C 5 ] 
peared that the Jtmoffhere was fo far from being the 
Czu^c oiGravity^ that the EflPefts thereof were much marc 
Vigorous where the frejfure of the Atmofphere was taken off ; 
foralongG/^-R^^^^wr having a Ught Down-feather inclu- 
ded, htingevacmtedoi ^/V, the Feather which in t\\Q Air 
would hardly fink, did m vacuo defcend with nearly the 
fame Velocity as if it had been a Stone. 
Some think to Illuftrate this Defcent of H.'a,vy Bodies , by 
comparing it with the Vertue of the LoadHone ; but fetting 
afide the difference there is in the manner of their Attracti- 
ons^ the LoadBone drawing only in and about its Poles^ and 
the Earth near equally in aU parts oi ks Surface y this Com- 
parifon avails no more than to explain igmtum fer diqtie 
ignotum. 
Others aflign a certain Symfatheticd attraction between th@ 
Earth its Parts^ whereby they have^ as it were, a defire 
to be united, to be the Caufe we enquire after : But this is 
fo far from explaining the Modm^ that it is little more, than 
to tell us in other terms, that heavy bodies defcend^ becaufe 
th^Y defcend. 
This I fay, not that I can pretend to fmbftitute any tSb&- 
tion^Qit\mlm^OftzntFhikf<}fhicd^ fhall more 
happily explicate the ^//?^4r45^^^^ oi Gravity j only it maybe 
ferviceable to thofe with whom the Credit of great Authors 
fways much, and who too-readily affent in verba magifiri^ 
to let them fee that their Books are not always infallible : 
Befides the dctedion of Errors is the firfl and lurefl flep to- 
wards the difcovery of Truth; 
Tho' the Efficient Caule of Gr^x/jrVy be fb obfcure, yet the 
final Caufe thereof is clear enough; for it is by this fingle 
Principle thdLtthQ Earth md all the Celejtial Bodies are kept 
from diffolutim : the leaft of thtiv Particles not being fuffered 
to recede far from their SmfaceSy without being immediately 
brought down again by veitue of this Natural tendency , 
which for thqir Prefcrvation, the Infinite Wildom of their 
Creator has Ordained to be towards each of their Centers ; 
i A 2 nor 
