bodies, they have been folicitous to separate and diftinguish the feveral inequalities difcovered in these motions; and to 'know their caufe, quantity, and the laws according to which they are generated. This feems to furnish a fufficient motive to mathematicians, wherever there appears a cause • capable of producing an alteration in those motions, to examine by theory what the refult may amount to, though ⚫ it comes out never fo fmall: for, as one can feldom depend fecurely upon mere guess, for the quantity of any effect, it • must be a blameable neglect entirely to overlook it, without 'being previously certain of its not being worth, our notice.

• Finding therefore, it had not been confidered what effect the figure of a planet, differing from that of a sphere, might produce in the motion of a fatellite revolving about it, and as it is the cafe of the bodies of the Earth and Jupiter, which have fatellites about them, not to be spherical, but fpheroidical, I thought it worth while to enter upon the examination of fuch a problem. When the primary planet is an exact globe, it is well known that the force by which the revolving fatellite is retained in its orbit, tends to the center of the planet, and varies in the inverse ratio of the fquare of the diftance from it; but when the primary planet is of a spheroidical figure, the fame rule then no longer holds: the gravity of the fatellite is no more directed to the center of the planet, nor does it vary in the proportion ⚫ above-mentioned; and if the plane of the fatellite's orbit, be not the fame with the plane of the planet's equator, the • protuberant matter about the equator, will by a conftant effort of its attraction, endeavour to make the two planes • coincide. Hence the regularity of the fatellite's motion is neceffarily disturbed, and though upon examination, this effect is found to be but fmall in the moon, the figure of the earth differing fo little from that of a fphere, yet in • fome cafes it might be thought worth notice; if not, it will be at least a fatisfaction to fee, that what is neglected can be of no confequence. But, however inconfiderable the change may be with regard to the moon, it becomes very fenfible in the motions of the fatellites of Jupiter, both on • account of their nearer diftances to that planet, when compared with its femi-diameter, as alfo, because the figure of Jupiter fo far recedes from that of a fphere. This, I have 'fhewn, and exemplified, in the fourth fatellite; in which cafe, indeed, the computation is more exact than it would be for the other fatellites; for as my firft defign, was to examine only how far the moon's motion could be affected

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by

by this caufe, I fuppofed the fatellite to revolve at a distance, fomewhat remote from the primary planet, and the difference of equatorial diameter, and the axis of the planet not to be very confiderable. There likewife arifes this other advantage from the prefent theory, that it furnishes means to fettle more accurately the proportion of the diffe• rent forces which difturb the celeftial motions, by affigning the particular fhare of influence, which is to be afcribed to the figure of the central bodies round which those motions. are performed.

I have added at the end a propofition, concerning the di⚫urnal motion of the earth. This motion has been generally esteemed to be exactly uniform; but as there is a cause that muft neceffarily fomewhat alter it, I was glad to ⚫ examine what that alteration could amount to. If we first fuppofe the globe of the earth to be exactly spherical, revolving about its axis in a given time, and afterwards conceive that by the force of the fun, or moon, raising the waters, its figure be changed into that of a spheroid, then according as the axis of revolution becomes a different diameter of the fpheroid, the velocity of the revolution • must increase or diminish: for, fince fome parts of the terraqueous globe, are removed from the axis of revolution, and others deprefied towards it, and that in a different proportion as the fun, or moon, approaches to, or recedes from the equator, when the whole quantity of motion, which always remains the fame, is diftributed through the fpheroid, the velocity of the diurnal rotation cannot be conftantly the fame. This variation, however, will scarce be obfervable, but as it is real, it may not be thought amifs to determine, what its precife quantity is.'

After this, the ingenious and learned author, proceeds to demonftrate his propofition, in the moft clear and eligible manner, which the subject will admit. We recommend this paper as a mafter-picce of the kind.

The other Papers in this publication of the Philofophical Tranfactions, will be confidered in a future article

The

The Safety and Perpetuity of the British State, under the influence of Political and religious Zeal. Being the fubftance of several Difcourfes preached before the University of Cambridge during the late Rebellion and prefent War. By W. Wefton, B. D. Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. 8vo. 3s. 6d. Whifton, &c.

T

HE author's defign in this work, is to rouze the atten

tion of his countrymen to their true interest and fafety; to infpire them with zeal for their religion and their liberties. How he has conducted himself in the execution of his defign, will appear from a fhort view of what he has advanced. His performance is divided into thirteen chapters; in the two firft of which he fhews, from a detail of many eminent examples in hiftory, the exceeding great difficulty of conquering any nation, which is zealous for its government and religion. But because it is not enough to fhew what qualities we ought to have, unless the means of attaining them are likewife pointed out, he proceeds to this part of his defign in the third chapter, wherein he treats of the exceffes of ridicule in this kingdom: and,

The first advice he gives us is, to refolve to be SERIOUS; for fimple as this remedy may feem, he fays, it will in the end effectually root out, one of the most dangerous maladies that has infected the ftate, viz. that profufion of wanton and indifcriminate banter, which has taken poffeffion of the appetites, the reafon, and the heart. The affections of men chained down to earth, and devoted to fenfe, are not more averfe, we are told, to heavenly things, than the prefent age, abandoned to laughter and ridicule, is abhorrent of fedate and fober reflection. That this is not paradox but fact, Mr. WESTON fays, will appear inconteftably to those who view with difcerning eyes, the manners and cuftoms, the diverfions and employments, the books and converfation, of those who ftile themselves the more liberal part of the ENGLISH people: a people, that were once dignified with the manly epithets of fedate, open and fincere; but are now become light, artificial, and difguifed. He goes on:

If fedateness and fobriety fhould in any places, or, on any occafion, fhine forth with diftinguifhed luftre, one would think it should be at the tribunals of law, and in all things relating to the church and the ftate. Yet, in the firft of thefe, what wantonnefs and levity, nay, what farce and buffoonery are often seen! How do the advocates of the refpective parties frolic it with each other, and make it in a manner their principal

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principal contention who fhall moft cruelly sport with property, reputation, and, in fome particular occafions, with even life itself! This is too often verefied.

In regard to the affairs of ftate, no conduct of the statefman, we are told, tho' ever fo confummately wife, and no zeal of the patriot, tho' ever fo exuberantly warm, can escape the ftrokes of obloquy and fcorn. If a Proteftant king is courted, Proteftantism is made a jeft; if a Catholic, we laugh at all true religion.-If a good treaty is made, it was made only to be broken; if a bad, it is just what ought to be expected from BRITISH politicians.-If foreigners are called in, the distress is vifionary, and their aid fuperfluous; if our own ftrength is relied on, the distress is dreadful, and never to be furmounted by the filken fons of luxury and floth.-If our foldiery are kept at home, the defign is to comply with their original inftitution, for oftentation, and parade; if they are fent abroad, it is wantonly to employ them where honour will be our difgrace, and where victory will be our ruin.If an invafion is feared from an inveterate enemy, the fear arifes from imaginary fleets and armies in the clouds; if we invade them, it is only a piece of the most extravagant Quixotifm against walls of brafs.

As to religion-How, fays he, is the SACRED inftitution of TYTHES become subject to banter, and the TENTH of the INCREASE made the fong of the drunkard, and the jeft of the profane! The doctrine of the NEW BIRTH, is a point as clear from the Scriptures, as that the Scriptures themselves are true; and yet how cautioufly do we tread on this obnoxious ground! How is the RENOVATION of the CARNAL MAN UNfelt, and ridiculed by this degenerate age! and how are fuch as infift on it, ignominiously claffed with those that cant in the conventicle, or bawl out in the field?-The terrors of HELL, and the tortures of the DAMNED, are vilified, and set at nought; and the FIRE and BRIMSTONE which were once fo terrific, are toffed about like the arrows of SOLOMON's fool, and with the fame reflection, Are we not in sport?

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Our author concludes his third chapter with obferving, 'that this train of light and ludicrous reflections, does not only ⚫ proceed from those who are both Infidels in principle, and ftrangers to the wife and generous fentiments of the ancient lawgivers, who held thofe in execration who infulted the eftablifhed religion, but likewife from numbers who feem to be in earnest in the profeffion of their faith, and would take it ill not to be thought fo; nay, from thofe too who would

think

think it an affront to their understanding to be told so plain a ♦ truth, as the ill confequence of their conduct to the very ⚫ principles they approve.'

The fourth chapter contains fome farther reflections on the fubject of ridicule. If in any fort of writings the fedate, the rational, and candid manner ought particularly to prevail, Mr. Wefton fays, one would think it fhould be in thofe," where fome dubious points, or fome important doctrines of our holy religion are controverted and explained: and yet it is ftrange to fee how the venerable combatants on either fide forfake this plain and natural path, and start afide to mirth, to levity, and ridicule: how they triumph in the sharp and ludicrous hits they give to each other, and value themselves more on fatyr than fenfe, and repartee than truth; and all this too, at a time when they extol in words, and ought to copy in effect, the sweet fimplicity of thofe heavenly writings where there is scarce a farcasm or jeer through the whole.

Nay, fo deeply, we are told, has this infected fome of the greatest Genii, and the profoundeft adepts in the Chriftian school, that it has, in some measure, forced them most unnaturally to co-operate even with Infidels themfelves; to judge that to be a dead and unactive mass, which wants piquancy against our brother, and to fall into, or feign a fpirit of flumber over unpointed candour, moderation, and truth; in fhort, to pervert the just course and order of things, and pronounce that only to be excellent, of which we fhould be afhamed, as inconfiftent with our dignity, and unbecoming our profeffion.

Having endeavoured to fhew, that one of the predominant and characteristic qualities of the prefent age, and especially in this ifland, is an immoderate paffion for ridicule, our author proceeds, in his fifth chapter, to enquire into the causes of it. The firft caufe he mentions, is The Reformation of religion, which, by laying open the follies and impoftures of Popery, fuddenly increased the powers of ridicule, and added' mightily to its stock of ludicrous images, and fantastic representations. Another cause of the prevalency of this humour, we are told, is total Infidelity, which has fo enlarged the fphere of ridicule, that while the original Proteftant laughs at the Catholic, the Catholic at the Proteftant, and both at the Fanatic, the Infidel laughs at all.

The Restoration, it is faid, is another, and that a very confiderable caufe of the prevalence of ridicule. That four and

morofe