242 IMr. Ivory on the Figure of the Earth. 



the ground, the use that has been made of them in this coun- 

 try, and persisted in for so great a length of time, by men who 

 certainly advanced nothing of their own to apologize for their 

 conduct, can never be repaired, whether it be considered in 

 point of real injury, or as harassing the feelings of one with 

 whom they had no pretence to interfere in the inexcusable 

 manner they have done. 



2ndly, The true conditions for the equilibi'ium of a liomo- 

 geneous planet in a fluid state, deduced a priori from the 

 principles of hydrostatics, without neglecting any cause tend- 

 ing to change the figure of the fluid, are given, for the first 

 time, in the Phil. Trans, for 1S24. 



I do not pretend that no faults can be found with the inves- 

 tigation I have there given, although the faults are not of great 

 moment. I know well that, in following my original ideas, I 

 have not succeeded in reducing the reasoning to the utmost de- 

 gree of simplicity, as will appear from the work I have in hand, 

 which will speedily be published. It is very probable too, 

 that, in writing hastily and under great irritation, I may have 

 fallen into some inadvertencies in answering objections not 

 easily disentangled without going back to the first principles 

 of the equilibrium of fluids, the theory of which is incorrectly 

 laid down, as far as this problem is concerned. But I appre- 

 hend there is nothing in all this that will appear very extra- 

 ordinary to those who judge candidly, and are acquainted with 

 the progress of scientific discovery. Are all former writings 

 on this problem perfectly correct? And what are all the ob- 

 jections, without exception, that have been urged against me ? 

 The solution of the problem 1 have published is perfectly ex- 

 act : and, although no part of the celestial mechanics has 

 been more copiously treated, the only way in which the dif- 

 ficulties that occur can be overcome, has escaped the pene- 

 tration of every geometer from the time of Clairaut, in 1743, 

 to the latest publication on the subject in 1829. 



One objection has been brought forward, which, as it may 

 operate against my intended publication, ought now to be rec- 

 tified and removed. I allude to a note published in the Phi!. 

 Trans, for 1826. I am persuaded that the author of the note 

 is now convinced that it is founded on misapprehension. And 

 as the Royal Society has given publicity to the note, it is not 

 too much to expect from its justice that it will be induced to 

 reconsider the matter. The subject I press upon its atten- 

 tion has always remained the least satisfactory part of the 

 system of Newton, and the part in which the least improve- 

 ment has been made; and, if we may judge from the interest 

 which other scientific societies have taken in the research, we 



may 



