312 PHEVOMEKA OE THE OCEAH. “y 
Stable, if its density be less than the 
earth, which is known to be the case, >| 
determined, by means of his refined analy* ’.,y 
would cease to exist, if the mean jis > 
stability would cease to exist, if the mean jl®- 
sea were to exceed that of the earth 5 so 
sea — . a'. 
of tlie equilibrium of the ocean, and tne 0 
of the terrestrial globe above that o j 
density 
restrial globe above that o* 
which cover it, are reciprocally connectedwi 
and indicate infinite wisdom and contrivance 
adjustment. 
SALTNESS OF THE SEA. , jjj jsy 
Of the various phenomena of the sea, that 
Uf tiie various piieuuuiciirt ui mv.. -)nc^^ ^ 
one of the most obvious. No questions vitP 
natural iTstoty of our globe have been 
attention, or decided with less _ satisfaction, 1 iPi 
attention, or ueciueu wivu ' 
cerning its primary cause, which had petP* ' pass' 
losophers before the time of Aristotle, and 
t genius of that profound enquir , y 
Fadier Kircher, after having conso^ 
the great genius 
causes. Father ... — _ — p „uia •'ip. 
tlran thirty-three authors on this subject, its®,'/ 
remarking, that the fluctuations of the ecd’"'' 
scarcely more various, tlian the opinions 
origin of its saline impregnation. ^ ^ adin'-i|(S, 
This question does not seem capable ejtp^ i' 
iQlustration fl'om experiment ; at least, not d’ ■/ 
have been hitherto made for that purpose = ‘^311®’' tj 
not surprising that it remains nearly as prod .jpg. ,, 
present age, as it has been in any of the pret ^ 
observations been made three or four centu 
• • _ l1._ . nt tinV V /Ilf V.' 
arlifl'' 
observations oeen ujd-..c uiiiit. ...... — pan' 
■rertain the then saltness of the sea, .at any 1 ,j 
making 
and place, we might now, by maKiiib 
nations at the same place, in the same j j 
been able to know, whether tlie s.altness, at iPjjliJ, 
place, was an increasing, or a decreasing, 
IS an increasing, or a decreasing, 
quantity. This kind and degree of kno«-k:o„^ji^n 
^rt^'a^aclue-todhect us “to a full 
matter in general. It is to be regretted, , 
observ.ations of this nature have not, until 
made with any degree of precision. t^ ' 
One of the principal opinions maintaineo i 
by modern philosophers, and more ^ 
by Doctor Halley, is, that since river " 
iP 
