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
those that are hereafter to compare all together, and to compleat and
perfect this abstruse Theory.
And by the way it will not be amiss to amend a receiv'd Error in the
Practice of observing the Variation, which is, to take it by the
Amplitude of the Rising and Setting Sun, when his Center appears in the
visible Horizon; whereas he ought to be observ'd when his under Limb is
still above the Horizon about ⅔ of his Diameter, or twenty Minutes,
upon the score of the Refraction, and the height of the Eye of the
Observer above the Surface of the Sea: Or else they are to work the
Amplitudes as they do the Azimuth, reckoning the Suns Distance from the
Zenith 90° 36': This, though it be of little consequence near the
Æquinoctial, will make a great Error in high Latitudes, where the Sun
rises and sets obliquely.
But to return to our Hypothesis, In order to explain the Change of the
Variations, we have adventur'd to make the Earth hollow, and to place
another Globe within it; and I doubt not but this will find Opposers
enough. I know 'twill be Objected, That there is no Instance in Nature
of the like thing; that if there was such a middle Globe it would not
keep its place in the Center, but be apt to deviate therefrom, and might
possibly chock against the Concave Shell, to the ruin, or at least
endammaging thereof; That the Water of the Sea would perpetually leak
through, unless we suppose the Cavity full of Water; That were it
possible, yet it does not appear of what use such an inward Sphere can
be of, being shut up in Eternal Darkness, and therefore unfit for the
Production of Animals or Plants; with many more Objections, according to
the Fate of all such new Propositions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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