indulging in coquetries and caprices, and seems really to take
pleasure in violating all philosophic rules, and jilting the most learned
and indefatigable of her adorers. Thus it happened with respect to the
foregoing satisfactory explanation of the motion of our planet; it appears
that the centrifugal force has long since ceased to operate, while its
antagonist remains in undiminished potency: the world, therefore,
according to the theory as it originally stood, ought in strict propriety
to tumble into the sun; philosophers were convinced that it would do so,
and awaited in anxious impatience the fulfillment of their prognostics.
But the untoward planet pertinaciously continued her course, not
withstanding that she had reason, philosophy, and a whole university of
learned professors opposed to her conduct. The philosophers took this in
very ill part, and it is thought they would never have pardoned the slight
and affront which they conceived put upon them by the world had not a
good-natured professor kindly officiated as a mediator between the
parties, and effected a reconciliation.

Finding the world would not accommodate itself to the theory, he wisely
determined to accommodate the theory to the world; he therefore informed
his brother philosophers that the circular motion of the earth round the
sun was no sooner engendered by the conflicting impulses above described
than it became a regular revolution independent of the cause which gave it
origin. His learned brethren readily joined in the opinion, being
heartily glad of any explanation that would decently extricate them from
their embarrassment; and ever since that memorable era the world has been
left to take her own course, and to revolve around the sun in such orbit
as she thinks proper.

FOOTNOTES:

[2] Faria y Souza: Mick. Lus. note b. 7.

[3] Sir W. Jones, Diss. Antiq. Ind. Zod.

[4] MSS. Bibliot. Roi. Fr.

[5] Plutarch de Plac. Philos. lib. ii. cap. 20

[6] Achill. Tat. isag. cap. 19; Ap. Petav. t. iii. p. 81; Stob.
Eclog. Phys. lib. i. p. 56; Plut. de Plac. Philos.

[7] Diogenes Laertius in Anaxag. 1. ii. sec. 8; Plat Apol. t. i.
p. 26; Plut. de Plac. Philos; Xenoph. Mem. 1. iv. p. 815.

[8] Aristot. Meteor. 1. ii. c. 2; Idem. Probl. sec. 15; Stob.
Ecl. Phys. 1. i. p. 55; Bruck. Hist. Phil, t. i. p. 1154, etc.

[9] Philos. Trans. 1795, p. 72; Idem. 1801, p. 265; Nich. Philos.
Journ.