]58 ON THE HORIZONTAL MOON". 



it, in both cafes, under the fame apparent angle, and, ac- 

 cording to our ufual habits of judging of the magnitudes of 

 objects, necelTarily refer the idea of greater magnitude to the 

 greater diftance. The aerial perfpective, and various other 

 circumftances, which combine to make the horizontal diftance 

 appear the greateft, have been fo well and (6 often defcribed, 

 that it would be fuperfluons to repeat them here. I muft ob- 

 ferve, however, that this appearance of greater diftance in 

 the horizontal moon, though the fir ft and moft obvious cir- 

 faut thefe have cumftance which prefects ilfelf to explain the illufion, is not, 

 not the greateft ■ opinion, that which has the greateft (hare in pro- 



fhare in pro- J i > 6 l 



during it. ducing it. 



After having confidered the fubject with much attention, 



I am of opinion that the chief ftrefs ought to be laid on the 



following particulars : 

 New explana- We maybe faid rarely to fee the moon in the horizon, 



turn. The moon Q ur h aD ; tua i acquaintance with it is at fome coniiderable alti- 

 the horizon. tude. Hence it follows, that all the objects with which it 



comes in apparent contact, and with which we occafionally 



compare its difk, are near to us, and lubtend angles propor- 

 Small objects tionably large. Thus, for inftance, we often fee the moon 

 Sconftderable " lofe a lar S e portion of her face behind the branch of a tree 

 altitudes. or a weather-cock, and totally difappear behind a chimney. 



The elevated The clouds, too, which fleet before her, appear, from their 

 ck>u s j> re _^ proximity to us, on a gigantic fcale. Thefe are the circum- 

 near; ftances under which we have infenfibly formed our general 



and the moon j<] eas f tne moon's magnitude. Let us now furvey it in the 



feemsfmall, be- . ° J 



caufe compared horizon. 1 he cale is widely altered. VV e have now an op- 

 with them, portunity of comparing it with various large objects, which 

 But in or near F , J . . ,, r l • ,i c ■ j-ri i • 



the horizon, the perhaps, being tnemlelves on the verge ot a diftant horizon, 

 clouds, build- will be reduced to very trifling dimenlions ; and thus the caflle 



large object" a " d mafl >' Catl,edral wiU hide but a fma11 P art of that g Iobe » 



will appear which we have commonly feen half eclipfed by a fpout or a 



Kttlfof the weathercock. The clouds too, reduced by diftance, appear 



moon's difcj on a much fmaller fcale when compared with the moon. In 



which will fhort, it is no longer the fame moon we were acquainted with 



therefore, by ° .«./-. 



comparifon, be in the meridian, but a much larger and more majeftic Iphere, 

 feen on a grand t | le nove l appearance of which ftrikes moft of its fpectators 



and enlarged . , r i 



fcale. Wlt " a degree or awe and amazement. 



Thefe are the Though it appears to me that the circumftance I have 



iumftwcwT ported out > oi our habitual comparifon of the moon with 



objefts 



