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TO THE

INDIAN COT T A G E,

HERE is a little Indian Tale which contains more truths than many volumes of History. I first intended it as a Supplement to the relation of a Voyage to the Isle of France, published in 1773, and which I propose to have reprinted with additions. As I speak there of the Indians which are on that Island, I had formerly the design of annexing to it a picture of the manners of those of India, from notes abundantly interesting which I had procured for the purpose. I had therefore worked them into an Episode, interwoven with an historical Anecdote, which forms the commencement of it. This took it's rise from an association of English Literati, sent, about thirty years ago, to different parts of the World, to collect information respecting various objects of Science, I have mentioned one of them in particular who came to India to prosecute the research of truth; but as that Episode formed a digression too disproportionate to the size of my Work, I thought proper to pub lish it separately.

I solemnly declare that I never meant to throw ridicule

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ridicule on Academies, though I have much reason to complain of them, not for any personal offence given me, but from regard to the interests of truth*, which they frequently persecute when it happens

* Science, that Common of the human understanding, is likewise subjugated to, it's aristocracies; these are the Academies. Of this a judgment may be formed from the conduct of one of their principal members, relatively to my Theory of the Tides.

He began by running it down with all his eloquence in private circles; he prohibited the Journals over which the Academies exteud their influence, at least those of most diffusive circulation, to admit of any extracts from it: he has even amused himself, I have been told, in his confidential parties, with raising a laugh at my Christian names prefixed to my Studies of Nature, because I have not the honour which he enjoys, of subjoining to my family name, a long list of academic titles. As, in the time of the old Government, his name figured in every news-paper, and his person in every great man's antechamber, it was easy for him to treat as he pleased a Recluse entirely devoted to the Study of Nature; but judging, since the Revolution, that all his supports of credit might no longer furnish mutual aid, and finding my labours, notwithstanding all the obstacles which he could throw in the way, gradually rising in public estimation, he thought proper to alter his conduct with respect to me. He came to pay me a visit last Summer in the country, whither I had gone to pass a few days. · He had previously circulated a report over the neighbourhood, that I was one of his good and ancient friends. The truth is that I had never spoken to him, and that, with all his celebrity, I did not recollect so much as ever having seen him. He came to the house where I was, and we had a private conversation, from which I shall here retrench every thing but what relates to my Theory of the Tides, the secret object of his visit. After a complimentary introduction; "It is a great pity, Sir," says he, that you should have advanced, in your Studies of Nature, that the fusion of the Polar Ices is the cause of the Tides. "It is an opinion not to be maintained, contrary to that of all the σε Academies in Europe, and palpably erroneous.—— "You ought, Sir," replied I, << to have refuted it."--" Refute what, when "you have adduced no proofs in support of your Theory?"

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"There are twice as many as Astronomers have adduced in support of "theirs. I could fill volumes in quarto were I to collect those only "which I have marked in the relations of navigators. After all, I am "not without my proselytes." "Oh! no dependence is to be placed "on what is said by certain Journalists, who know nothing of the mat"ter." I suspected then that he was going to mention the extract from the English papers, which had been inserted in the Moniteur. * Were "there nothing else in my theory," said I," than my geometrical objec❝tion to the Academicians, who, walking in the steps of Newton, have "fallen into an error, concluding from the magnitude of degrees toward the poles that the Earth was flattened at them, you ought to have replied to it."" What do you understand by a degree?" replied he, ← with great warmth.--- That which all Geometricians understand by "it, the 360th part of a circle."-" You have fallen into the same mis"take with M. de la Hire, about 130 years ago. It is not by the arch "of a circle that a degree is to be measured, but by it's perpendicu"lar." At the same time, in order to demonstrate it to me, he pulled a bit of chalk from his pocket, and began to trace on the door, a circle, two radii, a chord, the sinus, &c. I stopped him, saying: "You "wander from the question. It is not from the perpendicular of the "degree of Torneo, that the measure was taken of that which we have "in the report of Academicians, but from the portion of the terres"trial curve comprehended between two radii which measure a celes"tial degree of the meridian. They have found, at the polar circle, "that portion of the circumference of the Earth, which they as well as "I call a degree, to contain 57,422 fathoms, which we find to exceed "by 674 fathoms the degree measured in Peru near the Equator, the "arch of which degree contains only 56,748 fathoms; from which they "have concluded that the degrees or portions of the circumference of "the Earth, corresponding to the degrees of the celestial meridian "went on increasing progressively toward the Poles, and that conse። quently the circumference of the Earth was flattened there. Now, "if you can make that curve constructed on the diameter of the sphere, and formed of degrees greater than those of the sphere, to "fall within the sphere itself, I am in an error."

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Not knowing what reply to make, he thought proper to shift the conversation. "You have advanced,' said he, "that the tides in the "South Sea are twelve hours alternately, which is not the case."-" I have "not said so,” replied I, "though I am disposed to believe it holds VOL. IV.

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