and it serves as the foundation of all vanced the monstrous position, that his deductions, whatever may have space is a vacuum! And all this was been, or whatever may be, supposed done, to identify his theory with the to be its source. Geometrical analy-law of the solar connection with the sis, and all its wonders, prove nothing, planetary motions, with which law therefore, exclusively, in regard to the alone his geometrical analysis had any pretended powers ascribed to gravi-relation. The eccentricity of the platation or attraction; while they prove netary orbits, on which Newton rested exactly as much in regard to the the- his detailed proofs, arises from causes ory of TRANSFERRED MOTION, of which within, or upon, the planets themtheory, the law above stated is a direct selves; such as the unequal disposition and necessary deduction. Substitute of the oscillating fluids at the polar the rational and palpable powers of extremities, which, by varying the transferred motion, in place of the oc- planet's impetus as the line of operacult hocus-pocus of attraction or gravi- tion varies, increases or diminishes tation, in geometrical disquisitions on the local effect of the solar impulse on physics, and the very same mathema- the medium of space which moves the tical inferences will follow; but they planet. Newton, as a geometrician, will be attended with more metaphy- argues as though the planets were insical reason, and less logical improba- fluenced in every increment of motion bility. by some relation to their subsequent motions, and that the forces exist for the sake of elliptical orbits: but this is fanciful; for the impulse or moving power in the sun, in the same plane, being absolute and invariable, the orbicular variations arise from causes (as the action of fluids,) existing within, or upon, the planet, and being therefore liable to change, the force and the resistance are always exactly equal to the motion produced, which motions determine the form of the orbit.

The sacred name of Geometry is commonly abused, when men attempt to represent hypotheses by relations of quantity, and then draw inferences, in regard to the hypothesis, from the necessary geometrical relations of the quantities. In this way, every absurdity in metaphysics and theology has been attempted to be demonstrated. Kepler availed himself of the same tools, when he proved the influences of the sextile, quartile, and trine aspects of the planets on the occurrences of human life; and a still more whimsical misapplication, was Newton's attempt to connect the motions of the moon with the quantity expressed by the versed sine of the first second of the quadrant! In general, in these cases, the thing to be proved is assumed as known, and then geometrical quantities are clothed with it, and the comparison of the quantities is considered as a mathematical investigation of that which never existed, except in the mind of the inquirer. It is precisely thus with Newton, in his harmonious accommodation of his centripetal and centrifugal forces; the truth being, that he had no previous proof of the co-existence of such forces; but he found a law, which law indicated some kind of connection between the sun and the planets; and, having ascribed the fall of a stone to attraction, instead of local motion, he then ascribed the obscure connection of the sun and planets to attraction also; but, as the planets do not fall to the sun, he then invented his centrifugal force; and, to give it effect, ad

It has, thirdly, been triumphantly urged, that my theory of motion will not account for the phenomena of comets. To this I reply, that it behoves the followers of Newton to prove that the system which they embrace accounts for any phenomena, except by the easy mode of applying names. They ought to exhibit some more philosophical cause than their ever-varying and accommodating projectile force, to explain every variety of phenomena, before they are warranted in calling on others to explain nature in a better way than by their own arbitrary nomenclature. I admit the difficulty of explaining every thing; but the Newtonian physics do not explain any thing. In comets, we have phenomena different from planets; and, on slight consideration, it will appear that the operative causes are also different. Thus, comets do not move in the plane of the planets, nor in the plane of the sun's circular motion round the centre of his planetary system. Hence the different phenomena. Different directions of MOTION necessa

The fifth appeal to vulgar faith, made by advocates of the universal nonsense about universal gravitation, is to the exactness of astronomical calculations. "There," say they, "that eclipse, or occultation, takes place, as foretold, to a second of time; and what better proof can we have of the truth of the Newtonian philosophy? Can any thing, therefore, be more futile and presumptuous than any attempts to overturn it." Regularly-inducted New

rily produce different results, and the whole is still the simple effect of corresponding MOTIONS. The maxima of the forces of the sun's impulse lie in the plane in which he moves, and the forces diminish in a law of the angle extending on each side the plane. A comet moving then within the vortex of the solar system, but not in the planetary plane, becomes the patient of the varying forces of the medium of space, and hence its eccentric orbit. Its motions may, therefore, be some-tonians will, however, be ashamed what assimilated to a spiral, till it reaches the sun, and the plane of the sun's action, when also the melting and liquefaction of the mass combines to create a re-action or centrifugal force within the body, and hence the expansion of the orbit, and the retreat of the comet into space, where the causes and effects being in due time reversed, the comet again returns towards the sun.

As a fourth species of conclusive arguments, the Newtonians quote the calculation about the fall of the moon in its orbit; in which the vanishing quantity of the versed sine of the first second in the quadrant is recognized as the measure of the equable power of Nature, which carries the moon through the quadrant. The result aceorded with the assumed theory, and accords alike with that of motion; but nothing could be more preposterous than to assimilate the relations of the lines and quantities in the trigonometrical canon, with the equable power which carries the moon through its orbit. The versed sine of the first, or the last second, could have no possible connection or relation with the phenomenon; but, if it had, and if the forces acted in the manner indicated by Newton, all the planetary motions would then be accelerated motions. The circumstance, that the motions are not accelerated, proves, however, that no such continued innate force as that of gravity is concerned in producing them; but, on the other hand, it shews that the motions are generated by the sun's impulse on the medium of space, within which the planets swim, and are impelled like ships in an impelling current of the ocean; and their variable periods are necessary results of their several re-actions, which again are measured by their variable distances, bulks, densities, and constituent arrangements of fixed and fluid parts.

that their system should be upheld by such an argument as this; but it has been printed in various forms, and exhibited as unanswerable, since this theory of transferred motion was published. One need, however, in reply, merely observe, to persons not conversant with the history of the science, that astronomical calculations are not founded on any theory, but on longcontinued observations, which enabled all the eastern nations to foretel astronomical phenomena with nearly modern exactness, at least two thousand years ago, and qualified the early printers to publish ephemerides at Bologna in the middle of the sixteenth century. The only modern improvement, is the doctrine of mutual disturbances; but the principle of reciprocal motion, or of necessary action and re-action upon and through the medium of space, explains the rationale of mutual disturbances with far greater precision, than the doctrine of alleged mutual attraction, operating somehow through a vacuum!

Such are the arguments by which the new theory has been opposed. But, of the liberality or good manners of these soi-disant philosophers, it ought to be recorded, that for promulgating a theory which confers probability and mechanical precision on the causes of natural phenomena, the author, (instead of being formally answered by some of the thousand professors who live by teaching the errors of past ages,) has merely seen such arguments as the preceding, exhibited in language the most arrogant and dogmatical, intermingled with much insolent and personal abuse. Truth is, however, all powerful, and the disciples of this system are already become very numerous; while sceptics, in regard to the assumed principles of attraction and gravitation, are to be found in every philosophical circle. Perhaps,

St. Nicholas', many a fabric stands trembling to its base, waiting only some more than ordinary moment of concussion, to hurl destruction on those within its fall.

persons were in the church at the time, and of these the greater part were unhurt; but the children of the charityschool, who are marched in procession somewhat earlier than the time of serIt will be perceived, by the accom- vice, had partly entered: the boys, panying representation, that this build- following last, all escaped; but a numing is a composition of the mixed ber of the girls, who were either within Gothic styles, possessing a chaste and the porch, or proceeding up the aisle, lively character, and forming, to the were overwhelmed in an instant benorth end of the town, a very pleasing | neath the pile of ruin. The crash of coup-d'-ail; especially when viewed the steeple, and the piercing shrieks from the opposite shore of the Mersey. of terror which instantly issued from The square tower, which rises to the persons in the church, and the spectaheight of 107 feet from the ground, is tors in the church-yard, immediately surmounted by an octagonal lantern, 75 brought a large concourse of people to feet high, of open workmanship, giving the spot, who did not cease their efforts a rich and aerial lightness to the whole to rescue the unfortunate victims, till edifice; and making the total height all the bodies were removed, notwithto the summit 182 feet. Its erection standing the tottering appearance of was begun in September, 1811, and the remaining part of the tower and completed by March, 1814, at an ex-roof of the church, which momentarily pense of nearly £22,000, including the peal of twelve bells, clock, &c. The several parts are bound together by bars of copper, so as to constitute altogether one solid mass of masonry, which, it is hoped, will long withstand the depredations of time. It is built of durable freestone, from the quarries of Runcorn, in Cheshire.

We are indebted to the architectural taste and skill of Mr. Harrison, of Chester, for the design of this ornament to the town; and to Messrs. Hetherington and Grindrod for its execution. Of the calamitous event-the falling of the ancient tower-which will be long remembered by the inhabitants of Liverpool, and particularly so by the surviving friends and relations of those who perished in the awful accident, the following account has been recorded in the Antiquarian and Topographical Cabinet, vol. ii.

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On the 11th of February, 1810, a few minutes before divine service usually begins, and just as the officiating clergyman was entering the church, the key-stone of the tower gave way, and the north-east corner, comprising the north and east wall, with the whole of the spire, came down, and, with a tremendous crash, broke through the roof along the centre aisle, till it reached near to the communion rails, and in its fall carrying with it the whole peal of six bells, the west gallery, the organ, and clergyman's reading-desk, totally demolishing them, and such seats as it came in contact with. Not more than from fifteen to twenty adult

menaced a second fall. Many instances of hair-breadth deliverance occurred: all the ringers escaped except one, who was caught in the ruins, and yet was extricated alive. The alarm, it is said, first was given to the ringers by a stone falling upon the fifth bell, which prevented its swing; the men ran out, and immediately the bells, beams, &c. fell to the bottom of the tower, and their preservation would have been impossible, had not the belfry been on the ground floor. The Rev. R. Roughsedge, the rector, owes his safety to the circumstance of his entering the church at an unaccustomed door: the Rev. E. Pughe, the officiating minister, was prevented from going in by the children of the school, who were pressing forward. The teacher, who was killed, had just separated the children to afford him a passage, when a person exclaimed, "For God's sake, come back:" he stepped back, and beheld the spire sinking, and the whole fall in. We shall relate another instance, almost miraculous: a person named Martin was seated in his pew; the surrounding seats were dashed to pieces, and heaped with ruins; but he came out unhurt. Twenty-seven bodies have been taken out of the ruins; and twentytwo were either killed, or shortly after expired. This number, if we consider the peril, may be called comparatively small; but, in the eye of humanity, awfully great."

It is worthy of notice, that one the ringers had laid down his wa