“While I do not deny that such an experiment would be likely to set both parties in motion, friend Reasono, I do not see why the ’arth should not finally stop, as the man would be sure to do, after he had got through with hopping, and kicking, and swearing.”
“The reason why the earth, once set in motion in vacuum, does not stop, can also be elucidated by experiment, as follows:—Take Captain Noah Poke, provided as he is by nature with legs and the power of motion; lead him to the Place Vendome; cause him to pay three sous, which will gain him admission to the base of the column; let him ascend to the summit; thence let him leap with all his energy, in a direction at right angles with the shaft of the column, into the open air; and it will be found that, though the original impulsion would not probably impel the body more than ten or twelve feet, motion would continue until it had reached the earth. Corollary: hence it is proved that all bodies in which the vis inertia has been overcome will continue in motion, until they come in contact with some power capable of stopping them.”
“King!—Do you not think, Mr. Reasono, that the ’arth makes its circuit, as much owing to this said steam of yours shoving, as it were, always a little on one side, acting thereby in some fashion as a rudder, which causes her to keep waring as we seamen call it, and as big crafts take more room than small ones in waring, why, she is compelled to run so many millions of miles, before, as it were, she comes up to the wind ag’in? Now, there is reason in such an idee; whereas, I never could reconcile it to my natur’, that these little bits of stars should keep a craft like the ’arth in her course, with such a devil of a way on her, as we know in reason she must have, to run so far in a twelvemonth. Why, the smallest yaw—and, for a hooker of her keel, a thousand miles wouldn’t be a broader yaw than a hundred feet in a ship—the smallest yaw would send her aboard of the Jupiter, or the Marcury, when there would be a smashing of out-board work such as mortal never before witnessed!”
“We rather lean to the opinion of the efficacy of attraction, sir; nor do I see that your proposition would at all obviate your own objection.”
“Then, sir, I will just explain myself. Let us suppose there was a steamer with a hundred miles of keel; let us suppose the steam up, and the craft with a broad offing; let us suppose her helm lash’d hard aport, and she going at the rate of ten thousand knots the hour, without bringing up or shortening sail for years at a time. Now, all this being admitted, what would be her course? Why, sir, any child could tell you, she would keep turning in a circle of some fifty or a hundred thousand miles in circumference; and such, it appears to me, it is much more rational to suppose is the natur’ of the ’arth’s traversing, than all this steering small among stars and attractions.”
“There is truly something very plausible, Captain Poke, in your suggestion; and I propose that you shall profit by the first occasion to lay your opinions on the subject, more at large, before the Academy of Leaphigh.”
“With all my heart, Doctor; for I hold that knowledge, like good liquor, is given to be passed round from one to another, and not to be gulped in a corner by any particular individle. And now I’m throwing out hints of this natur’ I will just intimate another that you may add to your next demonstration, by way of what you call a corollary; which is this—that is to say—if all you tell us about the bursting of the boiler, and the polar kick be true, then is the ’arth the first steamboat that was ever invented, and the boastings of the French, and the English, and the Spaniards, and the Italians, on this point, are no more than so much smoke.”
“And of the Americans, too, Captain Poke,” I ventured to observe.
“Why, Sir John, that is as it may happen. I don’t well see how Fulton could have stolen the idee, seeing that he did not know the Doctor, and most probably never heard of Leaphigh in his life.”
We all smiled, even to the amiable Chatterissa, at the nicety of the navigator’s distinctions; and the philosopher’s lecture, in its more didactic form, being now virtually at an end, a long and desultory conversation took place, in which a multitude of ingenious questions were put by Captain Poke and myself, and which were as cleverly answered by the Doctor and his friends.