1Spring-Tides. For he ſagaciouſly and
plauſibly conjectur'd that ſuch obſervati
ons accurately made, would diſcover the
truth or erroneouſneſs of the Carteſian
Hypotheſis concerning the Ebbing and
Flowing of the Sea: which Des Cartes
aſcribes to the greater preſſure made upon
the Air by the Moon, and the Intercur
rent Ethereal Subſtance at certain times
(of the Day, and of the Lunary Moneth)
then at others. But in regard we found
the Quick-ſilver in the Tube to move up
and down ſo uncertainly, by reaſon, as it
ſeems, of accidental mutation in the Air;
I ſomewhat doubt whether we ſhall finde
the Altitude of the Quick-ſilver to vary
as regularly as the Experiment is ingeni
ouſly propoſ'd. The ſucceſs we ſhall (God
permitting us to make tryal of it) acquaint
Your Lordſhip with; and in the mean
time take notice, that when we had occa
ſion to take the Tube out of the Frame
(after it had ſtaid there part of November
and part of December) a good Fire being
then in the room, becauſe it was a Snowy
day, we found the Quick-ſilver in the
Tube to be above the upper ſurface of
the ſubjacent Mercury 29 Inches three
quarters.
plauſibly conjectur'd that ſuch obſervati
ons accurately made, would diſcover the
truth or erroneouſneſs of the Carteſian
Hypotheſis concerning the Ebbing and
Flowing of the Sea: which Des Cartes
aſcribes to the greater preſſure made upon
the Air by the Moon, and the Intercur
rent Ethereal Subſtance at certain times
(of the Day, and of the Lunary Moneth)
then at others. But in regard we found
the Quick-ſilver in the Tube to move up
and down ſo uncertainly, by reaſon, as it
ſeems, of accidental mutation in the Air;
I ſomewhat doubt whether we ſhall finde
the Altitude of the Quick-ſilver to vary
as regularly as the Experiment is ingeni
ouſly propoſ'd. The ſucceſs we ſhall (God
permitting us to make tryal of it) acquaint
Your Lordſhip with; and in the mean
time take notice, that when we had occa
ſion to take the Tube out of the Frame
(after it had ſtaid there part of November
and part of December) a good Fire being
then in the room, becauſe it was a Snowy
day, we found the Quick-ſilver in the
Tube to be above the upper ſurface of
the ſubjacent Mercury 29 Inches three
quarters.