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Zetetic Astronomy, by 'Parallax' (pseud. Samuel Birley Rowbotham), [1881], at sacred-texts.com
From the first floor of the "grand" hotel, opposite the new or western pier, at Brighton, in Sussex, a well-constructed instrument, called a "Clinometer," was "levelled," and directed towards the sea. The water seemed to ascend as an inclined plane, until it intercepted the line of sight at the point H 1, as shown in fig. 44. On taking the instrument to a higher
position, again "levelling," and looking over the sea, the surface seemed to ascend a second time, until it met the eye-line at H 2. The instrument was then taken to the highest room, and again directed to the sea, when the uprising surface was again seen to meet the eye-line, as at the point H 3 As already shown, these results are precisely those which an optical or perspective law produces, in connection with a right line, or a plane surface. Upon a globular surface, the appearance would necessarily be as seen in fig. 45. From the position A, the
horizon would be seen at H 1, and at a considerable angle downwards; from B, the horizon would be at H 2; and from C, at II 3; and the downward angle, or "dip," would increase as the altitude of the observer increased. But as nothing of the kind is anywhere to be seen, and the directly contrary at all times visible, we are compelled by the force of practical evidence to deny the existence of rotundity, and to declare that, "to all intents and purposes," absolutely and logically, beyond doubt, THE EARTH IS A VAST IRREGULAR PLANE.
