“322. It is particularly to be noted, that Eclipses which have happened many centuries ago, will not be found by our present Tables to agree exactly with antient observations, by reason of the great Anomalies in the lunar motions; which appears an incontestable demonstration of the non-eternity of the Universe. For it seems confirmed by undeniable proofs, that the Moon now finishes her period in less time than formerly, and will continue by the centripetal law to approach nearer and nearer the Earth, and to go sooner and sooner round it: nor will the centrifugal power be sufficient to compensate the different gravitations of such an assemblage of bodies as constitute the solar system, which would come to ruin of itself, without some new regulation and adjustment of their original motions[68]. [Sidenote: THALES’s Eclipse.] “323. We are credibly informed from the testimony of the antients, that there was a total Eclipse of the Sun predicted by THALES to happen in the fourth year of the 48th [69]_Olympiad_, either at _Sardis_ or _Miletus_ in _Asia_, where THALES then resided. That year corresponds to the 585th year before CHRIST; when accordingly there happened a very signal Eclipse of the Sun, on the 28th of _May_, answering to the present 10th of that month[70], central through _North America_, the south parts of _France_, _Italy_, &c. as far as _Athens_, or the Isles in the _Ægean_ Sea; which is the farthest that even the _Caroline_ Tables carry it; and consequently make it invisible to any part of _Asia_, in the total character; though I have good reasons to believe that it extended to _Babylon_, and went down central over that city. We are not however to imagine, that it was set before it past _Sardis_ and the _Asiatic_ towns, where the predictor lived; because an invisible Eclipse could have been of no service to demonstrate his ability in Astronomical Sciences to his countrymen, as it could give no proof of its reality. [Sidenote: THUCYDIDES’s Eclipse.]