Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1830-06-02
MISCELLANEOUS.
fwOM THE NANTUCKET ENQUIRER.
A FRAGMENT
ONTHE THE"3E OF iHE NV ERSE,
BY ST. PIERRE,
NO ,

What would Piutarch have said Of the
NewtonIans of our days, who have erected
this opinion into an imperturbablc law 60
verning the Universe They have derived
fromit not only the laws which have formed
the stars, ard which regulate their motions.
but those which constitute the existence OF
the vegetable and animal kingdoms; which
give them such variety Of forms, IN
stincts so various. and passions so opposed.
In short, they derive every man, endowed
with intelligence and sentiments, with de-
sires Of glory and virtue, from the same
source, and put him on end in equilibrium,
upon two legs, Ike unto globe between
two attractions PThus they deduce every
thing from matter, which governs of itself,
and leave nothing for the Deity to do who
according TO the stOIcs, had made attrac'
ton iu.matergl.
But let us see how Newton had con-
celved this force-this primum mobile Of
the world. He says it was the work of an
infinitely powerful aud intelligent Being,
whose anne he never pronounced without
some external mark Of respect II IS By
the influence Of this force that the sun m
cessantly draws our earth towards himself;
and this he called the ccntJTpetdt force. But
as this tendency to the centre, would not
fail 10 ioin our planet to the sun, he ina
nlned a second power which he called the
protective or centrifugal force. This last
constantly removes the planet from the
centre of attraction, always urging It on IN
right line. He regarded our globe as
similar 10 a bomb. which driven EDWARDS
bv the power Of exploded gunpowder. and
AT the same time attracted by the earth
describes a parabola in Its route. la like
manner the earth, acted upon by these two
powers, (atractlOn and projection always
in operation, describes an clhpsls about
the sun. The author Of the new system
denies. at once, the protective force. fit
exists in the heavens, says he. II ought TO
he the common attribute OF globes; of the
sun as well as of planetary worlds ; they
ought then to Fly through space m lines OF
direction parallel with each other and vel
ding to the attracting or gravtaiIug force
descend together IN one common fall But
This IS not the case. The sun Is Immoyea
ble n the centre, and the planets pcram
bulate around him. Moreover the planets
are removed to various distances from their
common centre, aud differ also as TO size,
they are. say astronomers, regulated by
their weights. Some ofthe largest Of them
are found nearest TO the sun because they
are LIGHTER than the rest, and others OF The
smallest rank, are found the most remote.
and then il Is because they are the heari-
on They extend this reasoning even to
The calculation Of the precise weight OF
o,ch planet: but this is taking the PTlHc!-
M for granted. and arguing in a vicious
q. re Newton Scnsibly felt the finger
IF Almighty God in The protective impulse
which combining with the solar attraction
C,rced the planets onward, increasingly TO
re,urn, tracing a circle IN their course.
Rut where Is the focus of this impelling
frce. which acts upon the planets and ex-
.erts no influence on the sun! This be
does not explain.
As for the force ofattraotion. the French
au,bor adopts It because he supposes the
IONS of it IN the sun, and he sees exam
niles Gift a. tie surface Of the earth by tho