192 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



it has been gradually rifing, till now it 

 contains an angle with this plane of 66^ 

 3o'3i'~ ; and that, in a long period of 

 time, it will become perpendicular to this 

 plane ; when we fliall have every where a 

 continual fpring throughout the year. 

 The Chevalier de Louville and M. Godin 

 pretend even to compute the period of 

 this motion ; the former having gone to 

 Marfeilles to meafure the variation of this 

 obliquity from the time when Pitheas mea- 

 fured it at the fame place 2000 years ago; 

 he found it diminifhed by 20', and thence 

 eftimates the period of this motion to be 

 above 2 millions of years. M. Godin has 

 fince found, that, from the year 1655 to 

 1734, it decreafed 55 ', by comparing an 

 obfervation of old M. CafTmi's with his 

 €Wn, and thence deduces the period to be 

 1944000 years. And hence fome authors 

 have endeavoured to explain feveral old 

 Egyptian and Babylonifh traditions, con- 

 cerning the fun's having rifen twice in the 

 weft ; and have taken occafion to indulge 

 themfelves in feveral fpecuUtions. 



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