NOVUM ORQANUM 197 



if it be granted that the earth is fixed; but if the earth 

 revolves, it may perhaps happen, that from the unequal 

 revolution (as regards velocity) of the earth and the waters 

 of the sea, there may be a violent forcing of the waters into 

 a mass, forming the flood, and a subsequent relaxation of 

 them (when they can no longer bear the accumulation), 

 forming the ebb. A separate inquiry must be made into 

 this. Even with this hypothesis, however, it remains 

 equally true, that there must be an ebb somewhere, at the 

 same time that there is a flood in another quarter. 



Again, let the required nature be the latter of the two 

 motions we have supposed; namely, that of a rising and 

 subsiding motion, if it should happen that upon diligent 

 examination the progressive motion be rejected. We have, 

 then, three ways before us, with regard to this nature. The 

 motion, by which the waters raise themselves, and again 

 fall back, in the floods and ebbs, without the addition of 

 any other water rolled toward them, must take place in one 

 of the three following ways: Either the supply of water 

 emanates from the interior of the earth, and returns back 

 again; or there is really no greater quantity of water, but 

 the same water (without any augmentation of its quantity) 

 is extended or rarefied, so as to occupy a greater space and 

 dimension, and again contracts itself; or there is neither an 

 additional supply nor any extension, but the same waters 

 (with regard to quantity, density, or rarity) raise themselves 

 and fall from sympathy, by some magnetic power attracting 

 and calling them up, as it were, from above. Let us then 

 (passing over the first two motions) reduce the investiga 

 tion to the last, and inquire if there be any such elevation 

 of the water by sympathy or a magnetic force; and it is evi 

 dent, in the first place, that the whole mass of water being 



