inquiry
or perfecting the Hypothesis, as I had thoughts to do; so I do not know,
but like Emergencies may divert me longer; and whether I shall ever so
{267} do it, as to bring it to perfection, I cannot determine. And
therefore, if as to my self any thing should _humanitus accidere_; yet
possibly the notion may prove worth the preserving to be prosecuted by
others, if I do it not. And therefore I shall, at least to your self, give
some general account of my present imperfect and undigested thoughts.

I consider therefore, that in the Tides, or the Flux and Reflux of the Sea,
besides extraordinary Extravagancies or Irregularities, whence great
Inundations or strangly high Tides do follow, (which yet perhaps may prove
not to be so meerly accidental as they have been thought to be, but might
from the regular Laws of Motion, if well considered, be both well accounted
for and even foretold;) There are these _three_ notorious Observations made
of the Reciprocation of Tides. _First_, the _Diurnal_ Reciprocation;
whereby twice in somewhat more than 24. hours, we have a Floud and an Ebbe;
or a High-water and Low-water. _Secondly_, the _Menstrual_; whereby in one
_Synodical_ period of the Moon, suppose from Full-moon to Full-moon, the
Time of those Diurnal Vicissitudes doth move round through the whole
compass of the [Greek: Nuchthemeron], or Natural day of twenty four hours:
As for instance, if at the Full-moon the full Sea be at such or such a
place just at Noon, it shall be the next day (at the same place) somewhat
before One of the clock; the day following, between One and Two; and so
onward, till at the New moon it shall be at midnight; (the other Tide,
which in the Full moon was at midnight, now at the New-moon coming to be at
noon;) And so forward till at the next Full-moon, the Full sea shall (at
the same place) come to be at Noon again: Again, That of the Spring-tides
and Neap-tides (as they are called;) about the Full-moon and New-moon the
Tides are at the Highest, at the Quadratures the Tides are at the Lowest:
And at the times intermediate, proportionably. _Thirdly_, the _Annual_;
whereby it is observed, that at sometimes of the year, the Spring-tides are
yet much higher than the Spring-tides at other times of the year: Which
Times are usually taken to be at the Spring and Autumne; or the two
AEquinoxes; but I have reason to believe (as well from my own Observations,
for many years, as of others who have been {268} muc