ON THE GENERAL FORM &C. OF THE GLOBE. 17 



astronomy, which thus establishes, if not an original 

 or subsequent state of universal fluidity in the earth, a 

 succession of actions, at least, in which a certain 

 portion of it has either been fluid at one period, or at 

 successive periods, or has, in some other way, been so 

 possessed of internal mobility as to have been capable 

 of fulfilling the conditions of this problem. 



Numerous experiments and observations, followed 

 by the requisite calculations, and from different data, 

 have been made, at different times, for the purpose of 

 determining the exact figure of this spheroid ; and the 

 subject has also recently been resumed with consider- 

 able ardour and anxiety. It would here be to trans- 

 gress the proper bounds of this sketch, to detail the 

 whole of this subject, which is of considerable extent; 

 nor need I even give the whole of what had been 

 concluded as to it by different mathematicians, since 

 the more recent calculations will be sufficient for the 

 purpose here in view. Though it has resulted, how- 

 ever, that the form of this ellipsoid is not that which, 

 from abstract mathematical considerations, it had been 

 conceived, we are scarcely yet entitled to suppose that 

 even the most recent conclusions have truly solved 

 this problem. But I shall merely tabulate these 

 results without further commentary or explanation, 

 as they would be unsuitable in this place. The ellip- 

 ticities are given in parts of the equatorial axis, as 

 usual, and require no other explanation, 



1. Sir Isaac Newton .^ 



2. Playfair, from the Meridians of Pern, and 



between Dunkirk and Perpigruin 



3. Ditto, from the Meridian in Peru and that 



between Clifton and Dunnose 



j.V,h3 



4. French report in the Systeme Metrique J- 

 VOL. i. C' 



