The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1773-03-04 00:00:00, page 1

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ssT' ,THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1773. '
siVIRGINIA
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" LANEVlLLF, Februzxry R, 1773.
HE shtnss} who have lm'n so long in nrrmr lo
si, T [tis [TIajtstj'f revenue ns qui/renl; ma" omn- mere
called upon, in th': pilsii/ic n/anm'r, lo ss/Z'H/e- l/v-ir nc
si count; With the Audl'l/I', am] fy)! l/ss-zir rq/imf/hss-e
sihluncu into the Receivtr': qsh're is) the zsr/v (sss April
; next. ]VI} instruction! on thy l'end arr- fy/i/ic-f mld
Yr'prmtptosy, um! ] shall be obliged, in corct/Z-qm-nce osss
.si ;pzm, strictly to enforce live la-w szgainst z-t'crjy st-rriff
si wlza fail: in lu': duty, and m-g/efls to wake- (lue [my
i lent, RlCHARD CORRIN, D. R. G.
.
si. TalsSERTATION on Me FOUR ELEMENTS.
'{sim/ctpxmuofffbctroWN andCOUNTRY
T MAGAZINE.
siss.
SIR,
!, HILOSOPHY, according to the strict cty
si-- molo y of the word, may be called the love
U'
si of msdom, but perhaps is not improperly
'7
!.
desined the knowledge of nature, deduced
Y
si
; from reason and experience. In this exten
ffive sense of the word, it may be said, of all
ss ?;seiences, to be the least indebted to the discoveries of
ssthe antients; they called not in geometry nor me
'ehanics to their aid, by whose assistanee the mo
'derns have solved so many phxnomena of nature,
ss'which else might still have remained unknown. In
sisijdeed, the observntions they made are delivered down to
him, blended with such obscurity, and, for the most part,
lisssiveiled in such mifls, that we are at a doubt concerning
sssisi sitheir real sentiments with regard to the true nature
of things. To esiablish first, and then to preserve,
' the dignity of their profession, they deemed itss indis
pensably necessary to conceal the most material part
of their doctrine, even from their pupils, till they had
undergone a state of probation for several years: But
they were subject to very great inconveniencies and
disadvantages in order to secure thc admiration us the
common people, who entertained so favourable an
opinion of their philosophers as to admit of no doubt
of the most intricate and Complicate parts, not only
of philosophy, but even of the system of nature itself,
si beiq to them clear and perspicuous. To confirm
ct and corroborate this prejudiced opinion, the experi
mental parts of philosophy lay totally dormant ; nor
" did the magi in public seem attentive to the laws of
nature, for that (in those days) would imply igno
, rance, or : least a desire of trying farther into what
they were supposed robe perfectly intimate with.
_ A (: le.of centuries arc scarce elapsed since the
: clouds o prejudice, which had so many years possessed
& me hearts of mankind, began to subside, and people
'-si lwere convinced that no vngue hypothesis would lead
lhem to the true knowledge of natural philosophy;
-f,rcordingly they had recourse to experimcnts, and it
" found that more discoveries have been made of late,
i-finee that method was introduced, than in the many
? preceding ages. To enumerate the different sccts into
L.; which the antient philosophers are ranged, to expel
.si tiate upon the several doctrines and opinions by each
ct inculcated, by means of which their names are ren
-*, dared" eminent, would transgress the limits I have
; !)roposed myself: But we must not consider them as
gnorant of the doctrine of atoms, the foundation of
wur present philosophy, for it was known among the
Phenicians long before the time of any of the Greek
philosophers, and transmitted down to us. My in
tent is to give you a short shetch of some parts of phi
losophy, as now established, on its true and solid
basis, and'first of the nature and propertics ns bodies.
The original particics of all matter are supposed to
be the same; the different disposition of the porcs,
and corpusclcs ossr primitive [Particles, consiitute the
diversity we see in all bodies, the decompnsition of
which, nevertheless, is found to be finitc, for we are
always stopped in our progress by subflnnces in which
we can produce nn change: To these are fixed the
name of first elcments, which are found to be four,
viz. nrth, air, water, 'and fire.
The properties common to all these elemcnts m-e,
attraction, mobility, inactivity, or vis incrtim, solidity,
extension, and divilibility. Attraction is that power, or
tendency, which all parts of matter have toward each
other; by means of this we find water rises higher at the
edge osa bow] which contains it than in the middle;
and hence we uccount for its rising in sugar, spungcs,
&c. also for the rising Os sup in vegetables, and the nu
trimcnt to all kind Of trees; for the intcrstices osthcsc
may be donfidcred as so many capillnry tubcs, which on
all sides attract, the distance being so infinitely small,
the attrncting powers combine, and the fluid inevita
bly ascends. Attraction is divided into 'sour kinds,
vssiz. nttrnctinn of cohesion, gravitzttinn, electricity,
and mngnctism; at present I shall confine myself to
the two former. By the attrzlction of cohesion all
bodies are enabled to maintain their distinct forms;
by the power of this attraction the original particles
of all matter are united, and the different degrees of it
form the degrees ofsolidity in all bodies: Thus gold is
heavier than silver, having more particles in less
room, silver than brass, and that than iron, &c.
hence also the variety we see in all mineral, animal,
and vegetable substances; for the pztrticles of the
heaviest and lightest bodies are originally the same
weight. Where the sphere os attrnction ends, it is
said, that of repulsion begins. A necdie will lie on
the surface of the water by its repulsion; :! drop of
oil will be also sustained on its sursnce by this poWer
without touching it; flies will run over it without
wettin their feet. If a bar osiron be laid on mer
cury t e surfuce of the fluid will be depressed round
the edges of it. Attraction osgravitation is properly_
the weight of bodies, or the universal tendency which
all things have to seek the center of the earth. What
is the real cause ofit is utterly uncertain: Various
are the conjectures and opinions of the learned. How
ever, it is a power by which the earth itself is held
together, and formed into :! dcnse bull, its rotundity
is likewise justly attributed to the same cause, and is
the infallible consequence of it; the small protube
rance at the cquator, owing to the cxcesiixe velocity
of its motion, is no cxception. By this poWer of
gravitation every thing that lives and moves upon
the earth is held fast to its surface. Its force is so
gre'at that a body lest entirely to the power of this
agent fails about one rood in the first second of time,
three in the second, sive in the third, &c. agreeable
to the _odd numbers. 1, , ;, 7,£, &c. for the vis
inertize of the falling bo y, adde to the power of
ruvity, accelerates it as the squares of the ,timcs.
Elobility is another property common to all bodies;
it is the power they have of changing their place's by
impulsion, or force applied to them. This is too
evident of itself to need any farther explanation.
By inactivityss or vis inertize, is meant the tendeney
which all matter has to remain in its state, either of
motion or rest. Give a bow] of water a sudden push,
and the contents will fly over on the contrary side;
that is, the bow], by-means of the force applied, is
put into motion, but the water remains inert, so that
the how] may be said to go from under the water,
perhaps more properly than the wsiatet' ever the bow].
siyuu, " ,uu l.usu nvnuy round With the bow] in
your hand, and stop suddenly, the contents will fly
over the bow] the way it was ning. So we may de
fine the vis inertire, or inactivity, the resistanfl all
matter makes in altering its (late of rest or motion.
From this Sir Isaac Ncwton deduced the first law of
nature, viz. that all bodies Will continue in their state
osresi orsimotion in a right line, unless compelled to
change it by some sorce impressed: The former part,
that matter is indifferent to either rest or motion, I
have endeavoured to explain; the latter part remains
to be considered. I say that all bodies, put in sorcc
by one power, will invariubly endeavour to go off in
a right line. This may be illUstrilth by what we see
daily practised: A horse,. or any other anima], when
or. ful] speed; is with very great difficulty turned off
suddenly to another course. A course must of neccsii
ty be formed for that purpose. If the horse, of his
own zlccsiord, abruptly turns off to :1 contrary road.
the rider is mornlly certain to vacate his sent. Hence
also the danger osoversetting a czirringe by a sudden
turn; so great is the propenlity all things have to
move in a right line. The second law implies that
the change ofmotion in bodies is always proportion
ablc to the force that acts upon them, sszmd made nc
cording lo the right line in which that force is im-ss
pressed. By this we are taught to csiimute the sum
of the motion of bodies moving the same, or contrary
ways, &c. also the composition of motion arismg
from forces applied in nhliquc directions, which is of
great importance ih philosophy, and the soundntion
osmcclumiCs. The third law is that action and re
action are equal and contrary; that is, by action and
rc-action equal changes os motion :usic produced in
bodies acting upon each other. and these changes arc
imprcsscd tm'ss'urds contrary purls. me thisi. m: have
a solution us various phzrnomenu otherwise unac
cnuntable. The rowing with om, the swimming ;
us fishes in water, the flying of birds in the air, the
hydrosintic paradnx, &c. But to return, solidity in
that which consiitutcs the very cssence of bodies.
which enables them to possess some place. Extenfion
also dcnotes a property of filling : certain limited ,
mensuruble part of universa] space. Without solidi
ty there can be no body, else might two or more bo
dies possess the same place at the same time, which is
absurd. Extenfion implies the quantity of space pos
sessed by any body. Divisibility is that property by
which all bodies, and all partic'es in bodies, may be
separated: The primary particles of each elemenr,
though infinitely small, may be conceived to be di
vided by an forever, and still he capable of farther
division. It is astonishing how far matter may be,
actually divided in nature. A candle will fill :: sphere
of four miles diameter, with particles of light, in :
second of time, and ere the candle suffers the leafl:
visible decrease. Two ounces of assa smtida may lie
exposed to the air fourteen or fifteen days. having
its particles incessantly carried off by it, and yet no:
lose the thousandth part of a grain of its primitive
weight. Eight grains of gold will cover complete],
a wire thirteen thousand yards in length, A grain of
copper, dissolved in half & pint of aqua forth, will
cover as much polished iron with a fine skin of cop
per us the aqua sortis will Wet. lnstnnces of this'
kind are infinite. Impenetrzble hardness seems like
wise to be a property common to all the elements.
The most brittle substanccs, pounded to the most pal
pable powder. skill contain the original particles un—
hurt. Water, if contained in a glass bottle devoid
of air, will fall upon it like a piece of iron, or -any
other metal, and make a loud clink. Even elemen
tary sire, subtle as it is, strike: the bones in an electric
shock like :! solid body. PHlLALETHES,
Misrellaneou: THOUGHTS on PLEASURE.
Pleasure never comes sincere to man,
But lent by Heav'n upon hard usury;
And while jove holds us out the bow] of joy,
Ere it can reach our lips, 'tis dush'd with gall
By some lest handed God. .
DlYDlI.
1 15 1 naruss matter to gather flowers in the -
den of pleasure without hazarding the bite of -
the serpent which lies hidden thereunder. For
plcdures, like the .bee, have honey in the mouth,
but :! sting in the tail. The sweetest of all flow
ers hath its thorns, and who can determine whether
the scent be more delectable, or the pricks more irk
some? Pleasures, like Dalilah, shew and speak fair,
but in the end they bereave us of our. strength, our
fight, our, selvcs. Like nats, they fly about our
ears for a while, but are me to fling. Pleasurc, at
the best, is but a tilted vessel, which, though it please
for & cup or two, the lees are at hand, and a little
disiurlmncc turns it into distasie. It is like :! potion,
which being but tasted is good, but mortal isingur
gitated. We should deal with our delights as Ladies
with their squirrels, never play with them but when
we have nothing to do. or for want of better compa
ny. All that is honest and profitable should please;
but amongst the most, the pasiion of pleasure tran
sporteth the consideration both of honour and profit.
Pleasure, when it is arrived at the highest, is not far
dislnnt from distaste. Tlsse more that flowers breathe
forth their excellent odour, so much the sooner they
sadc.
jnpiter commanded pleasure to retire to Heaven,
inr he was so well followed and served by men, that:
he did no more care to leave the earth. To return -
the more purely, he dil'robed himscis. Grief, who
all the time of his abode on earth had been banished,
sound those clothes, and disguised herself. Since she
hath always deceived the world, which, under the
shew oi'jny, cncounters sorrow, the greatest joys bc
insis-1 lmt mere vexations, covered with little plensuree.
lss'ltdsul'cs smothcr them that embrzlce them; sorrow
and delightiml-ss] so fast together that they are inse
p'ssu'ulilc. l'leasure, like the box, bczsss no sritir, but
prntluccth a specious flower. which k-illcth the bees
that such it, {or it susprizcs ne eyes by a vain illu
sion, whillt it conveys thc poison into the heart.
l'lcssisures arc born in the senscs, and, like ;:lmrtivw,
are commonly conshmcd in their birth. They mult
end with life, and it is :t grszit hzl'lctzn'd, is, during lit":
itlsiclisi, they serve not their ltoil for an execution. {c—
erczuion is a second creation when Weurinsi-is hath