THE MOON QUESTION.
22d April. But—It is a postulate in . this question admitted by all parties, that the moon revolves round the earth, always presenting the same face towards it. No instrument, therefore, which deviates from this represents the moon's motion ; and a rigid connexion beat illustrates the actual relation of the two bodies.
Permit me to mention what I think are the chief geometrical contrasts between this lunar revolution and axial rotation. In the former, all the points in the distant hemisphere of the moon must revolve round her centre once during her entire orbit; while the centre revolves round all those in the hemisphere on this.side of it; each point in the whole orbit forming concentric rings round the earth. Were there also an axial rotation of the moon, all points in her would rotate round her own centre • ' and none ex- cept the centre, would form concentric rings round the earth. These dif- ferences exist quite independently of other bodies, and have no relation to space, and I think sufficiently i prove the total dissimilarity of the two move- ments, and the folly of confusing them.
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