ADVERTISEMENT. XlU 



my confidence, with the new rays which her hght 

 diffufed, recolle6ling diat die mofl: celebrated fcho- 

 lars had been, in all ages, as much blinded by their 

 own errors, as the illiterate are by thofe of other 

 people. Befides, in order to deted the inconfequent 

 reafoning of modern Aftronomers, it was neceflary 

 to employ only fome principles of Geometry, which 

 are level to my capacity, and to that of all m.ankind. 

 Accordingly, having full conviftion, from a mul- 

 titude of obfervations, meteorological, nautical, 

 vegetable, and animal, that the waters of the polar 

 ices had a natural proclivity fouthward as far as 

 the Equator, and vexed at being contradidled by 

 the operations, more celebrated than they deferve 

 to be, of Geometricians, I had the courage to exa- 

 mine their refults, and became convinced, that 

 they ought to be the fame with my own. In a 

 former Edition, I prefented both the one and the 

 other to the Public : theirs remain without a de- 

 fence, and mine (land un impeached, though with- 

 out declared partifans. In a fécond Edition, I 

 have demonftrated their error on the principles of 

 Geometry ; I now expeâ: a decifion from the 

 confcience of every candid Reader. 



By the prejudices of education our Aftrono- 

 mers have been thus mifled ; thofe prejudices 

 which, from infancy, attach us, without refleding, 

 to fafhionable errors, that lead to fortune, and 



which 



