A New Theory of the Earth

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1737 edition. Excerpt: ... vens, or the fame six'd Stars; and its continual Parallelism to itself; all the apparent Revolution of the Sun must depend on the annual Motion; and A Day and a Tear be all one. This is evident, because, as a Tear is truly that Space in which the Sun seemingly, and the Earth really performs a single Revolution round the Ediptick; so a Day is truly that Space in which the Sun passes, or appears to pass from any certain Semi-Meridian to the fame again once: which Spaces of Time are here the very fame, and so the Apellations themselves Tear and Day, may indifferently and promiscuously be apply'd thereto. (2.) The Course of the Sun and Planets, (for the fix'd Stars were then Fix'd indeed; having neither a real nor seeming Motion) must be contrary to what it has appear'd since: their Rising being then in the Weft, and their Setting in the East; which, from the way of their present diurnal Rotation, has since, as all know, been quite different. (3.) There must be a perpetual Equinox, or Equality of Day and Night, through the whole Planet; by reason of the Sun's describing each Revolution a great Circle about the same, on which alone such an Equality depends. (4.) The Ecliptick must supply the Place of an Equator also; and the torrid, temperate, and frigid Zones be almost alike dispos'd with regard to that Circle, as with us they are with regard to the real Equator. (5.) To such as liv'd under or near the said Ecliptick, the Poles of the World or Ecliptick, the only ones then in Being, would be at or near the Horizon; and so not considerably elevated or depress'd to the Inhabitants there. But upon the commencing of a quicker diurnal Rotation, the same way with the annual, the Case would be in all these Particulars quite different. For, (i.) By...