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
Now considering the Structure of our _Terraqueous_ Globe, it cannot be
well suppos'd that a very great part thereof can move within it, without
notably changing its Center of Gravity and the Equilibre of its Parts,
which would produce very wonderful Effects in changing the Axis of
diurnal Rotation, and occasion strange alteration in the Seas Surface,
by Inundations and Recesses thereof, such as History never yet
mention'd. Besides, the solid parts of the Earth are not to be granted
permeably by any other than fluid Substances, of which we know none that
are any ways Magnetical. So that the only way to render this motion
intelligible and possible, is to suppose it to turn about the Center of
the Globe, having its Center of Gravity fix'd and immoveable in the same
common Center of the Earth: And there is yet requir'd, that this moving
internal Substance be loose and detached from the external Parts of the
Earth whereon we live; for otherwise, were it affix'd thereto, the whole
must necessarily move together.
So then the External Parts of the Globe may well be reckon'd as the
Shell, and the Internal as a _Nucleus_ or inner Globe, included within
ours, with a fluid Medium between, which having the same Common Center
and Axis of diurnal Rotation, may turn about with our Earth each twenty
four Hours; only this outer Sphere having its turbinating motion some
small matter either swifter or slower than the internal Ball: And a very
minute Difference in length of time, by many Repetitions becoming
sensible, the Internal Parts will by degrees recede from the External,
and not keeping pace with one another, will appear gradually to move
either Eastwards or Westwards by the difference of their motions.
Now supposing such an Internal Sphere having such a motion, we shall
solve the two great Difficulties we encounter'd in my former Hypothesis:
For if this exteriour Shell of Earth be a Magnet, having its Poles at a
distance from the Poles of diurnal Rotation; and if the Internal
_Nucleus_ be likewise a Magnet, having its Poles in two other places,
distant also from the Axis; and these latter by a gradual and slow
motion change their place in respect of the External; we may then give a
reasonable account of the four Magnetical Poles I presume to have
demonstrated before; as likewise of the Changes of the Needles
Variations, which till now hath been unattempted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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