n 
Remarks on Dr. Paris's 
[Jan. 
tisfiedthat it depends upon the bluntness of the point. 
Let A B C be a top spinning in an oblique position, 
terminating in a very short point, with a hemisphe- 
rical shoulder, P a M. It is evident, that, in this case, 
the top will not spin upon «, the end of the true axis 
X a, but upon P, a point in the circle P M, to which 
the floor I F is a tangent. Instead, therefore, of i 
revolving upon a fixed and stationary point, the top 
will roll round upon the small circle P M, on its 
blunt point, with very considerable friction, the force 
of which may be represented by a line O P at right angles to the floor I F, and to 
the spherical end of the peg of the top : now it is the action of this force, by its 
pressure on one side of the blunt point of the top, which causes it to rise ta a ret- 
tical direction (*) Produce the line O P till it meets the axis C , from the point 
C diaw the line C T perpendicular to the axis a and T 1 O nor n i , , 
by a resolution offerees, the line T C will re! ’ “1 P ‘ SralIel to “ 5 “ d th ™’ 
presses at right angles to the axis, so as gradual to ! '■' P * f rt . tbe fnCtion wlllch 
in which operation the circle P M "raduallv dim'^' i f S ° ,' * n * vertIcal I 105 " 10 " > 
p to a as the axis becomes more perpendicular Id ! ' ‘ 6 ® , ’ proac, ‘ of tlie P oint 
eides with the point that is to sa^nte 7 P ° im P COi "' 
where it will continue to sleep without much Met' ^ ^ ^ ltS vertlCal P osit5on 
until its rotatory motion fails, and its side is IChtlT. 
[ 
same 
The gyration,” or circular excursion “offhetnr. j 
ie principles as the precession of the equinoxes ^777 e “ CtIy th< 
equal attractive force exerted upon the rerolvimr mass T„'h ’ C " Z '’ “ n " 
known to arise from the action of the sun a „d ° , 1 * one case ’ this is 
the equatorial regions of the earth . .a- °° n °. 11 the excess of matter about 
the equatorial regions of the earth • in the ntl *T° n T ^ CXCess of matter abou 
equally affected by gravity wh e It is s fr ° m the l> arts »f the top beiug 
IV. To those pLLphem who ZZZZZZ 7*"* ” 
ere be any such, and are thereby inclined to ,° ™ ad the P res ent work, il 
which has hitherto excited far too little attention i' '° mVest « ation of a subject 
re ” arks : ,0n ’ We ** “> su hmit the following 
sam C “ e ° f its veloci ‘y being infinite, it would J t fnCt, ° n - and in a vacuum, 
name position, without gyration. If t L ™ ‘° re volv e for ever in the 
main unchanged in position, in the event of the c fini ‘ e ’ U would for ever re- 
not ZVl T thn - In “ y posWo„ °, f" 1 * directly over 
through the point of" rot * Continue d uniform Jmfon ' ? gr * at > “““S 11 
ane-lp L * rotation, and the centre nf • ' ’ tbe lne w hich passes 
mallarffi 1G h ° riz0n> or describing the s graV . lty> ahva ys making the same 
indeed tl .“^“ents, the circumstances T C ' rC ' e r ° Und the zenith. But 
rotation L * to be situated **** remarkabl y changed ; if 
the whole of > WlU , C ° ntinUe qUitC Stead y> or , J erpendlcu larly over the point of 
^ gXate b / ? l0dty iS CX P ended - till nearly 
gyration, the to eC mmg - at a11 times ° n the outs* P °‘? ltl0n the top begins 
is considerable a^l unifor mly impelled inwards n ph y sical P oint of 
towards its geniscent or P ? ntbr ° ad ^ ftCtSWith a force sufli t llS * Whc “ the ve,ocity 
this power becomes f / eeptnff P° int ; but when the ° lent f ° r carr y in ? the t0 P 
“^'1 rol. iij. gyrations increase in dianm ZVi Aimi * iabei ’ 
y / eie L and the top ultimately 
