Springs^ Rivers*) and the Sect. 



nearest to the zenith of any place, tends 

 to raise the waters at that place ; but this 

 force must evidently be exerted for a con- 

 siderable time, before the greatest eleva- 

 tion will take place ; for if the moon's at- 

 traction were to cease altogether, when 

 she has passed the meridian, yet the mo- 

 tion already communicated to the waters 

 would make them continue to ascend for 

 some time afterwards,* and therefore, they 

 must be much more disposed to ascend 

 when the attractive force is only in a small 

 measure diminished. 



The waves of the sea, which continue 

 after a storm has ceased, and almost eve- 

 ry other motion of a fluid, will illustrate 

 this idea ; all such effects being easily ex- 

 plained, from the consideration that a 

 small impulse, given to a body in motion,, 

 will make it move farther than it would 

 otherwise have done. It is also, upon the 

 same principle, that the heat is not the 

 greatest upon the longest day, but some 

 time afterwards ; and that it is not so hot 

 at twelve o'clock, as at two or three in the 

 afternoon ; because there is a farther in- 

 crease made to the heat already imparted. 

 Instead of its being high water then, when 



