Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Curious Account Given By The Dumb Philosopher.
vents those proceeding from the person who holds it having any effeft , and it shews it with the greatest exaftness . If he has spent his whole life in folly , indolence , and a continued negleft of his rational duty , it stands stock-still : but if he has mispent any of his time in actions unbecoming a rational creature , it presently shews it , by running so many days , months , and years backwards . Lias his life been a medley of good , bad , and indifferent aftions , as most men ' s lives are , it shews the balance , on which ever side of . the question it happens to fall .
' To enter into a discussion ofthe inward construction of this watch and the causes which from thence produce ^ these wonderful effects is foreign to my present purpose , and indeed , in a great measure , beyond my comprehension ; my design at this time is only to give you an account of some observations and experiments I have made on and with it : and ' i . I observe that my watch stands still not only the whole time
a man has spent in idleness and indolence , which is generally the greater part of his natural life ; but all the time he has employed in eating , drinking , sleeping , and whatever else may be reckoned to the vegetable or animal , is an hindrance to our moral life .
' 2 . As soon as it approaches a man who is engaged in some public spirited generous aftion for the good of mankind , it moves forwards several days at once ; and , on the contrary , if any one is about committing a remarkable aft of injustice , it flies backwards with such rapidity , that I have often been apprehensive the whole machine might fly in pieces . " ¦ ' 3 . With regard to the male and female sexesI have observed
, that , in general , in the company of men , it is very apt to run backwards , arid in that ofthe fair sex , to stand still : though in honour to the latter , I have sometimes observed it to run with greater swiftness forward , than has been common with the other sex .
In our present depraved times , I have observed , that whenever the longest hand of my watch makes seven turns round its circumference of 3 60 degrees , the person who sets it in agitation maybe reckoned of a very advanced age : and he , who attains to his sixth philosophical year , may be called an old man . ' 3 . I have , indeed , a list of some persons , who , at the natural age of twenty or thirty yearshaveaccording to my watchdied iu a
,, , , good old age : but such examples are very rare . ' 6 . With the help of my watch , I have been enabled to write the whole life and history of my late neighbour , Dick Nightcap , in these few words : " Richard Nightcap , born anno 16 97 , died anno 1727 , aged year . " ' 7 . Harry Spadillea gamesterof 60 years of natural
ageisac-, , , , cording to my watch , but two J ears , fourteen days , and six hours old . At that age he made an halt in life , and let one of his grand-children grow seven months older than himself . « 8 . Nick Miser , an old usurer , died according to my watch , some
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Curious Account Given By The Dumb Philosopher.
vents those proceeding from the person who holds it having any effeft , and it shews it with the greatest exaftness . If he has spent his whole life in folly , indolence , and a continued negleft of his rational duty , it stands stock-still : but if he has mispent any of his time in actions unbecoming a rational creature , it presently shews it , by running so many days , months , and years backwards . Lias his life been a medley of good , bad , and indifferent aftions , as most men ' s lives are , it shews the balance , on which ever side of . the question it happens to fall .
' To enter into a discussion ofthe inward construction of this watch and the causes which from thence produce ^ these wonderful effects is foreign to my present purpose , and indeed , in a great measure , beyond my comprehension ; my design at this time is only to give you an account of some observations and experiments I have made on and with it : and ' i . I observe that my watch stands still not only the whole time
a man has spent in idleness and indolence , which is generally the greater part of his natural life ; but all the time he has employed in eating , drinking , sleeping , and whatever else may be reckoned to the vegetable or animal , is an hindrance to our moral life .
' 2 . As soon as it approaches a man who is engaged in some public spirited generous aftion for the good of mankind , it moves forwards several days at once ; and , on the contrary , if any one is about committing a remarkable aft of injustice , it flies backwards with such rapidity , that I have often been apprehensive the whole machine might fly in pieces . " ¦ ' 3 . With regard to the male and female sexesI have observed
, that , in general , in the company of men , it is very apt to run backwards , arid in that ofthe fair sex , to stand still : though in honour to the latter , I have sometimes observed it to run with greater swiftness forward , than has been common with the other sex .
In our present depraved times , I have observed , that whenever the longest hand of my watch makes seven turns round its circumference of 3 60 degrees , the person who sets it in agitation maybe reckoned of a very advanced age : and he , who attains to his sixth philosophical year , may be called an old man . ' 3 . I have , indeed , a list of some persons , who , at the natural age of twenty or thirty yearshaveaccording to my watchdied iu a
,, , , good old age : but such examples are very rare . ' 6 . With the help of my watch , I have been enabled to write the whole life and history of my late neighbour , Dick Nightcap , in these few words : " Richard Nightcap , born anno 16 97 , died anno 1727 , aged year . " ' 7 . Harry Spadillea gamesterof 60 years of natural
ageisac-, , , , cording to my watch , but two J ears , fourteen days , and six hours old . At that age he made an halt in life , and let one of his grand-children grow seven months older than himself . « 8 . Nick Miser , an old usurer , died according to my watch , some