A system of mechanics, being the substance of lectures upon that branch of natural philosophy / By T. Parkinson.

  • Parkinson, Thomas, 1745-1830.
Date:
1785
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A system of mechanics, being the substance of lectures upon that branch of natural philosophy / By T. Parkinson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    I PREFACE. t > A » » «. I. V . > 4 J . • » it «. • 4 J i wiii.li'. J; t .’i j . • • * • • j 7^ H E want of fyftematic treatifes on mechanics and hydro- ftatics hath long been confidered as equally troublefome to the tutor, and difcouraging to his pupils, and firft induced a defirc to facilitate the attainment of thefe branches of fcience by a collection, and methodical arrangement, of their fcattered parts. The prefent coincides, very nearly, with the propofitions, or heads of IcCtures, upon this fubjeCt, adopted by the generality of tutors in the univer- fity, and is recommended by an obvious connexion and regular order of dependancy. In all natural fcience, the analytic method of rea- foning neceffarily precedes the fynthetic, and the converfe of this order would terminate in uncertainty and chimera. The exiftence and delineation of thofe properties of matter, which are conceived to generate the phenomena of preffiire and motion, are therefore concifely and generally premifed in the firft fix chapters, and fup- ply-data, derived from experience and uncontroveited faCis, toi fynthetic demonftrations. The general propeitics of motion aie ddicribed in the chapter upon folidity, becaufe the cleared con- ceptions of motion are derived from impulfe, which arifes from itroduced in the chapter are infeparably connected with folidity; and the laws of motion are i: upon the inertia o? matter, becaufe they