Viewing page 347 of 504

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

                                             (154
"no others, which are however various. We will pass over the 
"[[underline]]diurnal revolution [[/underline]] of the earth, and our air with it, about it's "axis; and also the
"[[underline]] annual motion [[/underline]] of them about the sun; we 
"will not mention the many [[underline]] burning mountains [[/underline]] on the sur=
"face of our earth, nor the many thunderings and lightnings 
"in the air; nor the many [[underline]] earth-quakes [[/underline]] and 
"[[underline]] subterraneous 
"fires [[/underline]], which so terribly shake the surface of the earth and 
"sea, tho' each of them may have a wonderful effect in 
"increasing or diminishing the elastic force of the air: and 
"shall at present only consider one thing, which seems 
"more worthy to be mentioned than the rest."  Granting 
"That the elastic force of the air which immediately 
"touches the surface of our earth, depends chiefly on the 
"weight of the incumbent air."  Also, "That the lower air is 
"is more or less elastic according to the greater or less height 
"of the incumbent column of air, by the different heights 
"of the barometrical mercury, on mountains of greater 
"or less height, and in lower places of the earth."
 
Philos. Trans. No. 492. p.101. for 1749. or Vol 10 of Martyn's Abridgm.t p. 428 by Sam. Christian Hollman, Philos. Prof. Pub. Ord. Gotting. 
Who proceeds with this essay & shews how these alterations of the air arising from the moon's effect of raising it into tides, or longer & shorter columns, in the manner she doth the water in the seas; but it is with so little evidence or satisfaction to me, that I do not taken any farther notice of it. N.B. what is without the marks of quotation was greatly abridged from his essay, & mostly expressed in my own words. 

[[left margin]]A Philosophical Definition of Action and Effect.[[/left margin]]

   "There seems to be no other difference between
"[[underline]] action [[/underline]] and [[underline]] 
"effect, [[/underline]] than that action, (if I may so speak) is an effect [[underline]] 
"in fieri, [/underline]] and effect an absolute action, or one that is perfected. 
"For example, a [[underline]] Vis viva [[/underline]] is that which transfers a moveable 
"thro' a space; therefore the action of a [[underline]] vis viva [[/underline]] is the 
"[[underline]]translation of a moveable thro' a space[[/underline]]; and the effect of  
"a [[underline]] vis visa [[/underline]] is also the [[underline]] translation of a "moveable thro' a 
"space; [[/underline]] or rather, an effect is a moveable already trans=
"ferred thro' the same space.

  "But generally, an action is the preceder of an effect; or 
"rather an action is that by which any thing is effected, but 
"an effect is the thing itself which is effected." Again, 
"If I write a page, my action will be the writing of a page, and