a fuppofition by no means to be admitted: it will therefore follow that the dimenfions given by our Author cannot be depended upon, and confequently the corrections he has given are not the corrections that fhould be made use of, if any at all are neceffary. Sir Ifaac Newton discovered, by a very fubtile theory, founded on the obfervations on pendulums, that the proportion between the two diameters of the earth is as 229 to 230; and this perhaps will at last be found to be nearer the truth than that refulting from the menfurations made in Lapland and Peru; which must certainly be preferred to that refulting from the menfurations made in Lapland and France, as the distance between them is much greater, and the accuracy of the Peruvian menfurations appear, from the accounts published of them, to be at least equal to either of the former. In a word, it appears from the whole, that though thefe menfurations are abundantly fufficient to prove that the earth is an oblate fpheroid, yet they are by no means accurate enough to determine the precife dimenfions of that fpheroid. And we will venture to add, that accurate obfervations made in different latitudes on the ofcillations of pendulums, afford a more certain method for determining the dimenfions of this fpheroid, than actual menfurations. Upon obfervations of this kind Sir Ifaac's theory is founded; and as the refult of the menfurations in Lapland and Peru approximates much nearer to Sir Ifaac's than that refulting from the menfurations in Lapland and France, it is a ftrong argument in favour of the former; and also that Sir Ifaac's dimenfions fhould be ufed preferably to either. But if thefe dimenfions are used, our Author's corrections will be much too great. Nor is this all. It must be remembered that the latitudes and longitudes of all places have been fettled by the common methods of obferving it will therefore be neceffary that these be all corrected from Mr. Dunn's principles before any method of this kind can be ufed to advantage; because otherwise it will tend to mislead the mariner instead of affifting him to reach his, intended port with greater fafety. But this will be taking a great deal of pains to very little purpofe; for if thefe errors (if indeed fuch they are) accurately balance each other, they can be of no prejudice. It fhould also be remembered that the art of navigation cannot be rendered too plain and easy. To encumber it with a multiplicity of tedious rules, would be to disappoint the very intention of that neceffary art; because the greater number of navigators cannot be supposed to have made any progrefs in the fublimer parts of mathematical learning. We have hinted in feveral parts of this article, that we doubted whether any corrections of this kind were neceffary; and that we may not feem to have done this without fufficient reafon, reafon, it will not be improper to add the opinion of the celebrated Maupertuis on this fubject, a gentleman whote abilities are fufficiently known, and who made it his study to confider all the advantages that would refult from knowing the true figure of the earth! "That the plumb-line, fays this able mathematician, is every where perpendicular to the furface of the waters; and, coniequently, to the plane of the horizon, which is the plane that touches the furface of the waters in each place, cannot be doubted. But, is the surface of the waters the fame in all places with the furface of the earth? We fee it is in general. The coafts are every where fo little elevated above the level of the fea, that we may confider the furface of the earth as a continuation of the furface of the fea. But may there not be fome place where this furface is unequal? Some place where the plumb-line, though it may be perpendicular to it, would not have, with respect to the axis, the fame inclination as it would have at fome other place, equally diftant from the equator? All aftronomical obfervations fhew the contrary: it is very true that the error which this would occafion in computing the altitude of the pole, would not be eafy to discover. But all the declinations of the stars determined in fuch place would differ from the declinations determined elsewhere; nor would there be any agreement, with regard to thefe declinations, between the different obfervatories now erected in all parts of the earth. A thing which has been fo far from being obferved, that, on the contrary, the more aftronomy is improved, the more exact is found the agreement between all the declinations of the stars determined in different places." Rudimens de Geographie. Chap. XV. B. Continuation of the Pofthumous Works of Dean Swift. See our laft, p. 13. our last month's publication we gave a brief view of the Political celebrated Writer, and now come, according to the order in which thefe papers have paffed through the prefs, to, 1. A Letter from Sir John Brown to Dr. Swift,' relating to fome political scrape in which Sir John was involved, and to fome correction he had received from Swift's pen. This letter, we think, might well have been fpared from the prefent collection, as it certainly makes no part of the Dean's Writings, and as its infertion here can poffibly answer no valuable end whatever, unless that of filling up four pages in quarto. 2. A a 2. A Letter on Mr. McCulla's Project for a New Species of Copper Coin, for the Kingdom of Ireland.' This fcheme the Dean examines with the fame public-fpirited view with which he animadverted on Wood's half-pence. Mr. McCulla's project does not appear to have been fo much calculated for the difadvantage of the country as Wood's undoubtedly was; but fill the Dean thought, and he has here made it fufficiently obvious, that the people would have been greatly injured by this fecond expedient; however, as the kingdom was then greatly diftreffed for want of fmall change, as the crown did not feem at all inclined to redress this grievance, and as M'Culla's scheme was capable of being fo far improved as to answer the end required, he, accordingly, here propofes fuch a method of carrying this scheme into execution, as would at once fupply the wants of the public, without incurring an unneceffary lofs; and at the fame time, not leave the first projector entirely unrewarded for his contrivance.-This is all that ever we heard of Mr. McCulla's scheme; and what became of it, is not here faid. Probably all private projects of this kind, were at length fuperceded by the royal mint. 3. On Doing Good; a Sermon, on the Occafion of Wood's Project, 1724. In this plain and fenfible difcourfe the Dean warmly recommends the amor patrid; and endeavours, principally, to prove thefe three points: 1. That there are few people fo weak or mean, who have it not fometimes in their power to be useful to the public. 2. That it is often in the power of the meanest among mankind, to do mifchief to the public. 3. That all wilful injuries done to the public, are great and aggravated fins in the fight of God.'-Among other inftances of the want of public virtue which the Dean mentions as characteristic of the Times in which he lived, is the following: which, alas! is ftill more applicable to our own times.Have we not feen men, fays he, for the fake of fome petty employment, give up the very natural rights and liberties of their country, and of mankind, in the ruin of which themselves muft at laft be involved? Are not thefe corruptions gotten amongst the meanest of our people, who, for a piece of money, will give their votes at a venture, for the difpofal of their own lives and fortunes, without confidering whether it be to those who are most likely to betray or defend them?-But if I were to produce only one inftance of an hundred wherein we fail in this duty of loving our country, it would be an endless labour, and therefore I fhall not attempt it.' 4. A Propofal that the Ladies and Women of Ireland fhould appear conftantly in Irish Manufactures.' Discovers the Writer's moft laudable refentment and concern for the mifer able able state of Ireland, as the political and commercial affairs of that country were circumftanced, in 1729. 5. A Letter to the Archbishop of Dublin, concerning the Weavers.' The purport of this is collateral with that of the preceding article. The patriot Dean here, likewife, takes a melancholy view of the then state of Ireland, and with a fpirited and manly commiferation, expatiates on the ruin of her trade, the vast yearly remiffion of the rents into England, for the support of abfentees, the deftructive importation of foreign luxury, and vanity, the oppreffion of landlords, and the discouragement of agriculture. All these evils he confiders as past the poffibility of a cure; except that of unneceffary importations of foreign filks, laces, teas, china ware, and other articles of luxury and in order to enforce the remedy of this grievance, he labours with becoming zeal, to recommend the wear of Irish manufactures, both for men and women, and the ufe of the innocent and wholefome produce of their own foil.-Apologizing for the acrimony with which he ufually treats these subjects, (though he is fometimes droll and ludicrous upon them too) he obferves, that it is hard for a man of common spirit to turn his thoughts to fuch speculations, without discovering a resentment which people are too delicate to bear.-There were, indeed, people who could ill brook the rough and manly freedoms which our excellent Author was apt to take, on thefe occafions, because, more than their delicacy, their interests were likely to be affected by his juft remonftrances and keen invectives: and, accordingly, in return, they gave him fufficient trouble, as far as lay in their power, by fetting on foot profecutions against his printers, and offering rewards for difcovery of the Author, in order to punish him as a Libeller.-But, as his cause was good, his refolution steady, his perfeverance unshaken, he finally triumphed over all his opponents; who defervedly funk into the infamy they fo juftly merited: while the patriot Dean became the idol and the glory of that kingdom, for the welfare of which he so worthily exerted thofe talents with which the Almighty had moft bounteously endowed him. In truth, the Dean was, in this part of his character, whatever may be thought of him as a divine, or even as a wit, A TRULY GREAT AND GOOD MAN. 6. Anfwers to Letters from unknown Perfons,' 1729 The first of these anfwers, relates to the fame fubject, in general, with the two laft-mentioned papers; but more particularly to the great emigration of the Irith, at this time, to North-America; occafioned by the want of employment, and by their various diftreffes at home. In this paper, he takes occafion to animadvert, with great feverity, on the prevailing turn toward extravagance, and every kind of diffipation, for which, it seems, the is the ladies of Ireland were at that time remarkable: thofe of the than |