*To oblige our Correspondents we have this month given feveral pages more than the ufual quantity, yet many pieces both in profe and verje must be omitted, the net abjolutely rejected, for want of room. Among fuch a variety it is difficult to judge to whom the preference is due, our defire is tå allige all; but when full more cannot be

THE

Gentleman's Magazine:

For MARC H, 1752.

Mr URBAN,

CHE following is the
fubftance of a public
lecture lately read by
a prefent very cele-
brated profeffor of a-
ftronomy, in the dif-
charge of his duty, as A
fuch, and in purfu-
ance of a plan carried on through four
preceding lectures upon the fame fub-
ject. But as few perhaps of your rea-
ders may be fufficiently acquainted with
this profeffor's other learned perfor-
mances, immediately to difcover his B
name from this fpecimen, it may not be
amifs to inform fuch, that he is no lefs
than the curious editor of CALASIO'S
Hebrew Lexicon and Concordance in 4 vols
in folio; the author of feveral admired
difcourfes called fermons; of the famous
differtation upon a Wig-box, &c. &c. C
The place where this lecture was read,
and to a very crouded audience, is Gre-
foam College," where," in the words of
the famous bifhop Sprat, "by the mag-
"nificence of a citizen, there have
"been lectures for feveral arts endowed

"fo liberally, that if it were beyond D
"fea, it might well pafs for an univer-
"fity. And indeed, by a rare happi-
"nels in the conftitution, (of which I
"know not where to find the like ex-
"ample) the profeffors have been from
"the beginning, and chiefly of late years,
"of the most learned men of the nation;
"though the choice has been wholly in the
difpojal of citizens."

66

LECTURE 5. at Grefham College. IN my former lectures 1 took notice

E

of the difficulties and abfurdities that attend the modern aftronomy, and this I did in order to prepare the way for an F aftronomy that thould be obvious to common capacities: And, as I therein all along rejected technical terms and mathematical gibberish, as unneceffary, and quite foreign to the nature of true

aftronomy, all the modern mathematicians and philofophers have (pared no pains to prejudice me in the opinion of the public; have run into all kinds of reflections against me, becaufe they confidered me as dangerous to the honour of that ftudy, which they had taken fo much pains to render and preferve unintelligible. Every thing have they faid against me, except what might affect my CHRISTIAN character, and that has always been left unattacked. All this have they done, notwithstanding they are not only ignorant of what I have to propofe, but while the wifer and more moderate think there may poffibly be fome truth in doctrines drawn from Mofes. Thefe modern philofophers, cannot bear to hear it affirmed, that there was any aftronomy four thousand years ago, and think it greatly derogating from the honour of the divine Newton, to fuppofe that there was any philofophy fo long before his. But it is from Mofes that I pretend to draw what I have to offer, and Mofes had his aftronomy from a great mafter, who did teach more in one line than our modern aftronomers

do in a whole folio.

Some fay that what I have to advance is extracted from one John Hutchinson, formerly a famous horle-doctor in the Mews, but where he got his aftronomy I cannot tell; and others affirm, that all I have to offer are reveries from Zoro

after, whofe works, it is well known, I have lately been confidering. And all this has been affirmed, jult upon the fame good grounds with thofe on which the fame perfons defend their own aftronomy; for I have not informed any one perfon living what it is which I intend to offer.

After I have removed out of the way the obftacles of hard technical terms and mathematical gibberish, I will then proceed, without taking any farther notice of the clamours railed against me coffee-boufes, cabals of mathematici

100

Aftronomical Lecture and their fending abroad their little dif ciples, &c. than, according to the example of my Bleffed Saviour, when he wiped off the spittle of the unbelieving Jews.

I cannot but laugh at the modern aftronomer, becaule of his great farrago A of hard, mathematical, philofophical, algebraical, Hellenistical, and Arabic terms. To make a good aftronomer, you must firft of all be fully acquainted with an abundance of this fort of hard names, and then it is propofed for you to purchase a large pair of globes, and a great tellefcope, and ftarve whole moon thining B nights in gazing at the ftars, without being fure of gaining any thing but an aftronomical cold, and for which you may expect a cure from the contemplation of Juppiter's belts. By thefe means we now exceed all that was ever intend

"1. Viewing Venus with Mr Huggens's glafs divers nights, when near her perigee, and much horned, I "thought I law anfractus, or roughnesses, on the concave part of her enlighten"ed edge, (luch as we fee in the new moon.)

66

66

2 In my frequent views of Juppiter "I find his belts to have great variations; that they change their places, "that their breadths alter, being fometimes broader, and fometimes confi

derably narrower; that fometimes "they are more in number, fometimes "fewer; fometimes they are darker and "blacker; fometimes thin, and only "like a mitt. Towards the poles of "Juppiter are the greatest alterations, "there being fometimes few or no

ed for us to know; for, according to C.
this aftronomy, we know more of Infi-
nites than we really do of Finites. Sir
Thomas Gresham never defigned his lec-
ture for fuch adepts as thete, but for fo-
ber well-meaning citizens of common
fenfe and plain understandings. Never-
thelefs, by all thefe difficulties and pre- D.

tended demonftrations of mathematici-
ans, nothing has yet been certainly de.
'termined. Differences of ten or twen-
ty millions are common among them;
but what are ten or twenty millions as
to difference? Notwithstanding all the
boalted obfervations for three or four
thousand years paft, thefe obfervers are
not fo much as agreed about our own
globe, the earth, on which they live.
Its diameter, its magnitude, its revolu-
tions, are ftill difputed about, and the
.diftance of it from the fun, a body
which they pretend to be to well ac
quainted with, as to be able to point out
every uneveness and fpot in its furface,)
and yet, I fay, the distance of the earth
from the fun is no nearer being fettled
and agreed upon, than to the fmall and
trifling difference of one hundred and
twenty one millions of miles. These aftro-
nomers differ no more one from another,
concerning the diftance of the fun and
earth, than one hundred and twenty one
millions of miles; and what is certainty
if this is not!

But that thefe mathematical gentlemen may not have it in their power to fay that I mireprefent them, I will add the teftimony of the famous Dr Derham, because he was Fellow of the Royal Soci ety, and his evidence will certainly be admitted. He ailo had intereft enough with the fellows of that fociety, to have

belts towards one or the other pole; "fometimes one quite across the polar parts, another reaching but half, or a part of the way. And even about the middle, or equatorial parts of Juppiter, where there are always belts, "(commonly two) yet these vary coniderably; fometimes they are nearer one another, fometimes farther afun"der; fometimes they are considerably broader, especially that nearest "the middle; fometimes as confider

E.

66

66

66

ably narrower; fometimes they both "advance towards one pole, and then "recede towards the other oppofite pole. And not only the belts, but the Jpots alfo of Juppiter vary greatly; I do not mean the pots occafioned by "the fhade of the fatellites, but fuch as are on the very disk, which are fome"times of one form, fometimes of another, and oftentimes none to be seen at all, although the fame face of Juppiter "be towards us.

G"

H"

"3. The laft thing I fhall mention is "the neulofe, which are thofe glaring "whitifh appearances, feen with our "teleicopes in Andromeda's girdle, Hercules's back, Antinous's foot, Orion's fword, in the Centaur, Sagittary, &c. "which appear, through the telescope, "fomewhat after the manner as Cor * Cancri to the naked eye. These ne "tulole I have often viewed with glaffes

"of

Aftronomical Lecture at of very different lengths, particularly "that in pede Antinoi, Mr Huggens's; "but I confefs I could never difcern "what they are, neither indeed could I perceive any great differences in their appearances through a very good glafs of about 14 foot, and others of 30 and 40 feet, yea, Mr Huggens's of A one hundred and twenty-fix."

Such are the doctrines of this honest aftronomer, and furely we know him to be ferious, for he was a chriftian. Such are the informations we receive from our ftar-gazers! fuch are the wonderful difcoveries, and the mighty advantá- B ges, arifing from the ufe of telescopes for one hundred and forty years past.

explained by Clarke and Newton. That Mercury has different phases, Venus horns, the moon, mountains, vallies, and feas; that Juppiter has belts, and Saturn a ring, are all the mighty difcoveries of telescopes. And a great many other fuch valuable curiofities may be found in the Philosophical Tranfactions; though with all the accuracy and obfervations of thele aftronomers, the diftance of the fun is only determined to one hundred and twenty one millions of miles.

I fhould be glad to know, what use, or what benefit, thefe obfervations have been of to the world? Who was ever made better, or wifer by fuch difcoveries? If mathematicks have a tendency to mend the heart; then the most eminent of thefe mathematical aftronomers muft have been remarkably good men ; and when that is made appear to have C been the cafe, I myself will become an advocate for "mathematicks. But was dying finner ever comforted by the Spots in the Moon? Was ever mifer reclaimed from avarice by Juppiter's Belis? or did Saturn's ring ever make a lafcivious female chafte?

Ꭰ

And here it may be proper to take notice, that, as infinite space is a fundamen tal article of the present aftronomical creed, it is not to be wondered at, that differences of two or three hundred millions of miles fhould be common among fuch altronomers; for two or three hundred millions of miles are no more than as a mathematical point, when compared to infinite space. All the appearance therefore of uncertainty in their principles and calculations, arising from their differing one from another one hundred and twenty one millions of miles, concerning the distance of the fun, vanifhes at once, upon the certain knowledge that fpace is infinite. These aftronomers conftantly fpeaking with fo much confidence and certainty concerning the infinity of E fpace, which they feemed to think their tellescopes had demonitrated to them, I once had an opportunity, and curiofity enough to look thro' a very good telefcope; but nevertheless, though I used my beft endeavours, I could fee no infinity, though thefe aftronomers can feve- F ral infinities at the fame time; as, for example, fuppofe one look through a telelcope eastward, and another westward, at the fame time, they each fee an infinity; but I was told that my not seeing fo well as was common, was owing to my being fhort-fighted. The rotation of the earth round its own axis, and also round the fun, and again fome other rotation, these aftronomers pretend to demonftrate, and make quite clear to every understanding, at the first fight of their lines and circles. Then again they have clearly discovered, by the ufe of telefcopes, a vast void, or vacuum, for all the planets to move freely in, without refiftance or impediment; for a vacuum, and therefore a limiting or fetting bounds to God's creation, is an exprefs doctrine of the prefent aftronomy, as stated and

G

The only natural and common confequence of thefe obfervations upon the ftars, has been almost a certainty of catching cold; I would therefore propofe, in order to make their labours and ingenuity at leaft ufeful to themfelves, that, as they are fo perfectly well ac quainted with the countries in the Moon, they would difpatch by means of their telescopes, an exprefs to the Lunar inhabitants, for them to fend down a receipt for the making of Fontenelle's Ju nar lozenges for the cure of telefopical fevers and lunatic colds.

What benefit has accrued to the

world from the whole history of obfervations upon the ftars, though the work of four thousand years? They have only difcovered nearly an equal reckoning of time; and this is really all their discoveries worth mentioning; and this I declare publickly, and rifk my veracity upon it. And if this does not fatisfy the modern mathematicians and aftronomers, let them fhew one farther real ufe of geometry, and we will then no longer fpeak againft it but this is certainly fufficient, that they differ one from another in their demonstrations, nó Hlefs than one hundred and twenty one millions of miles and, likewife, I will conclude with obferving, that the mgdern divinity brings you no nearer, than one hundred and twenty one million. miles fhort of heaven.

[To be continued]

:

102

Weather and Difeafes - Critique on Amelia.

Account of the Weather, &c. continued.

BAROMETER.

Highest 30. 6, the 27th and 28th ult.

wind N. W. clear and cold.
Lowest 29. 3, the 15th with ftorms of
wind S. W.

Greatest variation in one day 44.
Common ftation about 30.
THERMOMETER.
Higheft 55. 10th inft. Wind S. E.
Loweft 39. the 6th froft Wind N.E.
Greateft variation in one day 6. the
13th from 50 to 44..

Common itation 47.

The weather in this period has been variable and inconftant: the conclufion of the last month was fair, cold and frofty, the fore part of this inclin'd to warm and fair; the middle wet and tempeftuous, and the laft inclin'd to cold, with ftorms of wind, rain and hail. The diseases have been the small pox chiefly, rheumatism, and of late a few remittent fevers, affecting the head violently at the first attack,and very early Occafioning unfavourable appearances.

The small pox continue to be moftly benign, often of the coherent kind, efpecially in adults, and a few have the confluent. In thefe the fpitting is commonly very copious, and fo fatigueing as to prevent the patient from enjoying any reft or quiet; occafioning an early tendency to a delirium, and hindering the fwelling of the face. Un

B

put us upon obferving the juvantia lædentia, with the utmost attention, and to act as reafon and experience direct.

It seems likewife neceffary to remark that there is a poffibility of occafioning great detriment to the patient, by purgA ing too early in this distemper. If the difeafe is benign, and the crop of puftules not very large, no inconvenience feems likely to arife from waiting 'till they are in general dry, not only on the face and trunk, bat even on the extremities. And it is not altogether improbable, but that fome of thofe diforders proceed from this caufe, which are intended to be stunn'd by early purging. 'Tis well known that the power of abforption feems to be increased after purging, If this be the cafe, while the body is cover'd by a putrid crust, or by any quantity of putrid moisture, a larger quantity must be received into the mafs of blood, muft render it acrid, and occafion hectic heats, or be depofited in particular collections, and form abfceffes, boils, and other inconveniencies or diftempers. And, notwithstanding the authority of fome refpectable names, it is not a matter out of doubt with fome, how far purgatives may be beneficial in that ftage of the diftemper, wherein they have been fo warmly recommended.

Ꭰ

Mr URBAN,

der these circumstances, fimall dofes of MRFielding's Amelia came lately in

fome warm anodyne, fuch as theriac.
And.& conf. Damocrat. from gr. 15 to
3j or 3 at a dofe, once in 6 hours,
have afforded great relief, and render'd
larger doses of a paregorick at night lefs
neceffary for fome days; the pitting
becomes lefs troublesome,the face fwells,
the pulfe grows full yet foft, and the F
oppreffion, of which under this circum-
stance they often complain, is relieved.
In the prefent conftitution at least, it
will perhaps be found true, from the
moft impartial and accurate obfervations,
(and fuch only ought to be admitted
into medical records) that the danger
will be in proportion to the fpitting,
and that it is expedient to reftrain this
discharge, and to divert the flow of it
to the fkin, by fmall dofes of opi-
ates. It fhould be remember'd that this
remark relates to the prefent conftitu-
tion, and that it may not always hold
good, that we fhould endeavour by
warm anodynes to fupprefs a difcharge.
which has heretofore been confider'd
as a peculiar advantage. It should only

to my hands, and I gave it a fecond perufal with great pleasure.

Tho' this novel has its imperfections, yet fome of the characters are handled in fo masterly a manner, virtue and vice meet with their due rewards, and it abounds with fuch noble reflections on the follies and vices, the perfections and imperfections of human nature, that he must be both a bad and ill-natur'd reader, who is not by it agreeably entertain'd, inftructed and improved.

His fair heroine's nofe has, in my opinion, been too feverely handled by Goever make a fufficient recompence Home modern critics, whofe writings to the world, it Mr Fielding adheres to what I hope he only faid in his warmth and indignation of this injurious treatment, that he will never trouble the public with any more writings of this kind. [See Gent. Mag. p. 53-4-1

But the warmest advocate for Mr Fielding cannot juftify the manifeft anachronilm of Amelia's being with child at the fiege of Gibraltar, and a bloom

ing