1796.] 
quality of being pofitive or negative ; 
and that the fuppofition of there being 
an impoffible root in an equation, is an 
abfurdity, arifing either from falfe rea- 
foning on good premifes, or right rea- 
foning on falfe premifes; or it may be 
from falfe premifes and bad reafoning 
upon them; and that Waring’s celebrat- 
ed propofition can be of no ufe at ail 
but in fome few equations, whofe form 
not having been afcertained, the fudent 
will moft probably err in the application 
of the rule, to difcover the fums of the 
powers of the roots, in any propofed 
equation. I remain, fir, | 
Your fincere well wither, 
A. SEARCH. 

NEW MATHEMATICAL AND PHILO- 
SOPHICAL QUESTIONS. 
To be anfwered by Correfpondents in a future 
Number. 
Question I.— By Mr. Thomas Browne, 
IF the wind, when blowing directly againft a 
board of one foot fquare, fet upright facing ti e 
wind, exert againit the board a force equal to 
Mathematical Queftions. . «. Original Anecdotes, 8c. 
3 
the weight of 10 pounds: it is required to fhow 
what is the rate of velocity of the wind; with 
a general rule for all fuch cafes ? 
Question lII.—By Mr. F. North. 
It has been faid, that abftraéting from the 
refraction of light the fum of the lengths of the 
Tongeft and fhorteft days, in any latitude, is 
equal to 24 hours; and alfo, that the fum of 
the lengths of any other two days, when the 
fun has equal and contrary declinations, is every 
where equal to 24 hours —Required, a demon- 
_ {tration of the truth or fatfehood of this affertion ? 
Question Ill.—By Mr. W. Gough. 
From what height muft, a cannon-ball fall, 
to ftrike an objeét with the fame. force as it 
would in iffumg from the mouth of a gun, 
fuppofing the velocity with which it was hred 
to be that of 1500 feet per fecond? ' 
Question 1V.—By Mr. F. B. 
It is afferted by the chemifts, that a point 
may be afcertained in the thermometrical {cale, 
which fhafl denote the natural zero, or abfolute 
privation of heat. As an inflance of this, it is 
required to fhow how many degrees of refrige~ 
ration would deprive ice of all its heat, and ta 
give an inveftigation of the rule, ufing Fahren- 
heit’s fcale? 

i Oita Ah ANE CD O TES AND REMAINS 
OF 
EMINENT 
PERSON(S. 
iT his article is devoted to the reception of Biographical Anecdotes, Papets, Letters, (Sc. and 
que request the Communications of fuch of our Readers as car affift usin thefe objects. | 
LAURENCE ECHARD. 
(eee writer, however flightly he may 
be regarded, on account of his cre- 
dulity, and for the little fpirit of difcern- 
ment and obfervation difplayed in his 
Hiftory of England, merits refpect for 
his modefty, and for the mafs of mare- 
rials which he has compiled and faith- 
fully exhibited. He was a man of great 
am.a slenefs of manners, and moft unaf- 
feéted fimplicity, as the following anec- 
dote will evince :—During his refidence 
at Louth, in Lincolnfhire, he ufed to 
ride every Sunday to his cure in the 
neighbourhood. One winter morning, 
a fhoemaker’s boy, carrying a pair of 
fhoes to the fame village where Echard 
was bound, overtook the parfon, and 
bluntly afked him to take the fhoes for 
him, and deliver them to. the farmer for 
whom they were made. The good- 
natured paftor readily accepted the com- 
miffion ; but afterwards thought proper 
to ride after the boy, and afk him what 
he thould do with the thoes, if they did 
not fit? ‘“* Why, then; meafter,’? fays 
the other ‘* bring them back again.” 
A gentleman once afked Mr. Echard, 
whether he was a Whig or a Tory; ta 
which, he pertinently anfwered, ‘* 1 am 
an Hyflorian.” 
Dr. SHEBBEARE. 
‘Tuts writer, whofe name and writ. 
ings feem to be finking undefervedly 
into oblivion, had great vigour of con- 
ception, and power of expredfion, though 
there appears a coarfenefs in his lang 
guage. Dr. Johnfon’s admiration of 
him was very natural, for there was a 
ftrong fimilarity in their fentiments and 
in their manners. He was a man of 
great pride, very overbearing in his 
temper, and tenacious of his own opi- 
nions. Yet his company was greatly 
courted, as he was extremely communi« 
cative, though not fo much from any in- 
clination of giving pleafure or informa- 
tion to others, as to gratify his own 
vanity. His Letters on the Englifh Na- 
tion, 
