We have hitherto regarded the moon as describing a great circle on the face of the sky, such being the visible orbit, as seen by projection. But, on a more exact investigation, it is found that her orbit is not a circle, and that her motions are subject to very numerous irregularities. These will be best understood in connexion with the causes on which they depend. The law of universal gravitation has been applied with wonderful success to their developement, and its results have conspired with those of long-continued observation, to furnish the means of ascertaining with great exactness the place of the moon in the heavens, at any given instant of time, past or future, and thus to enable astronomers to determine longitudes, to calculate eclipses, and to solve other problems of the highest interest. The whole number of irregularities to which the moon is subject is not less than sixty, but the greater part are so small as to be hardly deserving of attention; but as many as thirty require to be estimated and allowed for, before we can ascertain the exact place of the moon at any given time. You will be able to understand something of the cause of these irregularities, if you first gain a distinct idea of the mutual actions of the sun, the moon, and the earth. The irregularities in the moon's motions are due chiefly to the disturbing influence of the sun, which operates in two ways; first, by acting unequally on the earth and moon; and secondly, by acting obliquely on the moon, on account of the inclination of her orbit to the ecliptic. If the sun acted equally on the earth and moon, and always in parallel lines, this action would serve only to restrain them in their annual motions around the sun, and would not affect their actions on each other, or their motions about their common centre of gravity. In that case, if they were allowed to fall towards the sun, they would fall equally, and their respective situations would not be affected by their descending equally towards it. But, because the moon is nearer the sun in one half of her orbit than the earth is, and in the other half of her orbit is at a greater distance than the earth from the sun, while the power of gravity is always greater at a less distance; it follows, that in one half of her orbit the moon is more attracted than the earth towards the sun, and, in the other half, less attracted than the earth.