely at the fame Point, yet it I 11 wants only 28 12. Thefe Calculations make it appear, that the Nodes move forward to the Eaftward as well as the Earth and Moon, and alfo that they move a contrary Way 358 ASTRONOMY. Let. XXII. On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS, Way from them, and by that Means the Moon crofles them twice every Lunation. In this Cvcie there are 229 Lunations 229 Nodes And 18 Julian Years, 10 Days, 3 9 Hours, 46 Minutes, 15 T. Hence the Regularity and the Harmony of the Sun, Moon, and Earth, may be re- marked, and the Method of the Ancients in calculating their Eclipfes, which they did in fo mechajtical a Manner, that they had no Oc- cafion to know which of them moved, or whether any one of them did ; yet were able to calculate, to prognofticate, or foretel thefe fuppofed portentous Events. Thus, as has been obferved, the ecliptick Path of the Eclipfes, goes forward from Weft to Eaft, but a contrary Way to the Earth and Moon, and malces an Angle of 5 Degrees 20 Minutes, with the ecliptick Path of the Earth. The Let. XXII. ASTRONOMY. 359 On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. The Moon makes her Orbit round the Earth, by an Angle of 45 Degrees, v/ith the Ecliptick.;— but as this Angle is not the fame throughout her whole Orbit, as the Moon, in one Part of her Orbit, is Half the Dia- meter of it before the Earth, and in another Part, fo much behind her, fo (he does not make the fame Angle with the Ecliptick quite through her Revolution. — Thus, at the Entrance into her third Quarter, llie cuts the Ecliptick diagonally, and Jlackens her Motion two- thirds, ( when Ihe enters the South, or Summer Part of her Lunation,) and, (as was obferved by Mr. Fergufon,) falls back, and proceeds to the Weilward, by an Angle of 45 Degrees. — Thus Hie keeps on with this Angle, till ihe comes to the Change; when it is altered to the Complement of that Angle, which is alfo 45 Degrees -, which Angle is continued from the Change to her frji ^larter I — at which Point Ihe crolTes the Ecliptick, and enters the North or Winter Part of her Orbit. — Mere this Angle is 360 A S r R O X O M Y. Let. XXIi- On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. is altered from 45 Degrees, to 19 Degrees, 50 Minutes, and her Motion is increafcd two- thirds, and llie now recovers the Motion y^^ iojl at her third Quarter; and, by this Means, /he gets fo forward to the Eaflward, in the Ecliptick, as to be exadlly in a Line with the Earth and Sun at her Oppofition. — From this Place fl:ic returns round the Earth, and continues her accelerated Motion, till ihe arrives again at her third Quarter, where fhe is again a Semi-diameter of her Orbit, before the Earth -, and from tliis Place (lie goes on' as above defcribed. The Moon's Orbit, round the Earth, is marked by Aftronomers with four Divifions: The iirfl is from Star to Star; which flie per- forms in 27 Days, 7 Hours, 43 Minutes, 4 Seconds. — This would compleat her Orbit, did fhe not go forward in the Ecliptick at the fame Time. — The fecond is from Apogee to Apogee, which re-quires 5 Hours, 35 Mi- nutes, 39 Seconds niore.— Thcfe 5 H. 35 M. 39 S. Let. XXII. ASTRONOMY. 361 On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. 39 S. (hew us how much her progreflive Mo- tion, forward, in the Ecliptick is, during the Time of her going from Apogee to Apo- gee* — The Earth's progreflive Motion for- ward, through the Ecliptick, during one Ro- tation round her Axis, or twenty-four Hours, is four Minutes; hence, i H. 50 M. 12 S. belong to the Earth, and the remaining 3 H. 45 M- 27 S. is the Quantity of the Ecliptick forward Motion which belongs abfolutely to the Moon during that Time. — Thus we may obferve, that the Moon's abfolute Motion forward, through the 'Ecliptick, is more than double to that of the Earth's. — This caufes her to compleat her Orbit round the Sun, in lefs Time than the Earth does. This is alfo confirmed by the Motion of the Moon's Sha- dow over the Earth, during the Time of an Eclipfe, which Mr. Fergufon tells us, (k) moves at the m.an Rate of 30^ Minutes of a Degree every Hour, — The third Divilion is from Node to Node. — This is not generally Z z diftinguiflied (k) Fergufon, P. 276, S. 338. 362 ASTRONOMY. Let. XXIL On tht MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. diitinguiflied in this Manner by Aftronomers, as they have fuppofed that the Motion of the Nodes receded from Eafl to Weft, and did not proceed forward, (as I do) from Weft to Eaft, wliich requires i D. 4 H. 51 M. 8 S. 44 T. Time to compleat it, than from Apo- gee to Apogee, — The fourth Divifton wants 28 H. 34 M. 10 S. 1 T. to be added to the jail, to bring the Moon to the Sun, or com- pleat the Lunation; which, as was before obferved, is 29 D. 12 H. 44 M. i S. 45 T. When the Moon comes to her Apogee, fhe has compleated her Orbit round the Earth, in the Ecliptick ; but as the ecliptick Current of Ethersy (as they move forward in a pro- grefiive Circle) has got i D. 3 H. 51 M. 8 S. 44 T. before the Moon, during that Time, fo it requires for the Moon to go juft fo much beyond her Orbit, to meet and crofs it, — At the very Point, where the Moon, in her Orbit round the Earth, crojfes the ecHp- tick Current of Ethers, is her Node, and a Line Let. XXII. ASTRO N O M Y. 363 On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. Line from Node to Node, cro fling the Cen- tre of the Ecliptick, is called the Line of Nodes. — Thus the Line of Nodes croiTes int Ecliptick every fixth Lunation, when the Node that was laft in Conjundion with the Moon, now crofles the Ecliptick 4 D. 15 H, 25 M. before the Moon meets the Sun; and as the Nodes are diamet'-icariy oppofite to each other, fo this other Node wants the fame Time to meet the Sun ; but as the ecliptick Current of Ethers goes forward every Haifa Node but 9 H. 17 M. 5 S. fo the Moon co:i;es in Conjundion only 9 H, 14 M. 5 S. after the Node. The Nodes then crofs each other, and change Places 3 the afcending one to the de- fcending, and the defcending to the afcend- ing : Hence, whenever either Node at the End of the fixth Lunation, is 4 D. 15 H. 25 M. before the Moon, the other Node (being the fame,) will meet the Moon in the Ecliptick, and caufe a total and central Eclipfe 364 A S T R O N O M Y. Let. XXIL On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. Eclipfe, — But, as all thefe Points are of fuch different Lengths, and vary fo much, it is not to be wondered at, that we have fo few Ecllpf^s i more efpecially, as the Orbit of the Mocn is divided into 360 Degrees, and the Moon muft pais the Node within 17 De- grees of it, at the Change, and within iz*" at theOppciition, to caufe an Eclipfe; other- wife the Moon's Shadow will not touch the Earth, nor the Earth's Shadow the Moon.^^ — In Order to make more clear what has been obferved, I {hall defcribe the Nodes and Eclipfcs for this Year,' A. D. 1786. The Nodes move forward fo much fader, through the Ecliptick, than the Moon, that at the End of every twelfth Lunation, that Node, which was in Conjunction with her, when fhe began her firft, is got 9 D. 6 H. 50 M. o S. 12 T. before her; and juft Half that Quantity, or 4 D. 15 H. 25 M. o S. 6 T. at the End of every fixth Lunation. — - The Nodes change Places every fixth Luna- tion, Let. XXII. ASTRONOMY. 365 On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. tion, when the afcending Node becomes the defcending, and the defcending the afcending one. Now to explain their Motion this Year. — We will fuppofe the two Nodes to be marked A and B — The Nodes crofied the Ecliptick Jan. 14 D. 12 PI. o M. when A became the defcending Node, and B the afcending one. — The Moon comes in Oppofition to the Sun, 44 Minutes after, and caufes a total Eclipfe.-i4 Days, 9 H. 5 M. after that, the other Node was in Conjunction with the Sun, and caufed an Eclipfe of that Luminary; after this, the Moon in her Orbit round the Earth, never crolTed the ecliptick Path of the Nodes, near enough the Sun, to caufe an Eclipfe, till July 6, at 16 Minutes pafl twelve at Night, when the Node A will crofs the Ecliptick 3D. 15 H. 9 M. before the Moon was in Oppofition ; and, the other Node B will al fo want jufl as much to be in the Ecliptick, by that Means the Node B will 365 ASTRONOMY. Let. XXIL On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. will be in the Ecliptick, 54 Minutes only fetter the Moon is in Conjundion, and caufe a total Ecliple of the Mo^n, July 1 1 .—On the next Change, fourteen Days after, viz. July 25, the other Node A will meet the Moon in the Ecliptick, and caufe an Eclipfe of the Sun, and then will become the deicending Node again. The above are the colledled Obfervations of Afcronomers on the Moon, and the lunar Motions, from whence we may infer, that they are all caufed and governed (as immortal Sir Ifaac Niwtoii has fuppofed) by the fub- tile "Ethers with which the heavenly Space is filled, and by which they are furrounded. — For, according to him, *' thefe ETHERS ^' are expanded through the whole Heavens, *' and /w^^/ Bodies from the denfer Parts of ** of the Medium, towards the rarer, ivith all '* that Force and Impulfe which we call '' GRAVITY. Ci That thefe Ethers ad in a '' double Capacity, the one as Lights pro- ( I } Le;. IV. P. 163. '* ceeding Let. XXIL ASTRONOMY. 367 On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. '' ceeding from the Sun, and the other as ** Spirit, defcending towards the Sun -, — and *^ thus a Circulation is carried on between " theje two vibrating MediiwisJ' — Thus they aB by a continual ConJliM, in a vibrating Manner, with a Force in Proportion as the one or the other prevail : — When the Light prevails, it opens, expands, and projrd:s every 'Thing: — On the contrary, when the Spirit prevails, every Thing is coitipre^ffed, and their Parts are forced in clofer Contadl. — Thus all Bodies, by being comprefied into lefs Space, are increafed in their fpecifick Gravity, and they are alfo made to adhere with all that Power or Force called Gravity, AttraBion of Cohefion, &c. I think it muft add to the Veneration we have for the Scriptures, to find that they fpeak juflly in phyfical Matters, about the Mechanifm of Nature. -Thus Job tells us ^'"^ that God ?nade a Weight for the Winds -^ this .m) Job. XXVIII, 2,5. 368 ASTRONOMY. Let. XXII. On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. this is according to our Englifli Tranflation, but the Hebrew is more clear and expreffive, it is there f.iid that God made the fFifid or Spirit, the Injiriiment of Gravity. In the firfl: Place, the Earth is carried through the Ecliptick, round the Sun, by a Current of Ethers^ and the Moon, as a Sa- tellite of the Earth, is carried round the Sun, throught the Ecliptick with it. — The Moon has alfo a circular Motion of her own, round the Earth, which Motion interfeds the ecliptick Motion by an Angk of 45 Degrees. In Order to explain myfelf the better on thefe two Motions of the Moon, I fhall in- stance the Sailing of a Ship, which is alfo affeded, (at the fame T^ime,) by two Forces, the Wind and the Tide, and her going for- ward is occalioned as either one or other pre- vail. — Thus, as the Sailers always obferve the Ship is accelerated or retarded in her Sail- ing, according as flie goes either with or a- gainfl Let. XXII. ASTRONOMY. 369 en the MOON' and LUNAR MOTIONS. gainft the Tide, and that which ever of the two prevails, either the Wind or the Tide fo is the Ship carried on, either North or Souths or, if both meet in an Angle, her Courfe is in a Diagonal between them; but if they meet exadly oppofite to each other, both Forces are deilroyed, and the Ship ftands flill in the fame Place. — Hence, if a Ship receives a Force from the Wind, to fail two Miles an Hour, and the Current or Tide runs one Mile an Hour ; this one Mile an Hour of the Current, ballances one Mile an Hour of the Force fhe receives from the Wind 3 fo the Ship will loofe the Force of one 'Vlile an Hour in her failing, and in Fad:, will be found to proceed forward one Mile only. — On the contrary, let her turn back with the fame Wind and Current, fhe will then go forward with the joint Forces of both; and will then proceed forward three Miles an Hour. — Much in the fame Manner the Moon is carried round the Sun, through the Ecliptick, as a Satellite of the Earth to- 3 A gether 370 ASTRONOMY. Let. XXII. On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. gether with her -, but as her ahfolute Force round the Earth is double to what carries the Earth round the Sun, and this Force or Cur- rent of Ethers which belongs to the Moon ordy, makes an Angle of forty-five Degrees, in croffing the Ecliptick : By this Means fhe is in one Part of her Orlnt, round the Earth, Half of a Diameter of that Orbit, before the Earth, in the Ecliptick 5 and at another Part of htr Orbit as much behind the Earth, and at her Conjunction and Oppofition, exactly in a Line with it ; always keeping nearly the fame Diftance from the Earth. — 1 hus being aded on jointly by both thefe Forces, when flie comes to her third Quarter, fhe is then carried with an Angle of 45 Degiees, againft the Current of Ethers which forces the Earth round the Sun, through the Ecliptick, and carries on the Earth four Minutes every twenty-four Hours, or a natural Day ; which, as has been obferved, is but Half the Force with which the Moon is carried round the Earth, fo this ecliptick Current of Ethers refills Let. XXII. ASTRONOMY. 371 On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. refifls one Minute of that Force, and the Moon's abf^)lute Motion forward, beine re- fifted by one Minute out of two, fo fhe pro- ceeds hut one Minute every fix Hours, or ninety Degrees. — Hence it may be obferved fhe lofes a Moiety of her Force, and goes forward one only. — As foon as O'e comes in Conjundion with the Sun, fhe is then forced towards her firfl Quarter, by the Comple- ment of the Angle fhe makes from her third Quarter to her Change.' — This is alfo 4^^ Degrees ; and, as fhe flill continues to go againji the ecliptick Current, ihe keeps that flow Pace, till fhe comes to the End of her firft Quarter 5 at which Point fhe changes, and inftead of going againit, and being ob- flrudted by the ecliptick Current, fhe re- ceives its additional Force to carry ker on. — Thus, as has been obfeived, her own Force carries her foI^vard two, and the ecliptick Current one-, — and inflead of going with that flow Motion of one, which fhe did from her third Quarter to her firfl, flienow goes three; and 372 ASTRONOMY. Let. XXII. On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. and being a Semi- diameter of her Orbit, be- hind the Earth, occaiioned by her flow Mo- tion from her Change to this Place ; fo now, by her accelerated Motion, (lie recovers this fecond Quarter what fhe had loft in the firft, and hy ihac Means comes oppofite to the Sun at her Full. — She, now by the fame Means, continues the like accelerated Motion, till flie arrives at her third Quarter, at the Entrance of which fhe goes on with her flow Motion as before. The above Defcription of the Phenomena of the Moon's Motions, and the Conjediures how they are caufed, feem to make it appear, that the Body of the Moon, and probably the Bodies of all the Planets, are formed much in the fame Manner as this terraqueous Globe is defcnbed to be, ^"^ viz. of a thin Shell on the Outfide, with a large Hollow or Void in the Midft, filled with Fire, Steam, or inflammable Air ^ and confequently of the fame (n) Let. XVI. XVII. Let. XXII. ASTRONOMY. 373 On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. fame fpecifick Gravity with the Ethers that furround them. — Thus the Moon is carried round the Earth by thefe Ethers, in the fame IVlanher as the Earth is round the Sun; and by being ex-^cftly of the fame fpecifick Gra- vity with thefe Ethers, at the fame D:Jiance fhe IS placed from the Earth -, fhe meets with no Refiitance from them, but is carried on by and with them, with as much Eafe as we fee a Glafs Bubble, of the fame fpecifick Gravity with Water, will be carrijd on by it, never altering its Place, but goes with it in the fame eafy Manner as if it was a Part only of the Water; neither can fhe be moved nearer to the Earth : — As the expanfive or projecftile Power or Force of the Light, re- fled:ed from the Earth, prevents it ; nor can flie be carried farther from the Earth, as the compreffing Power of the Spirit, from the Extremities, prevents it : — Which two Powers, by a joint Mixture, being of the fame fpecifick Gravity with the Moon, flie conftantly moves in the fame Diredion that thefe 374 ASTRONOMY. Let. XXII. On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. thefe do, and with as much Eafe as a Bal- loon does. Srnce this Letter was written, Mr. Herfchel\ Difcoveries of the Volcanos in the Moon, confirm the above Conjeftures to be true, and that the B^-dy of the Moon is formed much in the fame Manner as we have defcribed the Earth to be ; indeed it feems difficult to con- .ceive how any large Body of Matter can be fupported and conftrained in the heavenly Spaces, by the furrounding Ethers, unlefs it is of the fame fpecifick Gravity with them 5 and the only Method found or ob- ferved to do it, has been by filling their in- ternal Void with Fire ; by this Means a Body of Gold, or the heavieft Metal, may be made to be of fo fmall fpecifick Gravity as to be forced to the greatefl Dillance from the Earth, by the furrounding Air. — Thus we find that all Nature is formed in a inechanical Manner, and relative to each other in 'Number ^ Weight, and Mea/ure.-^HencQ, as has been already obferved. Let. XXIL ASTRONOMY. 375 On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. obferved, thefe Volcanos, both in the Earth and Moon, appear to be the mofl proper Me- thod to regulate the Gravity of thefe Bodies, to the fpecifick Gravity of the furrounding Ethers. — Thefe Vents being a Means, when- ever the internal Expanfion, from the internal Fire^ becomes too great to throw off and difcharge the fuperfluous Fire, and the re- maining is condenfed, much in the fame Manner as may be obferved in the Fire En- gine ; io that it never can arrive to fuch an Height as to deftroy the Body, unlefs thefe Vents were effediually flopped. ^"^ Mr Baudy, a Citizen of Geneva, a great and able Aftronomer, has publilhed a Letter agamft Mr. JIerfchel\ Difcoveries, wherein he has treated them as imaginary Vifions, for fays he, ** If within the Compafs of his Te« ** iefcope alone, he can count from 60 to 1 10 *' Stars, (Mr. PiBers AfTertion) that may ** prove the Perfedlion of his Infhrument, but ** in (o) p. 312. 37^ ASTRONOMY. Let. XXII. On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. *' in a Zone of 15 Degrees in Length, and 2 ^* in Breadth, could he have {tzn palling in ** an Hour, 50,000 ? j/S prodigious a Kujuher *' could not be fo ealily nor fo readily told !'* He then criticifes thefe Difcoveries in the following Manner. — *' Mr. Herfchel, (fays " he,) a learned Aftronomer, gives Scope to ** his Imagination, but pays no Regard to the ** Reality of his Experiments ; for, (conti- *^ nues he,) by the exadl Obfervations I have *' taken the Pains to make and repeat, in dif- ** ferent Climates of Europe, with excellent ** Telefcopes, I am fure that the moft crowded *' Parts of the Heavens cannot contain fo *^ great a Number of Stars, united in the ** Focus of the beil Inflrument whatever. — *' Whenever the Sky is clear of all Kind of *' Vapours, Stars are, or feem to be in Mo- " tion J fo that their continual Vibration oc- ** cupies t'he Eye in fuch a Manner, that the *' Objecfts multiply in Proportion as you *' count them. — Hhis is what generally de- *' ceives thofe who truji too much to Appear- ** ances ! Let. XXII. A S T R O X O M Y. 377 On the M N and L UNA R M OTI ON S. ^^ ances ! — From thofe Illufions fprang the ** Idea of Volcanos in the Moon, which would ** deftroy the njery Idea of the Planet being in- '* habited as ours/'— Hence I obferve,that not- v/ithftanding the above judicious Remarks of fo able an Altronomer as Mr. Baudy appears to be, yet, I think, with Regard to the Vol- cams in the Moon, he fliould have tried his pre-conceived Idea of the Moon being inhabited by the Matter of Fadi only ;— whether thefe were Volcanos or not ? Since the above Publication of Mr. Baudy, the French Aftronomers appear to have af- certained the Certainty of the Fa6t; for in a Letter M. De la Laude has written in the Paris Journal, dated March 8, 1788, he ob- ferves, that '* on the 13th Inflant, from Se-^ ** ven to Nine in the Evening, Dom. Novet, " one of the Aflronomers of the Royal Ob- ** fervatory, perceived in the unliglitened Part ** of the Moon, what Mr. Her/che/h2iS called *' a Volcano, like a Star of the fixth Magni- c; B '* tude, ;78 ASTRONOMY. Let. XXIL On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS. ^ tude, or one of the cloudy ones, the Bright- Dels of which increafed, from Time to Time, as by Flalhes. — Other Ailronomers have perceived it, and Mr. {ie Villeneuve had feen it before, on the 2 2d of May, 1787. — We cannot, (fays he) therefore doubt of the Exiftance of this Volcano in the Moon, Mr. Herjchel favv it the 4th of iVIay, 1783, and particularly the 19th of April, 1787.— In the Eclipfe of the 24th of June, ijj^y M. d^Ulloa, a well-known Spanifh Aftronomer, had feen on the dark Diflc of the Moon, a bright Point; and in the total Eclipfe of 1715, certain curious Obfervers faw fome Flafhes of Lightning, There is no fenfible Atmofphere. in the Moon, it is true, and Chymifts may dif- pute about the Name of Volcanos being given to fuch apparent Eruption -, but the Name after all is of no Confequence, and we mu ft certainly fubfcribe to Mr. Herjchel's Opinion. — ^This Volcano is fituated in the North-efl Part of the Moon, about three " Minutes Let. XXII. ASTRONOMY. 379 On the MOON and LUNAR MOTIONS, " Minutes from the Moon's Border, towards " the Snot called Helicoii, marl;ed N^, 12, *' in the Figure of the Moon, in my ATrro- ** nomy. As I was defirous of fending you my Theory of the lunar Motions, it has occa- ficned my Letter to be of a greater Length th^n I propofcd. — I had alfo a Defign of fending you my Calculation of the Eclipfe which is to happen on the 25th of this Month J bat fhali now fend it you in a fe- parate Letter next Week. Dear Sir, Tour Friend and Servant, F. PENROSE. TONEHOUSE, July 5, 1786. 380 (9;j A S T R O N O M Y. Let. XXIII. To JOHN HEAVISIDE, Esq. I'o cofifirm what Mr. Penrofe has obferved in his lajt and former Letters. — He has fent Mr. Heavijide a Calculation of the Eclipfe 'which is to happen fitly the 2^th. — It is calculated by the Method made ufe of by the Ancients, to vieafure and record Time : — But to Jloew how certain their Method was, it is alfo calculated according to the pre fent, by Equations and Anomilies.- — It may he re- marked, that both thefe Methods differ from each other only 8 M. 11 S. — That the Pa- triarchs and Chaldeans had more Kfiowledge in .AJlronomy than is generally allowed them . This is proved by the 18 Tears Cycle of Eclipfes, and alfo the 19 Tears Cycle of the Moon, both which, it is certain^ we re- ceived from them, and without thefe Cycles, Ajlronomers would be at a great Lofs. — Data on which the Calculations are made, and Conclufons inferedfrom them. Dear Sir, CCORDING to Promife, I herewith . fend you a Calculation of the Eclipfe which Let. XXIII. On A S T R O N O M Y. 381 which will happen July 25; with a Recapi- tulation of fome former Obfervations, to confirm what has been obferved in my laft and former Letters. — The ancient Patriarchs and the Chaldeans, meafured their Time, and recorded Events, by the fimple, eafy, and natural fvlethod of keeping an Account of the Days and Years. — That this Account might be remembered with the greatefl: Ex- aftnefs, Mofes tells us, God ordered the Sabbath Day, (or Cycle of i^v^n Days) to be kept as a Feflival, in Commemoration of the Creation, and to tranfmit to Pofterity, an Account, that the Powers and Operations of the heavenly Bodies, were not eternal, nor inherent in them, but was given to them by Him. — And. in Order to commemorate their Months, they were ordered to keep the newy or: firji Appearance of the Moon, as a Feflival alfo; that, by this Means, it might not be forgot. — And that they fliould not miftake or forget when one Year or annual Revolu- tion ended and another began, they were to keep the Feaft of Ingathering, at the E?2d or Rivohition of the Year, after the Fruits of the 382 On ASTRONOMY. Let. XXIII. the Earth were ripe and gathered in. ^^^ -^ — That this was the M-^thod in Ufe about fix hundred Years after the Flood, is moft cer- tain j for when Jacob v/as brought before Pharoah, Pharoah faid unto him, *' /jow old *' art thou'' — In the Margin of the Bible, til ere is a literal Tranflation of the Hebrew, *' How many are the Days of the Teats of *' th/ Life. ^'^5 Jacob anfwered in the fame Style, *' An hundred and thirty Years ; few ** and evil have the Days of the Tears of my " Life been." — This fhews us that it was the Method of Computation then in Ufe, both by the Patriarchs, and alfo by the Egyp- tians, who were fuppofed to be poiTcfTed of the greatefl Learning. — After this, by fome Means or other, Aftronomers either dropt or lofc this Method of mcafuring and keeping an Account by Days and Tears-, and Unce that Time, have made their Calculations, by dividing the annual Orbit of the Earth into 360 Degrees, and meafured it accordingly; and not by the Number of Days as Nature performs it, and as the ancient Patriarchs did *p) fntioduftion, P. sg.— (q) Intioduft, P. £8, Let, X. P. 235. Let. XXIII. Or A S T R O N O M Y. 383 did it. — By this Means, in Order to make the 365^ Rotations of the Earth, in her an- nual Orbit, to tally and agree with the 360 Degrees of the Equator, they were oblig.-rd to contrive and ufe artificial Numbers. — in my Calculations, I have adopted the ancient Method, as the moft eafy and certain, and the Method Nature directs. It appears to me that the Patriarchs and Chaldeans had more Knowledge in Aflronomy than is generally attributed to them. — Nay, it appears by what I obferved in my lafi: Let- ter, on the lunar Motions, that they knew very well how to calculate the Return of an Eclipfe. — It is allowed by all, that we re- ceived the Cycle of 1 8 Years, for the Calcu- lation of the Return of Eclipfes, from them -, which is called the Chaldean Cycle to this Time. — We alfo received the lunar Cycle of 19 Years from them; for we are certain, that MetOy the Athenian Afbronomer, made ufe of it more than 430 Years before Chriil:. ^'^ — Now, Sir, take away thefe two Cycles from Aftronomers, 'i' Diodorus ScuhiS; LIB, 12, P, 305. 384 Oji a S T R O N O M Y. Let. XXIII. Aftronomers, and they will find themfclves at a great Lofs, notwithflanding the aftoniili- ing Improvements in Arts and Sciences, par- ticularly in Optlcks. — For my Part, I do freely acknowledge, (notwithftanding it is fo unpopular to do it, in an Age when all Spe- culations which aggrandize the Dignity of Reafon, are fo eagerly received,) that I can- not conceive how Adam, jufl after he was created, could have Knowledge and Under- (landing fufficient to give ideal Names to all Animals, &c. unlefs that Power was given from God» — If God gave him a Power to fpeak and underftand Language 5 is it un- reafonable to fuppofe that he had Inftrudions from the fame Original, how to calculate and know when the appointed Seafons were, which God commanded him to keep holy ? It belongs o?2/y to a Tyrant to make Laws wdiich cannot be obferved i — Mofes taught the Ifraelites when to /fegin their Days, their Weeks, Months, and Years. — This has much the Appearance of Chronology and Aflro- nomy ! It Let. XXIII. On AST R O N O M Y. 385 It is allowed by All, that Aflronomers calculate Eclipfes, ('vvhich arc not of long ftanding) with great Precifion ; therefore, in Order to confirm what has been obferved, I herewith fend you Calculations of the fuc- ceeding Eclipfe, (which will happen on July 25,) by both Methods, viz. the ancient one, by Days, Years, and Lunations, and the pre- fent one by Equations and Anomalies, from which you may obferve, that the Difference of Time is 8 Minutes and 1 1 Seconds only : But the Calculations of all Eclipfes, by both Methods, will not always agree with the fame Exadlnefs ^ for the Motions of the Moon with the Earth, are fo various and complicated and eccentrick, that the Angle of her viiible Appearance often deceives us, fo that equal, true, calculated Time will net agree with that of Obfervation, occafioned by the Eccentricity of the Moon's Motions, and the Angle of Vilion. — This Difference is occafioned much in the fime Manner as the variable Angle the Shadow of the Sun makes on a Dial, and the equable and true Divifion of it by a well regulated Clock, — 7 C Hence, 386 Oti A S T R O N O M Y. Let. XXIIL Hence, when wc truft too much to Ap- pearances and Obfervations alone, (as Mr. Baady obferves) they often deceive us, as all Aftronomers allow. — But, as thefe Calcula- tions of Time, and the Places of the Sun, Moon, and Earth, by Days, Years, and Lu- nations, cannot deceive us, they are therefore the moil proper and certain to try Chronology by, and to nieafurc the Diftance between any two Points of Time. In my former Letters, I have endeavoured to prove, that the Year of the Creation, ac- cording to the Mofaic Chronology, happened at the autumnal Equinox, in the Year an- fwering to 706, of the Julian Period 5 and that at this very Point or Inftant of Time, the Duration of this terraqueous Globe is to be dated from. ^^^^- In that Point, I have made all Calculation to begin, and to end at fome certain Inftant of Time, in which we cannot be miftaken or deceived ; as at an Equinox or Eclipfe. Now, (f) Introdu^on, P. 7, Let, X. Let. XXIII. Ora A STRONG MY. 387 Now, if we know the Number of the Rotations the Equator has rmdc between thefe two Points, we muft be mathematically certain of its Length and Duration. ('^ And to fhew you that it will do fo, I have col- le>fled the following Data, and prove, by Calculation, that thefe Data are true. I ft That at the Creation, the Sun was placed in Libra, at Noon, in the firft Meri- dian, on a Thurfday, the fourth Day of the Week ; when, according to the Molaic Hif- tory. Chronology began. 2dly, That the Mofaic Chronology places the Year of the Creation, in the Y^ear 706, according to the Julian Period. 3d, That if the Moon had been in Being, fhe would have been Full the Day before, at Noon, 4th, That there were four Days, or four Rotations of the Earth, before the Sun was placed in the Haevens. 5 th. (t) Inlroduaion, P. i6, 78 itQ. 388 0« A ST RO N O M Y. Let. XXIII. 5th» That Mofes begins his Chronology on the fourth Day of the Week, at fix o' Clock in the Evening, at the going oft of the Sun, when the Moon made her Ap- pearance, and they then jointly began to per- form the Office God defigned them for; to point out Times, Sea/ons, Days, and Tears ;— and that they then enlightened the whole Earth from Pole to Pole. ("^^ This Year, (1786) is the 6499th of the Julian Period; therefore in Order to know the Number of annual Revolutions, fince the Creation, I fubflrad: 706 from 6499, which leave 5793; the Number of annual Revolutions fince that Time; the lafl of which will be compleated at this next au- tumnal Equinox, at the next Full Moon af- ter the Sun enters Libra. — Hence we can meafure the Diflance between thefe two Points with a mathematical Exaclnefs, fupe- rior to a Surveyor meafuring a Garden Walk with his Wheel ; and that as Nature per- forms it, by Days, Months, and Years. [u] Let. X, XIV. Let. XXIII. On A S T R O N O M Y. 389 The C A L C U L yV T I O N. A. D. 1786 Multiply by theNumber of 1 Julian Years Minutes a Julian Year is i. 5793 longer than a Solar Trop. j n 5793 5793 DiviJeby Numb, of Years 1 1440x63723/^44 Days which compleat the Sun's > 75760 V. Cycle 3 * 6123 5760 363 Hours in a Day — — — 24 1452 726 Divide 1 440 \ 871 2/6 Hours i\5712/( ;864ol 72 Minutes in an Hour 60 Minutes 1440N432O/C y432oV 0000 Julian 390 Cn ASTRONOMY. Let. XXIII. Julian Ycarj. -A-M. 5793 A. I. P. 6499 1461 Num. of Quadrants in a Quadriennium. 5793 34753 23172 5793 Days. H. M.(J. Y. Years in Quadriennlum 4x8463573/21 15893 6 oin5793 ) x\ 44 6 3 Rctroc. Sun in Libra 2115848 23 57 iftM» add to bring Meridian of Greenwich ir» 24 Sun in Libra 2115849 10 21 Lond. Days from Kalends of Jan. to Ocl. 25 298 2116147 10 2t Julian BifText. 11 D. deduft for N.S. 2115882 Days from January 1 ft inclufive 265 10 21 Sun in Libra, Sept. 22 10 21 According to thofe Calculations, the Sun will enter Libra this Year, at Greenwich Obfervatory, Sept. 22dDay, lothHour, 21 ft Minute, and that it was placed in Libra, at the Creation, (or in the 706 of the Julian Period,) at Noon, in the firfl Meridian, Od. 25.— But as Mofes begins his Chronology at Six o'clock in the Evening, when the Moon was Let. XXIII. 071 ASTRONOMY. 39! was placed nearly in Oppofitioii to the San, being a little paft its Full, the two Lumi- naries together enlightened the whole Earth. Thefe fix Hours being added, brings it to fix in the Evening, Odt. 25th Day, 6th Hour, o Minute, P. M. Another Method, D. H M. Retroceffion 44 6 3 Bcdu6l for N. S. 11 33 6 3 Deduft for Meridian of Greenwich 10 24 32 19 39 D. H. M. oa. 25 6 o Sept. 30 added to make a Subflraftion 55 ^ ° 32 19 39 true RetrocelTion Sept. 22 10 21 Mofes informs us that his Chronology be- gan at Six o'clock in the Evening, which was fix Hours after the Sun was placed in Libra-, hence it may be obferved, that it was the firft Year of the ^adrienniiim -, therefore if we add One to the Year of the World, 392 On ASTRONOMY. Let. XXIII. World, it will always give us the Year of the ^adi'ienniiwi, by dividing that Sum by four, the Remainder the Year fought. Thus 5793 Divide 4^5794^1448 Second This Hiftory alfo lets us know, that the Sun was placed in the Heavens, and the Earth began her annual Orbit on a Thurf- day, the fourth Day of the Week ; therefore if we add thofe four extra. Days^ to the Number of Rotations the Earth has lince made, and divide the whole Number by Seven, it will give us the Number of Weeks fince the Creation, and the Remainder will be the Day of the Week. Thus we find, that from the Sun's enter- ing Libra, in the Year 706, A. I. P. to Sept, 22, this Year, when the Sun enters hibray the Earth will have performed 5793 annual Revolutions, and Let. XXIII. On ASTRONOMY. 393 2115849 Rotations round its Axis 4 extra. Days Divide 7\2i i5853/'302264 Weeks ) 5 1 Friday According to this Cal- culation, we find that Sept. 22, 1786, being the fecond Year of the Ouadriennium, -^vill be on a Friday, the fifth Day oF the WecJc. Having now proved, by Calculation, that the Sun will enter Libra this Year, Sept. 2 2d Day, loth Kour, 2ifl Minute, on a Friday, as it will be found to do from Ob- fervation : — I lliall now try if the lunar Mo- tions, meafured by the Rotations of the Equator, as they are performed by Nature, will alfo confirm the fame. A. M. 5793 ending at the autumnal Equinox. Julian Years. Years in a Cycle, divide by 19^5793 ''304 n5793, J )57 ^ 93 76 17 Lunal Lions in a Year 12 204 Inters atory Lunatio! IS 5 209 3 D 394 Ore A S T R O N O M Y. Let. XXUr 304 235 Lunations 1520 912 608 71440 Lunations 209 Lunar Years 12 j 71649/5970 116 108 84 84 09 Lunations Lunar Years. Years in a Pe ricd 30^970/- 199 Pe 297 270 270 270 The Moon's Lunations -being a fmall Fradlon lefs than 29 D. 12 H. 44 M. i S. 45 T, caufe one Day, (as may be obferved) to be thrown off in 138 Periods, or 49,680 Lunations. Rotations Let. XXIII. On ASTRONOMY. 395 Rotations or Days H. M. S. In 138 Periods are 1467078 '24) 9 00 In 60 Ditto 637860 lo 30 00 In t Ditto 10631 o 10 30 In 9 Lunations 265 i8 36 15 Full Moon, ift Meridian 2115835 5 25 45 add to bring to Greenwich Obfcrvatory 10 24 Full Moon, London 2115835 15 49 45 add Days from Kalends of Jan. to 061 24 2*^7 2ii6i3'> 15 49 45 Julian Biffex. ii D. deduft for N. S. 2115882 Days from Jan. 1 inclufive 250 15 49 45 Full Moon, Sept. 7 ^5 49 45 to bring to New Moon add Half Lunation 14 18 J2 New Moon, Sept. 22 10 11 45 This is Sep':.' 22d D. loth H, 11th M. 45 S. Morning, accord nj to the Julian Reckon- Full Moon 2115835 4 extra. Days 7> 2115839/302262 / 5 V Friday. According to the preceding Calculations, the Sun will enter Libra, at the Greenwich Obfervatory, Friday, Sept. 22d Day, loth Hour, 2 1 11 Minute, (1786,) being the le- cond Year after the Quadriennium, or after Leap 396 On A is T R O N O M Y. Let. XXIII. Leap Year. — The Earth will then have per- formed, fince file entered Libra, A. L Pc- Rotations or Diys H. M. 706 2II5849 10 21 In which Time the Moon will have mace .71,649 Revolutions round the Earth, from Sun to Sun, which flie has performed in Days. H. M. 2115835 *5 49 Full Moon. 14 18 32 £PACT Kalf Lunation 14 18 22 New Moon 19 EPACT D. H. M. New Moon, Sept. 22 10 11 Half Lunation 14 18 22 Full Moon 7 15 2 '-Tuelday According to thefe Calculations, this Ecliple ot" Let. XXIII. On ASTRONOMY. 399 of the Sun will 25th D. 8th H. now try what is gufons 'Tables, happen on a Tuefday> Jul/ 43d M. 42d S. We will the Time according to Fer^ O . CO o P Q ^S* (/J »H 00 O CO "5 CO s o c < 05 ■73 -»*ooo , 00 CO '^' CO M CO CO -< o CO C/3 C c-1 • CO "^ O '^ CO 00 5 ° > w 3 o o c 2 o y .5 >^ Si o •-rt yj CO « C '^^ o . o K 00 00 33 fcfi Q ^ G 2 .2 rr' r3 W ^^ ^ ;^-a ::; Oli H 3.2 -* 3 CO 3 5 C O O ci c/3 CO c o o 2^ 3 « 1X> 00 CO fi CO '^ (M 0-3 CO 10 CO rp uo ^ uo 10 00 rt ^O O) o CI ■^ CO CO -• >, 3 40O On A S T R O N O M Y. Let. XXIII. By comparing both thefe Calculations to- gether, viz. that from the Time and Place of the Sun and Moon at the Creation, accord- ing to Mofes's Hiftory of them, meafured by the Rotations of the Equator, as Nature per- forms them ; the other from Fergiijhns ta- bles, which being fome of the new^fc, we take it for granted that they are moft correcft. By comparing both thofe Calculations toge- ther, we find a Difference of 8 Minutes and 1 1 Seconds only. — Suppofiag Fergufofis Ta- bles to be precifely true, this fmall Quantity of Difference in Time, can be of no Confe- quence in 5793 Years or annual Revolutions. Let it be obferved, that there were here two Points given, viz. the autumnal Equi- nox, 706, of the Julian Period, and the autumnal Equinox, 6499, ^^ ^^^ fame Pe- riod. — Between thefe two Points the Earth has performed 5793 Revolutions- round the Sun, and 2, 1 1 5>790 Rotations round its Axis. During this Time the Moon has made 71,647 Revolutions round the Earth, and Half of another, when flie interfered the Earth's Orbit, Let. XXIII. On ASTRONOMY. 401 Orbit, and caufed an Eclipfe of the Sun. — . Both thefe are meafured by the equable Ro- tations of the Equator. From the Facfls and Obfervations In my former Letters, confirmed by the above Cal- culations, I fhall infer the following Con- clufions. I ft. That the equable Rotation of the Equator, round its Axis, is the Root or Standard by which Diftaqce, Duration, and Progreffion of Time are meafured, — By di- viding the Equator into twenty-four Parts or Hours, the Duration and Progreffion of Time is known; by its being divided into 360 De- grees, that of Meafurc or Diftance.— Thus a Revolution of 15 Degrees in Meafure, an- fwers exactly to an Hour, or the twenty- fourth Part of the Revolution of the Equa- tor. — In a Minute of Time there will be a Revolution of 15 Minutes of the Equator. — In a Second, a Revolution of 15 Seconds. — Hence, by knov/ing the Diftance or Number of Rotations and Degrees moved forward, or 3 E the 402 Cn ASTRONOMY. Let. XXIII. the Length of Time pafl, the other may be as eafily known, by converting Rotations and Degrees into Time, or ^' contra. Time into Meafure. ^ Thus the Diftance between any two Points of Time, ^// 5emg a Strait Line) may be meafured with the greateft Exacftnefs and Precifion; for the Number of Rotations the Equator makes, is a ftrait Line, the exad: Length between thefe two Points:— and it is the Property of a flrait Line to meafure the Diilance between two Points, with a Mathe- matical Exaclnefs, — By the equable Rotation of the Equator, the annual Orbit is meafured. By the fame Means, the Moon's Lunations, and her other Motions are meafured -, and by this Method the foregoing Eclipfe, and all the others, have been meafured and calculated ^ which Method will always prove mathema- tically true, if we know the Number of Ro- tations, and the Remainder, between any tvv^o Points, let their Diflance be ever fo great, as may be obferved in the foregoing Calculations.— The m.athematical Exadlnefs of Let. XXIII. On ASTRONOMY. 403 of this Meafure may be obferved, as you may begin at either Point, or at any intervening Eclipfe, and they will all come out the fame, which nol^abies already formed have been able to do. — This Calculation begins at the Point when the Moon came firfc in Oppofition to the Sun, after the Sun entered Libra, 706, of the Julijn Period; and ends at the Point of Interfediion, when the Moon will be in Conjunction with the Sun, the 25th of this Month. — In this you have not only the Mea- fure between thefe two Points, by the Earth's Orbit, but you have alfo the Point where the Moon, in her Orbit round the Earth, interfedts the Earth in her annual Revolution round the Sun.— The Moon does not meafure her own Orbit or Motions ! but by her In- terfecftions of the Earth's Orbit, with the Affiilance of the twelve Signs or Stars, Chro- nology is afcertained, and Times and Seafons pointed out with a mathematical Precifion. 2dly, That as Calculations may be made equally true between any one, two, ten, or ten thoufand Years, (each beginning and end- ing 404 On ASTRONOMY. Let. XXIII. ing when the Sun enters Libra, making thefe Calculations according to 365 Days, 5 Hours, 49 Minutes, being the exad Length of the folar tropical Year;) fo it muft prove that the Length of the folar Year is 365 Days, 5 Hours, 45 Minutes exactly. — And alfo that the Length of the Year is precifely the fame it was 5793 Years ago. 3dly. That as all or any one of the Moon's Interfed:ion of the Earth, in her annual Or- bit, may be calculated with equal Exadlnefs ; fo I conclude, that the Length of her Lu- nation is properly afcertained; and that in 706, (the Year of the Julian Period, when the Creation happened, according to the Mo- faic Chronology,) Ihe was precifely in the Place in the Heavens alTigned to her 3 — that her Orbit is exactly of the fsme Length it was 5793 Years ago; and that flie is now no nearer the Earth than flie was then. 4thly- I conclude, (as thefe Calculations prove) that the Moon was Full, or in exad Oppofition to the Sun, Od:, 24, at Noon, in Let. XXIII. On A S T R O N O M Y. 405 in the 706th Year of the Julian Period. — . That the Sun entered Libra that Year, 06t. 25, at Noon, one whole Rotation of the Earth, after the Moon was in Oppofition to the Sun.— That this happened on a Thurf- day, the fourth Day of the Week. — That the Moon rofe and began to enlighten the Earth at fix o'CIock in the Evening, fix Hours after the Sun was placed in the Hea- vens, when the Chronology of Time began. That the Moon was then thirty Hours pafl her Oppofition, but that her Declination was fo fmall, as not to prevent the Sun and Moon to enlighten the WHOLE Earth. -That the Moon, by being departed one Quadrant, or fix Hours, fron^the Sun, fliews us that 706,- A. 1, P. mufl be the Beginning of the fe- cond Year of the Quadriennium. 5thly, That thefe Places of the Sun and Moon, in the Heavens, the Year of the Quar driennium, the Day of the Week, and the Minute of the Day, have not happened again fince that Time, viz. in 5793 Years; nor can it happen again for many Thoufind Years to con:i:e. I 4o5 On A S T R O N O M Y. Let. XXIII. I now conclude with afTuring you, that I am, with great Truth, Dear Sir, Tour real and affeBmiate Friend ^ F. PENROSE. STONEHOUSE, jfulj 12, 1786. FINIS, ERRATA. Page 4— —Line 4, for Equatereal, read Equacorcal . Bottom 8 /or let: XVII. rea^ LET. XXIII. Bottom 10 for LET, VII. read LET. XI. 12 14, /"or Elipfe, riaf/ Ellipfc. 18, aWeThat 13 iG, /"oris, read are, Laft Line, ybr Anomilies, read Anomalies. 15 4, ^?/c by. 16 i55/c)r Elipfe, r^ai Ellipfe. 20 19, Note at Bottom for Horns, read Focus, atid is for are. 25 2, /or 3420, read 4320. 10, for 1783, read 1753. Bottom 26- >r LET. VIII. r?^^ LET. X. 33 ■ ■ ' « 3,/or tln5, re«c^ their. 4}/'"' their, read this. 37 — 1 7,yor reftify, read rctxlties. ^1 . 1 i.ybr Equinox, reaof Equinoxes. 52 24, /"or Strauchas, rc^^ Slrauchius. 6i 12, for Portcs, read Partes. 74 ■■ " !■ ■ 10, for Sceptic, read Skeptick. 78 ■■■■ 4, /or 21 16214, rtYic'/ 2116219. — 6. _/or 30:1:6, read '^'-t 2 21 J. ■ 7}/'^''^ *^'^^o Days, read Nothing. — ii,foriixth, readiouv. . -^-ifor Saturday, read Thurfciay. c)6— * for 1 1 H. read 1 Hour. 102 21, y"or 5th Hour, read loth Hour. 139 ■ — - 1, /or America, rt'aa! Africa. 175 ' '■ 18, /or eliptical, read eUiptical. 207 2,/or Placentia, rda<^ Placenta;. 237 ' 17,/or Aflumitions, reifli Afl'unitions. 274 ■' " ■ 9, /or would, rtfW could. oyy 13}/'-"' Q'^cJ"i-'g; ^'-^^'^ Querying. 1:79—.——— y, after not, irfert i\t. 316- 1 2,/or Vortix, r^-rt^ Vortex. 362 — 6, afcr 44 F. read more. 363 9if'''' '^^^'s, read the. 08c 9, /"i^r Anomilies, reaii Anomalies. ri UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A 000 087 045 i