142 NOMOS. 



for every day of the month, but we do not repeat 

 the letters ; for, after the first, the meaning of each 

 diagram will be sufficiently obvious. 



The first glance at these diagrams is sufficient to 

 show that the tides must be referred to lunar rather 

 than to solar influence, whatever that influence may 

 be. They travel around the earth as the moon travels, 

 and very nearly in the same relative position to that 

 luminary. Another glance is sufficient to show that 

 the influence of the moon can scarcely be attractive 

 in its character. We may, perhaps, suppose that 

 the tide behind the moon is caused by lunar attrac- 

 tion ; but not without difficulty. This tide, indeed, 

 is too far behind the moon to allow of this supposi- 

 tion, unless the attraction operates by drawing the 

 land under the water; for it is assuming a great 

 deal to suppose that the wave lags so much as to 

 be nearly twelve hours after the moment of attrac- 

 tion. But be this as it may, we cannot suppose 

 that the moon attracts the tidal wave which is before 

 the moon, for as the moon advances in her course 

 this wave continually recedes before her; and yet 

 this is the wave which is nearest to the moon, and 

 most exposed to her influence, whatever that may 

 be. Nor does the attraction of the sun offer any 

 loop-hole by which to escape from this difficulty ; 

 for what do the diagrams show as to this ? They 

 simply show that the tide behind the moon is a 

 little nearer to the moon, and the wave before the 

 moon a little further off, when the moon is upon the 

 same side of the earth as the sun ; and the contrary 



