Origin of Springs. 315 



eupancy. If the attradion is merely mechanical, its 

 force is well known to diminifh, as the fquare of the dif 

 tance increafes. The heap, therefore, being fuppofed to 

 have raifed as much water as it can fuftain ; it is obvi- 

 ous, that the panicles of water actually raifed will be 

 in immediate contaft with the allies or fand ; while all 

 the other particles will be at a greater diftance from it. 

 The water raifed will thus be more ftrongly attracted, 

 than the water not raifed. Of courfe, the afhes or fand 

 will continue to fuftain the particles firft raifed : and will 

 not be compelled, by a weaker force, to let them go, 

 and thus make room for others. In other words, a 

 feebler attraction can not overcome one that is more 

 powerful. 



But it is faid, that if we conceive of angular pipes 

 or dudls in the Earth, having the form, pofition, and 

 properties, of a fyphon ; the water of the Ocean may 

 afcend and be difcharged through them, by the fame 

 laws which regulate that inftrument. We will admit, 

 for the argument, that it is ftri<5tly philofophical to con- 

 ceive of dufts or pipes in the Earth hermetically tight^ 

 and of a fufficient extent to anfwer the purpofe. This 

 hypothefis will, neverthelefs, be attended with an in- 

 fuperable difficulty. It is well known, that the dif- 

 charging orifice of the fyphon muft be horizontally low- 

 er than the furface of the refervoir. In the cafe fuppo- 

 fed the Ocean is tlie refervoir. Of courfe, no fpring, 

 that is not fomewhat below the level of the Ocean, can 

 be fupplied by a natural fyphon. With the few fprings 

 fo fituated, we will not embarrafs our enquiries : fatif- 

 iied, that that wisdom, which operates by general laws j 

 and, by the fimpleft means, produces the moft magni- 

 ficent refulrs ; when it had filled the " Upper Springs, 

 couid find no difficulty in fupplying the " nether.'^ 



The Wet Rag^ like the Syphon, has been called in to 

 rehove the perplexities of Phiiofaphy. It is well known, 

 thir if fuch a rag is thrown partly over the fide of a 

 veffel of water, the water will drop from the exterior 

 end of the rag, until the whole is thus drawn off. The 



