ADVERTISEMENT. XXI 



Univerfe. My higheft' ambition is the delight of 

 difcovering fome new rays of it, and, hencefor- 

 ward, my moll ardent vvifli is to have the remainder 

 of my days illuminated by it, to the exclufion, as 

 far as I am perfonally concerned, of that vain, 

 fantaftical, unfatisfying, inconftant glory, which 

 the world gives and takes away at pleafure. 



I have been thus difFufe on the right which I 

 claim to the difcovery of the caufe of the Currents 

 and Tides, from the melting of the polar ices, be- 

 caufe, having oppofed to moft of the received 

 opinions on that fubjeâ:, many obfervations which 

 I challenge as my own, if each required a fpecial 

 manifesto, to afcertain my property in it, there 

 would be no end to my advancing fuch preten- 

 fions. Befides, if they (liall acquire fo much ce- 

 lebrity as to procure me, according to the fpirit 

 of the age in which we live, perfidious applaufc, 

 underhand perfecution, affeded commiferation, 

 all calculated to blaft my uncertain, tardy, and hi- 

 therto hardly budding fortunes, I folemnly de- 

 clare that, aflbciated with no party, and able to 

 oppofe no one but myfelf fingly to every new ad- 

 verfary, inftead of cramming the public prints, as 

 the cuftom is, with recrimination, abufe, com- 

 plaint, lamentation, the wafte of time, I fhall de- 

 fend myfelf only on my own ground, and fliall 

 oppofe to my enemies, whether fecret or avowed, 

 b 3 Truth ; 



