Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 1: Containing a collection of some of the principal phaenomena in nature, accounted for by the greatest philosophers of this age
History
Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 1: Containing a collection of some of the principal phaenomena in nature, accounted for by the greatest philosophers of this age
Natural history; Science -- Early works to 1800; Voyages and travels -- Early works to 1800
These things being Matters of Fact, and in a manner Regular and
Universal, it may very well seem strange that Philosophers have not been
more accurate in their Enquiries into the Reason of such Appearances.
True indeed it is, that the Origin of Winds is various and uncertain,
but however, so constant and uniform an Effect must undoubtedly be owing
to one necessary Cause.
It has bin, now a considerable time since, sufficiently made out, that
our Atmosphere is a thin Elastic Fluid, one part of which gravitates
upon another, and whose Pressure is communicated every way in a Sphere
to any given Part thereof. From hence it follows, That if by any
external Cause the Gravity of any one part shou'd be taken off or
diminished, that from all sides around this part, the more heavy Air
would rush in to restore the Equilibrium which must of necessity be
preserved in all Fluids. Now this violent running in of the heavier Air
would certainly produce a Wind, which is no more than a strong Motion of
the Air in some determined Direction. If therefore we can find any
outward Cause that would at these stated Seasons we have mentioned,
diminish the Weight or Pressure of the Atmosphere; we shall have the
genuine Reason of these Periodical Winds, and the necessary Consequences
thereof.
The Flux and Reflux of the Sea was a Phænomenon too visible, and too
much conducing to the Subsistance of Mankind, and all other Animals, to
be neglected by those who applyed themselves to the Study of Nature;
however all their Attempts to explain this Admirable Contrivance of
infinite Wisdom were unsuccessfull, till Sir _Isaac Newton_ reveal'd to
the World juster Principles, and by a truer Philosophy than was formerly
known, shew'd us how by the United or Divided Forces of the Sun and
Moon, which are encreased and lessened by several Circumstances, all the
Varieties of the Tides are to be accounted for. And since all the
Changes we have enumerated in the Atmosphere do fall out at the same
times when those happen in the Ocean; and likewise whereas both the
Waters of the Sea and the Air of our Earth, are Fluids subject, in a
great Measure, to the same Laws of Motion; it is plain, that the Rule of
our great Philosopher takes place here, _viz._ _That Natural Effects of
the same kind are owing to the same Causes_.[20]
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