ADVERTISEMENT. Xvli 



the natural objeds of thefe Studies, one of them has 

 advanced, as I am told, that I had borrowed my 

 Theory of the Tides by means of the polar ices, 

 from certain Latin Authors. This Theory is at 

 laft, it feems, gaining profelytes, fince it is exciiing 

 envy. 



To that imputation this is my anfwer. Had I 

 known of any Latin Author who afcribed the Tides 

 to the melting of the polar ices, I would certainly 

 have named him, as a piece of juftice, which the 

 defign of nay Work, as well as every principle of 

 confcience, demanded of me. I have not had, like 

 fo many Philofophers, the vanity of creating, at my 

 eafe, a World after my own fancy : but 1 have en- 

 deavoured, with no fmall labour, to colle<5t the 

 feveral pieces of the plan of that in which we live, 

 difperfed among the men of all ages, and of all 

 nations, who have obferved it with the greateft 

 care. Accordingly, I have taken my ideas of the 

 allongration of the Earth at the Poles, from Chil- 



drey, Kepler, Tycho-Brhaé, Caffini and above all, 



from the operations of modern Aftronomers j of 

 the extent of the frozen Oceans which cover the 

 Poles, from Denis, Barents, Cook, and all the Na- 

 vigators of the North and South Seas ; of the an- 

 cient deviation of the Sun from the Ecliptic, from 

 Egyptian Traditions, Chinefe Annals, and even 

 from the Grecian Mythology ; of the total fufion 



VOL. I, b of 



