TIIK TIDES. 163 



applies to the question, why docs the sun, the larger body, 

 not exercise a greater attractive, influence over the tides, than 

 the moon? Thirdly ami lastly, It' tlio moon draws the earth 

 in, or the earth "recedes" from the water at the side more 

 distant lYom the moon, it follows, that as the tides are rising and 

 falling continuously from one part of the globe to another, the 

 earth is gradually receding from the water hour by hour, and 

 accordingly ought to be approaching nearer and nearer to the 

 moon every day. This however is not the case, and would be 

 indignantly denied even by Lardner himself ; but it is the only 

 logical conclusion to which his theory leads. 



Having thus shown that the tides are not caused by attrac- 

 tion, we now explain how, according to our views of the law 

 of nature, they are caused by pressure. 



In order to understand the assertions clearly, the following 

 facts should be well kept in remembrance, viz.: That the moon 

 has an influence on the tiles. That the highest tides occur 

 when the sun and moon are on the same side, or one on either 

 side of the earth. That high tides follow the meridian by two 

 or three hours, and in many places by ten or twelve hours, 

 according to their position on the coast. That the whole rise 

 of the tide is, on an average, only a height of four or five feet. 

 And that while the earth moves from west to east, the tides go 

 from east to west. 



Recalling our arrangement of the solar system expounded in 

 previous chapters, we have a number of planets revolving round 

 the central planet, the sun. The planets all revolve on one level, 

 called the Plane of the Ecliptic. Each planet has an atmosphere 

 that extends till it meets the atmosphere of the planet next it. 

 "We know also this fact in connection with our atmosphere, that 



