you by many titles, I consecrate to your memory, as a perpetuall monument of your singular learning, of your most edifying example of life, of your good will towards mee, and of my reciprocall and just gratitude to you, as one who is,

Most generous Sir,

Your humblest Servant,

LE GRAND.

Anthony Le Grand was a Cartesian philosopher, who published several works on the philosophy of Descartes during the latter part of the 17th century, which were held in considerable estimation during his time.

RELIQUIE ASTONIANÆ;

OR

FRAGMENTS

FOUND AMONG THE PAPERS OF THE RIGHT HONOUR ABLE WALTER, THIRD LORD ASTON.

FRAGMENTS.

I.

Some Reflections upon what time of the Year it shall happen that the Pole of the Earth shall nearest approach the Pole Star, supposing the Earth annually to move about the Sun.

Imagine the sun to be in the centre, and the earth, according to Mr Cassini's system, to move about it in a circle in the plaine of the ecliptick. I imagine the sun to be in the first point of Capricorne, and consequently the earth to be in the first point of Cancer. I imagine to

myself a plaine cutting the poles of the ecliptick, and the ecliptick itself in the points aforesaid of the two saide signes, and likewise the earth in two equal parts, there placed as aforesaid. Now it seems evident to me, that the earth, so cut, shall not be cut according to its poles, but at an angle in the centre of the earth, of betwixt seven and eight degrees. For the pole of the earth, according to Cassini, pointing to the pole star within halt a degree, and the pole star being in the 22 of Gemini, that is, within eight degrees of the first of Cancer, when the earth shall be in the first of Cancer, the pole always pointing to within half a degree of the pole star, must then point to the 22d of Gemini, or within half a degree of it. Now, in this posture of the earth, I imagine a plain cutting according to the poles of it, and likewise cutting the plain aforesaid (which is truly the solstitial colure) at an angle betwixt seven and eight degrees; and likewise I imagine another plain cutting the poles of the ecliptick, and the ecliptick at the 22d of Gemini, or within half a degree. This plain shall be parallel to the last mentioned plain cutting the earth, for they are both supposed to cut the

solstitial plain at equal angles. Now, in the annual motion of the earth, its poles always moving parallel to themselves, when these two plains, that is the second and the third, shall coincidere, which will be twice in the year, then will the poles of the earth, of necessity, nearest approach to, and be most remote from the pole star; but that will be in June and December, when the earth is in 22 Gemini, and 22 of Sagittarius. For when the earth is so, viz. in 22 Gemini, then does the plain passing through the poles of the earth coincidere with the plain passing the poles of the ecliptick, and the 22 of Gemini, which is the place of the star when the pole will be the nearest it, and the remotest when in the 22 of Sagittarius, by reason the pole of the earth will then have its greatest declination towards the north, or pole of the ecliptick.

II.

The Conclusion.

I will now run ouer the sum of my hypothesis. I suppose these inferior globes to move about their owne proper axis. I suppose in

this our great orb only one sun, acting, and at a distance; not so of the rest, except only so far as in a repercussion of the rays received from the sun. From these primary motions, I deduce the Copernican system of the world, and the circulation of the æther, and of the light in and about the earth; from hence the ebbing and flowing of the sea, the winds; and, finally, gravity and elasticity, which are no less the instruments of nature than of art. For the æther, when itcan, dissipates those grosser things that suit not with its most rapid motion, as when they consist only of a heap of those impenetrable things ill set together, hence proceeds the elastick or restitutive power, not only of things compressed, but by consequence, of those dilated too, therefore every dilatation of one thing is a compression of another. When it cannot, as when the things are contained in their proper vessels, formed by a separate circulation, then it beats them downward. Hence comes gravity. Especially by a direct motion from the sun, and a crooked one from the earth, arise whirlings of certain things belonging to our globe, about a particular centre; as bubbles, little rings, tubes, and other sort of