To him we owe all the observations on the Pa rallax of the Pole Star, and all the new Theories of the Deluge.

He it was, that firft taught the right use fometimes of the Fuga Vacui, and fometimes of the Materia Subtilis, in refolving the grand Phænomena of Nature.

He it was, that first found out the Palpability of Colours; and by the delicacy of his Touch, could diftinguish the different Vibrations of the heteroge neous Rays of Light.

His were the Projects of Perpetuum Mobiles, Flying Engines, and Pacing Saddles; the Method of difcovering the Longitude by Bomb-Veffels, and of increafing the Trade-Wind by vast plantations of Reeds and Sedges.

I fhall mention only a few of his Philofophical and Mathematical Works.

1. A compleat Digeft of the Laws of Nature, with a Review of those that are obfolete or repealed, and of those that are ready to be renewed and put in force.

2. A Mechanical Explication of the Formation of the Universe, according to the Epicurean Hypothefis.

3. An investigation of the Quantity of real Matter in the Universe, with the proportion of the fpecifick Gravity of folid matter to that of fluid.

4. Microscopical Obfervations of the Figure and Bulk of the conftituent Parts of all fluids. A Calculation of the proportion in which the Fluids of the earth decrease, and of the period in which they will be totally exhaufted.

5. A Computation of the Duration of the Sun, and how long it will last before it be burned out.

6. A Method to apply the Force arifing from the immenfe Velocity of Light to mechanical purposes.

7. An answer to the question of a curious Gentleman; How long a New Star was lighted up before its appearance to the inhabitants of our earth? To which is fubjoined a calculation, how much the inhabitants of the Moon eat for Supper, confidering that they país a Night equal to fifteen of our natural days.

8. A Demonftration of the natural Dominion of the Inhabitants of the Earth over those of the Moon, if ever an intercourfe should be opened between them. With a Propofal of a Partition-Treaty, among the earthly Potentates, in cafe of fuch difcovery.

9. Tide-Tables, for a Comet, that is to approximate towards the Earth.

10. The Number of the Inhabitants of London determined by the Reports of the Gold-finders, and the Tonnage of their Carriages; with allowance for the extraordinary quantity of the Inge

fa and Egefta of the people of England, and a deduction of what is left under dead walls, and dry ditches.

It will be from hence evident, how much all his Studies were directed to the univerfal Benefit of Mankind. Numerous have been his Projects to this end, of which Two alone will be fufficient to fhow the amazing Grandeur of his Genius. The first was a Propofal, by a general contribution of all Princes, to pierce the firft cruft or Nucleus of this our Earth, quite through, to the next concentrical Sphere. The advantage he proposed from it was, to find the Parallax of the Fixt Stars; but chiefly to refute Sir Ifaac Newton's Theory of Gravity, and Mr. Halley's of the variations. The fecond was, to build Two Poles to the Meridian, with immenfe Light-houfes on the top of them; to fupply the defect of Nature, and to make the Longitude as eafy to be calculated as the Latitude. Both these he could not but think very practicable, by the Power of all the Potentates of the World.

May we prefume after thefe to mention, how he defcended from the fublime to the beneficial parts of Knowledge, and particularly his extraordinary practice of Phyfick. From the Age, Complexion, or Weight of the Perfon given, he contrived to prefcribe at a distance, as well as at a Patient's bed fide.

He taught the way to many modern Physicians, to cure their Patients by Intuition, and to others to cure without looking on them at all. He projected a

Menftruum to diffolve the Stone, made of Dr. Woodward's Univerfal Deluge-water. His alfo was the device to relieve Confumptive or Afthmatick perfons by bringing fresh Air out of the Country to Town, by pipes of the nature of the Recipients of Air pumps: And to introduce the native air of a man's country into any other in which he should travel, with a seasonable Intromiffion of such Steams as were most familiar to him; to the inexpreffible comfort of many Scotfmen, Laplanders, and white Bears,

In Phyfiognomy, his penetration is fuch, that from the picture only of any perfon, he can write his Life, and from the features of the Parents, draw the Portrait of any Child that is to be born.

Nor hath he been fo enrapt in these Studies, as to neglect the polite Arts of Painting, Architecture, Mufick, Poetry, etc. It was he that gave the first hint to our modern Painters, to improve the Likenefs of their Portraits by the ufe of fuch Colours as would faithfully and conftantly accompany the Life, not only in its prefent ftate, but in all its alterations, decays, age, and death itself.

In Architecture, he builds not with fo much regard to prefent fymmetry or conveniency, as with a Thought, well worthy a true lover of Antiquity,

to wit, the noble effect the building will have to pofterity, when it shall fall and become a Ruin.

As to Mufic, I think Heidegger has not the face to deny that he has been much beholden to his Scores.

In Poetry, he hath appeared under a hundred different names, of which we may one day give a Catalogue.

In Politicks, his Writings are of a peculiar caft, for the most part Ironical, and the Drift of them often fo delicate and refined as to be mistaken by the vulgar. He once went fo far as to write a Perfuafive to people to eat their own Children, which was fo little understood as to be taken in ill part . He has often written against Liberty in the name of Freeman and Algernon Sydney, in vindication of the Meafures of Spain under that of Raleigh, and in praise of Corruption under thofe of Cato and Publicola.

It is true, that at his laft departure from England, in the Reign of Queen Anne, apprehending left any of these might be perverted to the Scandal of the weak, or Encouragement of the flagitious, he caft them all, without mercy, into a Bog-house near St. James's. Some however have been with great diligence recovered, and fifhed up with a hook and line, by the Ministerial Writers, which make at present the great Ornaments of their works.

bSwift's ironical tract on that fubject.