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OF THE ECLIPSES OF THE

LETTER XXII.

Of the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon.

O F all the phænomena of the heavens, thereare none that engage the attention ofmankind more than eclipses of the fun andmoon ; and to those who are unacquainted withastronomical principles, nothing appears moreextraordinary than the accuracy with whichthey can be predicted. In the early ages of an-tiquity, ere religion and science had enlightenedthe world, appearances of this kind were gene-rally regarded as alarming deviations from theestablished laws of nature, and but few, evenamong philosophers themselves, were able to ac-count for them. At length, when men beganto apply themselves to observations, and thecelestial motions were better understood, thesephænomena were found to depend upon a re-gular cause, and to admit of a natural and easysolution.

It is to be observed, however, that most ofthe ancient calculations of eclipses must havebeen extremely defective; for as astronomy, inthose times, was but imperfectly understood, allits dependent parts must have been subject togreat inaccuracies. It is only since Newton has5 unfolded