Attractions. That the force of the Sun is no greater in this Case, proceeds from the very small Proportion the Semi-diameter of the Earth bears to the vast distance of the Sun.
It is also observ'd, that cæteris paribus, the Æquinoctial Spring Tides in March and September, or near them, are the Highest, and the Neap Tides the lowest; which proceeds from the greater Agitations of the Waters, when the fluid Spheroid revolves about a great Circle of the Earth, than when it turns about in a lesser Circle; it being plain that if the Moon were constituted in the Pole, and there stood, that the Spheroid would have a fix'd Position, and that it would be always high Water under the Poles, and low Water every where under the Æquinoctial:
And therefore the nearer the Moon approaches the Poles, the less is the agitation of the Ocean, which is of all the greatest, when the Moon is in the Æquinoctial, or farthest distant from the Poles. Whence the Sun and Moon, being either conjoined or opposite in the Æquinoctial, produce the greatest Spring Tides; and the subsequent Neap Tides, being produc'd by the Tropical Moon in the Quarters, are always the least Tides; whereas in June and December, the Spring Tides are made by the Tropical Sun and Moon, and therefore less vigorous; and the Neap Tides by the Æquinoctial Moon, which therefore are the stronger: Hence it happens, that the difference between the Spring and Neap Tides in these Months, is much less considerable than in March and September. And the reason why the very highest Spring Tides are found to be rather before the Vernal and after the Autumnal Equinox, viz. in February and October, than precisely upon them, is, because the Sun is nearer the Earth in the Winter Months, and so comes to have a greater effect in producing the Tides.
Hitherto we have consider'd such Affections of the Tides as are Universal, without relation to particular Cases; what follows from