The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-01-28
To the Editor Of the Enquirer.

Having bestowed mucl, attention on the sub-
ject of the Perpetual Notion from the time its dis
c0very by Mr. Re ,dhefer first announced to
the public, | have been requested to communicate
tn you the result of my examination and reflection.
Although have always been of opinion either that
Mr.. L. was deceived or tes sned to deceive others,
L have torborn to trouble you with my reasons, be-
cause had never seen genuine model OF his
chine this objection being now removed by the kind.
ness off intelligent friend from the country, shall
state to YOU, what will cal! merely 80 obscti-
to the machine" but which amount TO
positive demonstration of the faliacy of the princi-
piles upon which il is supposed to produce the effect
OF perpetual motion.
1. The whole impulse is supposed to be commu-
nicated by weight which never tiescents, by means
OF what its advocates call oniescent momentum
Now, quiescent momentum is not only an absurd
ty, but soecism in language. .Ho,soetu1l is the
quantity OF motion IN any body ,and therefore 10 talk
OF momentum in a body that moves, is to ask
us for the quantity OF motion in q body at rest
or the velocity of body standing still tie rapid
y of stream which does flow, or the spe ed of
horse that is dead, or any such similar nonsense.
g. Even supposins that a body could both move &
be at rest at the same time, Mr.. Redhcafer's ma
chime would not still he perpetual motion Because
it would then be defeated by Vic law of action and
reaction, being equal and i'll contrary directions ;
since ii ia evident that with whatever force the qu
cscent weight mis- ht press upon the plane 81 there
by drive 1t in one direction, the plane by reaction
equally presses upon the wright and drives it in the
other, and these forces counterbaanoine by being
quail and in contrary directions, effect will be pro-
duced,
8. The Rollers to the Wagons of no use, he
cause the Wagons the inclined planes
at all They made to abate friction, but friction
between bodies at rest, is as absurd momentum
in body that never moves.
We are told by practical men that the mashine
moves, which is better proof th:n any argum ent
drawn from abstract principles. They say, theory
and practice do not always lead to the same esnits
Grant it but theory is perfect than practice
because demonstrate that be true III theo.
ry which cannot make true in practice but no.
thing can be male true in practical mechanics
which cannot be demonstrated TO be true in theory
Now, since we cannot demonstrate the truth OF Mr.
Redheafer's princpes i'll theory and since theory is
more perfect than practice, follows, foTtio5 that
we cannot make his principles produce the effect in
practice. These Practical men had better look to
the consistency Of their charges against philosophy
before they publish their next Philippe against it.
To conclude--there have been other machines be
fore Redhesfers, which asserted Just rs good
authority TO be perpetual motions as his is. The
wheel of Hssse-Cassel one, which account of
its wonderful phenomena, made many persons waste
| much time and money in initiating it, until the
principle refuted by Desaguiers.
.4RCUYT,3S