HEADS 
OF A 
Courfe of Lectures 
ON THE 
natural history 
OF THE 
Celeftial Bodies5 The Earthy the Vegetable 
The Atmofphere, and Animal Kingdoms. 
INCLUDING THE 
HISTORY of. M A N, 
AND THE 
Mod effectual Means of preferring Health 
HENRY MOY ES, M. D. 
TheCourfe will conjijl of Eighteen EeElures. 
Admittance to the Whole One Guinea ; 
To a single Lecture, Two Shillings. 
The Lectures will begin HEADS 
OF A 
COURSE of LECTURES, &c. 
LECTURE I. 
On the NATURAL HISTORY of the SUN. 
i A GENERAL VIEW of the MATERIAL UNI- 
VERSE. 
2 Some general Observations relating to the SUN, 
3 Several Opinions of the moft eminent Philofophers con- 
cerning the Nature and Production of the SUN’s 
LIGHT. 
4 Thefe Opinions erroneous, and the true Caufe of the 
SOLAR LIGHT affigned. 
5 The SPOTS on the SUN—their Hiftory-—their Phe- 
nomena explained upon new Principles. 
6 Of SOLAR MOUNTAINS—their Height, Mag- 
nitude, &C. 
7 Arguments to prove the Exiftence of a SOLAR AT- 
MOSPHERE—its Ufes in the Syftem, and the Phe- 
nomena refulting from the Variation of its Denfity, 
Tranfparency, &c. 
BOf TIDES in the SUN—-of the Conftitution of that 
Luminary, 9 The SUN not Hot, and how it excites the Principle of 
Heat in the Earth and Planets. 
10 The USES of the SUN in the SOLAR SYSTEM. 
LECTURE 11. 
On the NATURAL HISTORY of the PLA- 
NETS, COMETS, and FIXED STARS. 
i QF MERCURY. 
W 2Of VENUS 
2 Of the EARTH. 
4 Of the MOON the Appearance of her Surface 
when viewed through a good Telefcope—her Atmo- 
fphere demonftrated, and its’Nature explained the 
true Height of the Lunar Mountains, and an Ac- 
count of a very Angular Phenomenon obferved in the 
Moon during a Solar Eclipfe. 
5 Of MARS. 
6 Of JUPITER—his Moons, Atmofphere, and regular 
Winds, the Conftitution of his Body, he. the 
Magnitude of his Mountains. 
7 Of SATURN—his Moons, Ring, &c. 
8 Of the GEORGIUM SIDUS, or lately difeovered 
Planet. 
9 Of COMETS in general their Orbits, Periods, 
Number, and Magnitude—their Diftances from the 
Sun, and the Heat and Cold they fuftain—the Pheno- 
mena and Caufe of their Trains the Trains wifely 
appointed by the Author of Nature. 
10 Of the FIXED STARS in general—their Clafles, 
Number, Diftances, Magnitude, and Ufes new 
Stars defcribed and accounted for—the Motions of 
the FIXED STARS explained. LECTURE 111. 
On GRAVITY and MAGNETISM. 
I ATTRACTION of the elementary Particles 
A of MATTER—what would happen if fufpended- 
how far it extends from the Centre of each Particle. 
2 GRAVITY the fame with ATTRACTION—Bodies 
not heavy at the Earth’s Centre—their Weight greateft 
at the Earth’s Surface. 
3 The ATTRACTION of Mountains, and the Confe- 
quences to which it leads. 
4 Of MAGNETISM in general of NATURAL 
MAGNETS—their Conftitution, and where found. 
5 The Hiftory of MAGNETISM the Invention of the 
Compafs—the Variation and Dip of the Needle—their 
Hiftory, &c. an Attempt to account for the above- 
mentioned Phenomena upon new Principles. 
LECTURE IV. 
On ELECTRICITY. 
j 'T'HE Hiftory of ELECTRICITY. 
* 2 Curious Property of CHARCOAL and ICE, 
3 The Nature of the eledtrical Fluid. 
4 LATENT ELECTRICITY. 
5 LATENT ELECTRICITY, how rendered fenfible, 
6 POSITIVE and NEGATIVE ELECTRICITY. 
7 PHENOMENA attending the Motion of the Electrical 
Fluid. 
8 ELECTRICITY of the Clouds. 
9 THUNDER and LIQHTNING, 10 The Diftance of THUNDER, how eftimated. 
11 The rumbling Noife of THUNDER accounted for. 
12 Why the Earth is not ftruck every Time it thunders. 
13 How LIGHTNING may be drawn from the Clouds. 
14. Cautions neceflary in thefe Experiments. 
15 Of guarding Buildings, &c. from the EFFECTS of 
LIGHTNING. 
16 The ufual Method inefficient. 
17 A new Method propofed. 
18 Moft eligible Situations during a Thunder Storm. 
19 Of darkening a Room during Thunder. 
2,0 In what Manner Animals are killed by Ele£ixicity. 
21 Concerning the Application of Ele&ricity to medicinal 
Purpofes. 
LECTURE V. 
On the STRUCTURE of the EARTH, 
1 *-pHE THREE KINGDOMS of NATURE 
defined. 
2 Of the EARTH in general—its Strata—their relative 
Pofition, Connexion, Dipping, See. 
3 Of the Fiflures, or perpendicular Divifions of the Strata, 
their Width, Contents, and Depths. 
4 Of the Veins of Metallic Ores, the empty Fiflures of the 
Earth, and the trapping down of the Strata. 
5 The THEORY of the EARTH —. different Opinions 
concerning it. 
6 Of FOSSIL SHELLS, and other Marine Produ&ions 
lodged in the Earth. 
7 Of Mountains primary and fecondary 8 The Formation of dry Land. 
9 Of the univerfal Deluge. 
LECTURE VI, 
Of EARTHQUAKES and BURNING 
MOUNTAINS. 
I BURNING MOUNTAINS in general. 
2 Of iTTNA. 
3 Of VESUVIUS. 
4 Of HECLA. 
5 A general Account of the BURNING MOUN 
TAINS in Afia, Africa, and America. 
6 The CAUSE of BURNING MOUNTAINS ex- 
plained on new Principles—thefe Principles confirmed, 
and illuftrated by Variety of Fa£ts. 
7 The USES of BURNING MOUNTAINS in the 
Economy of the Globe. 
8 Of EARTHQUAKES their true Caufe explained 
and exemplified. 
9 The general Phenomena of EARTHQUAKES de- 
fcribed. 
10 An Account of the moft remarkable EARTHQUAKES 
from the Commencement of Hiftory to the prefent 
Time. LECTURE VII. 
On REGULAR WINDS. 
1 /"\F WINDS in genera]—WlNDS clalTed and fub- 
divided—their Hiftory imperfedl. 
2 The true Caufe of the TRADE-WINDS explained 
and illuftrated. 
3 Of the TRADE-WINDS in the Atlantic and Pa- 
cific Oceans. 
4 Of PERIODICAL WINDS in general. 
5 Of the SEA and LAND BREEZES in the Torrid 
Zone. 
6 Of the WINDS on the Coaft of America, of Britain, 
and Africa. 
y Of the HARMATTAN—its Hiftory and Caufe, 
8 Of the SIROCC and its Effete. 
9 The Caufe of the MONSOONS pointed out. 
10 TheUfes of the REGULAR WINDS. 
LECTURE VIII. 
On VARIABLE WINDS, HURRICANES, 
WHIRLWINDS, and WATER SPOUTS. 
I F VARIABLE WINDS in general—their Hiftory 
and Phenomena. 
2 The Prevalency of the WESTERLY WIND in the 
open Sea of both Hemifpheresj and why the EAS- 
TERLY WIND raifes the Mercury in the Baro- 
meter. 
3 The remarkable Coldnefs of the EAST WINDS ac 
counted for, 4 Concerning the Strength and Velocity of the WIND. 
5 Our WINDS compared with thofe of Jupiter. 
6 The Ufes of the variable WINDS; and a new Theory 
to explain their Phenomena. 
7 The SPRING and AUTUMNAL GALES accounted 
for. 
8 Of HURRICANES and TORNADOS—their Phe- 
nomena and Caufe. 
9 The Theory of WHIRLWINDS explained and illuf- 
trated—their Hiftory and Phenomena. 
10 Of WATER SPOUTS—their Caufe, Phenomena, 
Natural Hiftory and Ufe. 
LECTURE IX. 
On M E T E O R S. 
i RAIN—a new Theory to account for it—con- 
cerning the Quantity of RAIN at different Al- 
titudes from the Earth. 
2 Of DEW—proved to proceed from afcending Vapour. 
3 Of SNOW—its Caufe and Ufes. 
4 Of HAlL—its Hiftory and Caufe. 
5 Of FIERY METEORS in general—the Obfervations 
of the Ancients concerning them. 
6 Of FALLING STARS—their Hiftory and Caufe. 
7 Of FLYING DRAGONS, and other Phenomena of 
a fimilar Kind, accounted for on new Principles—thefe 
illuftrated and confirmed by Appearances of this Kind, 
during laft Summer. 
BOf the AURORA BOREALIS—its Hiftory and 
Caufe—why it feldom appeared before the prefent 
Century; and how foon it will probably ceafe to ap- 
pear—its Ufe in Nature, LECTURE X. 
On SPRINGS, RIVERS, the OCEAN, &c. 
i QF SPRINGS and FOUNTAINS.—Their 
Caufe and Phenomena.—Petrifying Springs ac- 
counted for—Why fome Springs reciprocate, and 
others appear near the Tops of Mountains. 
2 Of HOT SPRINGS—-Their Hiftory and Caufe. 
3 The Spouting Springs of Iceland defcribed and ac- 
counted for. 
4 Of RlVERS—Obfervations relating to the Declivity 
of their Channels—Their Banks frequently higher 
than the adjacent Grounds—The Intention of Na- 
ture in the Junction of Rivers—Obfervations con- 
cerning their Sinuofitiesfand Windings—Why their 
Surface is frequently Convex and Concave. 
sOf CATARACTS—Of the Water-fall of Niagara. 
6 Of the OCEAN—Its Depth, Temperature, Lumi- 
nous Appearance, and the Origin of its Saltnefs. 
y Of the TIDES—Their Caufe and Phenomena. 
LECTURE XI. 
On the STRUCTURE of PLANTS. 
I the CUTICLE—The Bark—The Wood— 
V-J The Air-Veffels—rThe Infertions Vafa 
Propria—The Production of the Wood—The Pith, 
Sec. 
2 The Anatomy of PLANTS and ANIMALS corn- 
pared. 
2 Why Vegetables are lefs capable of fupporting Changes 
of Climate than Animals. 4 Of the DISEASES of Plants—Sometimes contagious. 
5 A wonderful Faculty in the Economy of Vegetables. 
6 Every Part of the Vegetable Body effentially the fame 
with regard to Life. 
y Of the Means employed by Nature for the Prefervation 
of Plants, and the Advantages they derive from 
Snow. 
8 The Caufe and Ufes of the GREEN COLOUR fo 
generally diffufed in the Vegetable Kingdom. 
LECTURE XII. 
On VEGETATION, and the FOOD of 
PLANTS. 
1 F the ECONOMY of PLANTS in general. 
2 Their Perfpiration, and Perfpirable Matter. 
2 The Motion of the Sap, and the Caufe producing it. 
4 The Food of Plants inveftigated. 
5 Of TILLAGE, and the Operations of Manures. 
6 Obfervations concerning the Digeftion of Plants, and 
the Nourifhment which Vegetables receive from the 
Atmofphere. 
7 The THEORY of Vegetation, and the Origin of 
Buds and Fruits. 
8 Fa&s concerning the Growth and Age of Plants—an 
ufeful Rule in Gardening. LECTURE XIII. 
On the INSTINCT AND OTHER FACULTIES 
OF PLANTS. 
1 TRACTS and OBSERVATIONS relating to the 
A 1 MOTIONS and INSTINCT of PLANTS. 
2 PLANTS endued with a PRINCIPLE of SELF- 
PRESERVATION.—This confpicuous in SCAN- 
DENT PLANTS. 
3 The IRRITABILITY and LIVING PRINCIPLE 
of VEGETABLES. 
4 The SENSITIVE PLANT, and VENUS’s FLY- 
TRAP. 
5 The SLEEP of PLANTS.—The PHENOMENA 
and CAUSE. 
6 The PROGRESS of the VEGETABLE BODY, 
from Infancy through Youth and Maturity to old 
Age, Decrepitude, and Death, 
y The manifold USES of VEGETABLES in the 
Economy of the Globe. 
LECTURE XIV. 
On ANIMALS. 
j /GENERAL OBSERVATIONS concerning th® 
SCALE of BElNG—Several Degrees of it as- 
certained and pointed out. 
2 A GENERAL VIEW of the ANIMAL KING-. 
DOM. 
3 The Caufe of Varieties among Animals examined—The 
Effedf of Culture on thefe Varieties confidered and ex- 
emplified. 
4 Of the HUMAN SPECIES in general.—lts Varie- 
ties with regard to Colour.—An Attempt to explain 
the true Caufe of thefe Varieties. LECTURE XV. 
On the PROGRESS of MAN from RUDE- 
NESS to REFINEMENT. 
i and INSTINCT compared. 
2 REASON not wholly denied to Brutes. 
3 The DiftinCtion between MAN and other ANIMALS, 
4 MAN naturally a Social Being. 
5 The Progrefs of Society analogous to that of Indivi- 
duals.—This Analogy traced and illuflrated. 
6 Of MAN in a Savage State, and the peculiar Cha- 
racters of his MIND in that Condition. 
y Of MAN in the Shepherd State, and of the Man- 
ners peculiar to that Stage of Society. 
8 The State of MEN when they have made fome Pro- 
grefs in Agriculture. 
g The Origin of the FEUDAL SYSTEM, and its 
Influence on the Manners of Europe. 
io The Rife of CHIVALRY, and the laudable Ends 
for which it was intended. 
ii The EffeCts of CHIVALRY upon the Taffe and 
Genius of the European Nations.—The Caufe of 
its Decline, and final Extinction. 
12 The Revival of Letters at Rome, and its Progrefs 
from thence over the Weftern World. 
13 The Prefent State of Europe. 
LECTURE XVI. 
Concerning MAN in a STATE of INFANCY, 
1 qOME GENERAL OBSERVATIONS with re- 
gard to the Growth of the HUMAN BODY. 2 The Treatment of INFANTS, and the Advantages 
they derive from frequent Changes of Air. 
3 Rules and Obfervations relating to the Clothing of 
CHILDREN, and to their Food before and after 
Weaning, 
4 Of the SLEEP of Children. How Squinting is often 
acquired, and may fometimes be cured. 
5 The extraordinary Activity of Children given them 
for the wifeft Purpofes. 
6 The Advantages of an early Education.—The moft 
eligible Situations for their Tuition confidered and 
pointed out. 
LECTURE XVII. 
On AIR, EXERCISE, BATHING, &c. 
1 A GENERAL VIEW of the HUMAN CONST!- 
** TUTION. 
2 Of Wholefome and Unwholefome AIR. 
3 Signs ofLHealthy and Unhealthy Situations. 
4 The AIR of Cities lefs hurtful than is generally 
imagined, and more healthy than that of the Coun- 
try in the Winter Seafon. 
5 The ADVANTAGES of fpending the Summer in 
the Country, and the Winter in Town. 
6 Of EXERCISE.—The beft Kinds of it pointed out 
and confidered. 
y Of COLD-BATHING.—Its EffeCts on the Syftem, 
.—Directions concerning its Ufe and Application. 
8 Of HEAT and COLD.—How far advantageous. 
9 SLEEPING and WAKlNG.—Directions concern- 
ing them. LECTURE XVIII. 
On ALIMENT. 
I /"'VF DIGESTION.—A remarkable Property of it ■ 
—The Caufe of the Senfation of Hunger ex- 
plained. 
2 MAN defigned to fubfiff upon both Animal and Ve- 
getable Food. 
3 Of ANIMAL FOOD.—Directions concerning its 
Ufe. 
4Of VEGETABLE FOOD.—Its EfFeds upon the 
Body and Mind. 
5 What Proportion of Animal and Vegetable Food the 
moft falutary. 
6 Of DRINK in general. 
y Of Wine—Malt Liquors—Water—Tea and Coffee. 
8 The EffeCts of the PASSIONS on the Health and 
Well-being of the Human Economy.