Among the many Causes assigned for this ascent of Liquors, there are two that bid the fairest for it, viz. the Pressure of the Atmosphere, and the Newtonian Attraction. That it is not the former, appears from the Experiments succeeding, as well, or better in Vacuo, than in the open Air, the ascent being rather swifter in Vacuo. This then being not the Cause, I shall suppose the other is; but for the Proof thereof, I shall refer to some of our late English Authors, especially some very late Experiments made before our most famous R. S. which will be so well improved by some of that illustrious Body, as to go near to put the Matter out of doubt.
[g] The Danube in a sober Account, performs a Course of above 1500 Miles, (i.e. in a strait Line) from its Rise to its Fall. Bohun’s Geogr. Dict.
[h] Tractus sc. Longitudo [Nili] est milliarium circiter 630 Germ. sive Ital. 2520, pro quibus ponere licet 3000 propter curvaturas. Varen. Geogr. l. 1. c. 16. p. 27.
[] Varene reckons the Course of the Niger, at a middle Computation, 600 German Miles, that is 2400 Italian.
[k] That of the Ganges he computes at 300 German Miles. But if we add the Curvatures to these Rivers, their Chanels are of a prodigious Length.
[l] Oritur, flumen (quod plerumque Amazonum, &c.) haud procul Quito in montibus——Cùm per leucas Hispanicas 1356. cursum ab occidente in orientem continuârit, ostio 84 leucas lato——in Oceanum præcipitatur. Chr. D’Acugna Relatio de flumine Amaz. in Act. Erud. Aug. 1683.
CHAP. VI.
The great Variety and Quantity of all Things upon, and in the Terraqueous Globe, provided for the Uses of the World.
The last Remark I shall make about the Terraqueous Globe in general is, the great Variety of Kinds, or Tribes, as well as prodigious Number of Individuals of each various Tribe, there is of all Creatures[a]. There are so many Beasts, so many Birds, so many Insects, so many Reptiles, so many Trees, so many Plants upon the Land; so many Fishes, Sea-Plants, and other Creatures in the Waters; so many Minerals, Metals, and Fossiles in the Subterraneous Regions; so many Species of these Genera, so many Individuals of those Species, that there is nothing wanting to the Use of Man, or any other Creature of this lower World. If every Age doth change its Food, its way of Cloathing, its way of Building; if every Age[] hath its Variety of Diseases; nay, if Man, or any other Animal, was minded to change these Things every Day, still the Creation would not be exhausted, still nothing would be wanting for Food, nothing for Physick, nothing for Building and Habitation, nothing for Cleanliness and Refreshment, yea, even for Recreation and Pleasure. But the Munificence of the Creator is such, that there is abundantly enough to supply the Wants, the Conveniencies, yea, almost the Extravagancies of all the Creatures, in all Places, all Ages, and upon all Occasions.