lever by the crooked iron. Under the last head, we have seen that the action in one direction is opposed by the reaction in an opposite direction. In objecting to the agency of the weight on the planes, much has been said about the impossibility of the weight operating without descending or moving; and the impossibility of gravity moving any body but in a perpendicular to the earth. Now, it seems to me, that this alone is no objection to the construction of a perpetual movement, since I can state a case in which, though these difficulties should exist, yet a motion would result. Let G C H be a plane inclined at an which is attached to the plane. Now, of the forty pounds, twenty will be held by the point A, and twenty will press on the plane; the pressure on the plane being in the direction WC, WC may be resolved into W D and D C, each of which will be ten pounds, that is, ten pounds will press the plane perpendicularly in the direction D C, and ten pounds will drive the plane horizontally in the direction W D. In the same way, the force of the descent W A, being resolved into A B and B W, each of these will be ten pounds; one pulling back the plane in the direction A B, and the other pressing the plane perpendicularly in the direction B W. The whole amount of force on the plane then, will stand thus: twenty pounds perpendicular pressure by the lines D C and B W, and ten pounds pressing onward in the direction W D, and ten pounds drawing backward in the direction A B, but these two powers being op posite, destroy each other; therefore, there remains only twenty pounds perpendicular pressure, which cannot move the plane. Now, let us suppose the weight to remain in the same state of rest, but instead of the weight of suspension, acting in the direction A W, let it be in the line A E, parallel, or in the same direction with W C, then A E being resolved into A F and F E, will give ten pounds for perpendicular, and ten for onward pressure in the same direction with W D; the whole amount of force on the plane will stand thus: twenty for perpendicular pressure in the lines A F and D C, and twenty for onward pressure in the lines WD and F. E, but where the friction is diminished, as in this case, by wheels, twenty pounds lateral pressure will overcome twenty pounds perpendicular pressure; therefore, the plane will .. move.. Hence it appears, that though a weight remain at rest on an inclined plane, yet it may propel that plane in a horizontal direction by its gravity, if the mechanism can be so contrived as to alter the direction of the force, by which the weight endeavours to descend. In the creation of a perpetual motion by an inclined plane, the problem will be to form a machine that will destroy this reaction, or change it so that it may act in conjunc tion with the action. Now, the advocates of Mr. Readhefer's machine, say, that by these crooked irons the reaction is not only destroyed, but is made to act in the same direction with the force given by the inclined plane to the lever to which it is attached; they point it out in this way; let A C be the upper lever, to which is fixed N T BR the crooked of motion with C A; now, the weight on the inclined plane, pressing on the lever C K, propels it in the arc K N, and the weight of the descent of the body on the plane, being upheld by a point on the arm E D of the crooked iron, causes the lever A C to move in the arc A I, that is, in the same direction with K N. How the advocates contrive to get this motion by the construction, I can. not tell. The whole operation of the crooked irons is this: if force be applied at Q, to act on the point M, in the direction M Q, 'tis certain that the point A will move in the arc A I, since C, M, and Q, must form into a right line by proposition second, and this cannot take place except the point D move in the are DO, but the point D and A have the same centre of motion C; hence, if D form the arc DO, A, at the same time, must form the arc A I; and the same is true of a force taken at any point on the same side with Q, of a line R S passing through the point of suspension M, and the centre of motion C. In like manner, it may be proved, that if any point L be taken on the opposite side to Q of the line R S, a force from this point L, on the point M, must cause the point A, of the lever A C, to move in the arc AT. If, then, the force be on the Q side of RS, A must move through A I, if on the L side, A must move through A T. Now, in order that any body may be supported on an inclined plane, it is necessary that the point of suspension be before that body, or higher up that plane, and conversely, the body must be behind the point of suspension. If, then, M be taken as the point of suspension of a body on an inclined plane, whose perpendicular elevation is applied to the lever C K, it is evident that the body must be behind that point, or on the L side of R ́S, but it has been shown, that a force on the L side of R S causes A to move in the arc A T. Therefore, the effect of the pressure on the plane, causing the lever C K, to form the arc K N, is opposed by the force of the descent of that body, acting from the L side of R S, and causing the point A to form the arc A T; therefore, the crooked iron A B E D, has no effect to destroy or alter the reaction on the extremity of the lever A C. I have thus endeavoured to point out all the visible parts of this machine, that can possibly be efficient in the production of perpetual motion; and I have shown that none of those parts, or their connexions, can produce the least effect. It has not been my object to show that perpetual motion is an impossible action, even through human invention, as no objection stronger than analogical argument, can be urged against it. AMERICAN GALLANTRY-FOR THE PORT FOLIO. THE annexed engraving represents the action between the United States sloop of war Wasp, captain Jones, of 18 guns, and the British sloop of war Frolic, captain Whinyates, of 24 guns; in which the latter surrendered after 43 minutes close engagement. The time chosen by the artist is the moment at which the Wasp ran down across the bow of the Frolic, whose bowsprit entered between the main and mizen rigging of the Wasp when she was boarded by lieutenant Biddle and carried. CLASSICAL LITERATURE-FOR THE PORT FOLIO. Vos exemplaria Græca Nocturna versate manu, versate diurna. OF THE GREEK COMEDY. (Continued from p. 376, vol. viii.) The subject of the Festival of Ceres is a conspiracy of women who are assembled at this solemnity, to be revenged upon Euripides for all the sarcasms which he had uttered against the sex, in his writings. All the forms of a deliberative assembly are observed. Timoclea is the President, Sysilla acts as Secretary, and Sostrata performs the part of orator: it is, in fact, a burlesque of the Areopagus. It is asked if any one wishes to speak. An orator rises and repeats all the insults which the poet has lavished on the sex. Another female takes the floor; she |