LXXVI. Memorable events continued LXXVII. Events chiefly relating to France CVIII. Of mifts, clouds, rain, dew, fnow, CIX. Of the feven colours, and the rainbow cx. Of the king, and British conftitution CXXX. Of the tides CXXVII. Of punishments CXXVIII. Of earthquakes and volcanos CXXIX. Of the aurora borealis CXXXI. On the faltness of the fea CXXXII. On electricity, and thunder and lightning CXXXIII. On the found of thunder, and 306 310 312 313 318 thunder-bolts 325 CXXXIV. Of water-fpouts, whirlwinds and hurricanes 326 CXXXV. Of the stocks or public funds CXXXVI. On different miles. 328 332 ELEMENTS ELEMENT S OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. CHAP. I. OF ASTRONOMY. HE fcience which treats of the planets, and THE other heavenly bodies, is called Aftronomy. The most confpicuous of the celestial bodies is that glorious luminary the Sun, the fountain of light and heat to the several planets, or habitable worlds, which revolve round it. Thefe planets, together with the fun, compose what astronomers have called the Solar Syftem. They are fix in number; and their names are Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. With refpect to their nearnefs to the centre, or middle point of the fun, they are exactly in the order in which they are here |