Curmlineal Sterns of Ships. 223 



and to which our country, at the present time, owes so much of her 

 welfare, prosperity, and power, we may draw innumerable maxims 

 to prove the impropriety of chaining'^ ourselves to systems which 

 have nothing but the authority of time to recommend them, and 

 from which science withdraws her countenance and support. The 

 present indeed is an age of brilliant and unbounded improvement ; 

 and every day brings us new accessions of knowledge and new 

 triumphs of genius over the obstacles of nature ; and therefore naval 

 architecture, which is but just emerging from the slumber of ages, 

 and from the trammels of imperfect and antiquated rules, ought by 

 no means to be checked in its career. The present time, also, is 

 one peculiarly auspicious for an inquiry of this kind. Peace and 

 tranquillity extend every where ; and we have just that degree of 

 naval activity, that will enable us silently, but effectually, to carry 

 into our marine every improvement that the enlarged experience 

 and science of modern times can afford, — to increase to the utmost 

 the mechanical strength and the means of defence of our floating 

 bulwarks, and likewise the means of navigating them securely 

 across the uncertain bosom of the deep. 



Plymouth, July 1, 1824. 



Art. II. On the Motion of the Heart. By James Alderson, 

 Esq., B.A., Fellow o/ Pembroke College, Cambridge, and 

 of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. 



[Communicated by the Author.] 



In our researches into the phenomena of nature, it is absolutely 

 necessary that we not only distinguish theory from mere hypo- 

 thesis, but that we do not rest our inquiries on any thing short of 

 absolute demonstration ; and although " jurare in verba magistri" 

 may be admitted in so clear a case as the circulation of the blood, 

 discovered and demonstrated by the immortal Harvey, yet we are 

 by no means justified in giving the same degree of consequence to 

 the opinions of the Hunters on the heart's motion, though their 



