CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AND COUNTER-ATTRACTION. 3 



to this view, not only do the centripetal and centri- 

 fugal forces act in opposition to each other, but they 

 are also intrinsically different in their natures. 



We have to consider what, in the movements of 

 the ocean and the atmosphere, may be expected to 

 be the most manifest difference between the effects 

 which should result from the action of a centrifugal 

 force of the nature described by Newton, and the 

 effects of the force of counter-attraction suggested in 

 our preceding chapters as proceeding from astral 

 gravitation. , 



According to the former theory, the motion of the 

 earth is constantly tending to carry it out of its orbit 

 and is the centrifugal force which counteracts the 

 centripetal force of solar gravitation. Whereas, 

 according to the latter theory, the motion of the earth 

 is naturally in its orbit, along which that motion 

 tends smoothly to carry it, without any strain or 

 tendency- to cause it to swerve to the one side or the 

 other; and it moves along in that orbit, evenly held 

 between opposing forces of gravitation : the centri- 

 petal force of solar gravitation, which tends to conso- 

 lidate the solar system, being counteracted by the 

 force of astral gravitation surrounding it; and 

 which, by tending to draw the particles which com- 

 pose the solar system asunder, counteracts the cen- 

 tralising tendency of its own forces of gravitation. 



162. If it be admitted that a centrifugal force, 

 caused by the axial rotation of the earth, tends to 



