DISPERSION. 
pian Some have dae the difperfion of rays of 
different colours - a fort of eleGtive attraGtion in the tran- 
«© But, as Dr. Thomas Young juftly ob- 
étive attraGtion of this kind is a property fo- 
reign to mechanical philofophy, and when we ufe the term 
€ wit 
‘ which ae intimate nature is petted ly un- 
known to us.” 
The volume of the eas hoaeuieyiie ey the 
year 1852, contains a p of t 
this article. “ colours,” ie tay ‘* of mixed plates 
uggeit to me an idea, which appears to lead to an se ie 
tion of the difperfion of colours by refraétion, perhaps me 
Saaee and fatisfaétory than that which I advanced in the late 
erian le 
efe portions 
reunite continually, after each fuceefiive Teperetion, the one 
having preceded the other by a very minute but eonftant 
interval, aepndae on the dn arrangement of the par- 
ticles of a homogeneous medium. Now, if thefe two por 
ich will ie conftant for a 
Intions, but “allo Ga ‘he law and magnitude of aie undula- 
tions; fo that the larger undulations will be fomewhat fur- 
ther ade anced after each reunion than the {maller ones, and 
n 
rate meafures of the refractive and difperfive powers 0 of va- 
rious fubftances, for rays of all defcriptions.’ 
_ Dispersion of Mankind, in the Hiffory of the World, was 
occafioned by the confufion of tongues, and took place 
in confequence of the overthrow of Babel at ie ck ro) 
Peleg ; whence he derived his name: and it appears by 
the account given of his anceftors, Gen. chap. xi. 
cerning the true era of this event farfham and 
others, in er to reconcile the Hebrew and Egyptia 
chronologies, maintain a difperfion of mankind before the 
nd numbers fufficient 
{pace of ror years, 
w computation, fix the difperfion 
’3 lite, thus following the com- 
putation of the cot adopted by St. Jerom, and fe- 
birth of Pele 
veral of the Chriftian chronologers : Poa alli, igns the 
7c 
uch too ins 
diting nations. 
to reje& the ao. nd i. 
logy, as many others have done ; which, by allowixg 
an interval of 401 years between the flood and the birth 
of Peleg, furnifhes, ina the laft mentioned mode of compu- 
an more than 240,000 aa Uther is of opinion, 
(Chron. Sacr. p the road year after the 
“amon 
in that ae epmmand or ble * Increafe cad nul 
tiply, and fill the earth.” B a number 
than this would have been ficient. ‘Mart Chr 
fec. I. ene 
PL Gent. Antiq. 42154. ‘Uther ad A. M. 1754 
& 17 7. Whilton’s View Chr a 
e manner of the difperfion of the pofterity of 
Noah fro om the plain of Shinar, it was undoubtedly con» 
ducted with the utmoft regularity and order. The facred 
hiftorian informs us, that they were divided in their lands, 
- every one according to his tongue, according to his fa- 
ily, and according to his nation; Gen. x. §,.20, 313 
nd thus, Mr. Mede obferves, they were ranged ac~ 
cording to their nations, and every nation was ranged 
their families, fo that each nation had a feparate lot, and 
ich lie upon the a 
ward, containing Phrygia, £ 
the Gala arenes according to Jol 
the Ci 
rives our ancient B 
or Cymru: Magog, the fecond fon of Japhet, was 
bably the fener of the fae on the eaft and north-ealt of 
the Euxine fea: Madai planted ledia, t though Mr. Mede 
: the father of the 
1 
the fame 44°: 
and the country which lies on the border 
and from them, migrating over the Caveats, it is fuppofed 
€ 
country lay between the oe and Me -fopotamians, = 
D2 wa 
) 
