i 



Effects of the Orbicular and Rotary Motion of the Earth. 431 



natural phaenomena. For this purpose observers register facts, 

 and philosophers infer the causes from the phaenomena by a lo- 

 gical process of induction. 



The design of the present essay is to determine the causes of 

 all those phaenomena, on which philosophical observers have 

 hitherto conferred the name of Gravitation or Attraction, and 

 which is vulgarly designated by the name of Weight. Owing to 

 ■what cause or causes does a body fall to the earth ? — Why does 

 a projectile return to the earth ? — These are the questions which 

 it is here proposed to answer. 



The Newtonians, and all the modern schools of philosophy, 

 have been unable to solve these problems; or, finding themselves 

 unable, thev have been unwilling to discuss them, or even tolerate 

 their discussion : while the Theologians have been desirous of re- 

 /erring this power to the proximate agency of the Deity. It is., 

 'however, the duty of genuine philosophers to persevere in spite 

 of difficulties and obscurities; and of wise theologians to exalt 

 their notions of the Deity by contemplating the sublime and 

 simple mechanism of secondary causes. 



In the present case, the phaenomena consist in the apparent 

 influence of one body upon another, though they are not in con- 

 tact, and though no visible, mechanical agency appears to exist 

 between them ; and in their approach to each oihcr by certaia 

 laws of accelerated motion, as a result of apparently continued 

 and reiterated forces. 



What, however, are the circinnstances in which the bodies so 

 acting upon each other are placed, a*", in the case of a stone pro- 

 jected from, or falling to, the earth ? The Earth is a globe of 

 heterogeneous materials, moving roiuul the sun in every year, at 

 ich distance, that its mean rate of motion, in round numbers, 

 - 100,000 feet in a second of time ; and the stone moves with 

 ihe earth in the same orbit, partaking conjointly with it of the 

 -ame mean motion of 100,000 feet in every second. Nor will 

 any one doubt that, at the time the earth and atmosphere are 

 performing this orbicular motion, they are also performing a ro. 

 •ary motion in every twenty-foin- hours, which rotiiry motion 

 arries bodies on the earth's surface through a space, at the 

 •-quator, of 12.30 feet in a second, or one-eightieth of the orbi- 

 • liar motion. 



The whole earth, then, with all bodies upon the earth, and 



lie atmosphere, are subject to these combined motions and 



;'»rccs; and, in this passive state, the questions are: by Vviiat 



!.iw or laws the heterogeneous particulars are kept together ? 



id how, if the position-.; are disturbed, ihoie positions are re- 



. • <ncd ? 



Snppose 



