4

Ex Libris

Joseph Halle Schaffner

I

From the Library of Joseph Halle Schaffner,

Friend of the University

THIS BOOK IS MO LONGER THE PROPERTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LIBRARY!

f± _

E.N. da CAndradi?

FefTovv of t fie Royaf Society

A N

ORIGINAL THEORY

O R

NEW HYPOTHESIS

OF THE

UNIVERSE,

Founded upon the

LAWS of NATURE,

AND SOLVING BY

MATHEMATICAL PRINCIPLES

THE

General Phenomena of the Visible Creation ?*

AND PARTICULARLY

The V I A L A C T E A.

Compris’d in Nine Familiar Letters from the Author to his Friend.

And Illudrated with upwards of Thirty Graven and Mezzotinto Plates,

By the Bed: Masters.

By THOMAS WRIGHT, of Durham.

One Sun by Day , by Night ten Thoufand Jhine ,

And, light us deep into the Deity. Dr. Young.

LONDON:

Printed for the Author, and fold by H. Chapelle, in Grofvenor-Street*

MDCCL.

I

1

m vi.

,umo '

i -QtfUie ■ . •

Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Getty Research Institute

* -

https://archive.org/details/originaltheoryorOOwrig

THE

PREFACE.

H E Author of the following Letters having been flattered into a Belief, that they may probably prove of fome Ufe, or at leaft Amufementto the World, he has ventured to give them, at the Requeft of his Friends, to thePublick. His chief Deflgn will be found an At- tempt towards folving the Phenomena of the ViaLaSiea , and in confequence of that Solution, the framing of a regular and rational Theory of the known Univerfe, before unattempted by any. But he is very fenfible how difficult a Talk it is to advance any new Do&rine with Succefs, thofe who have hitherto attempted to propagate aftronomical Difcoveries in all Ages, have been but ill rewarded for their La- bours, tho’ finally they have proved of the greateft Benefit and Advantage to Mankind. This ungrateful Leflon we learn from the Fate of thofe in- genious Men, who, in ignorant Times, have unjuftly fuffered for their fupe- rior Knowledge and Difcoveries ; they who firft conceived the Earth a Ball, were treated only with Contempt for their idle and ridiculous Suppofition, as it was called ; and he who firft attempted to explain the Antipodes , loft his Life by it ; but in this Age Philofophers have nothing to fear of this fort, the great Difadvantages attending Authors now, are of a widely different

A 2 • Nature,

to PREFACE.

Nature, rifing from the infinite Number of Pretenders to Knowledge in this Science, and much is to be apprehended from improper Judges, tho’ from real ones nothing; for nothing is more certain than this, as much as any SubjeCt exceeds the common Capacity of Readers, fo much will the Work in general be condemned ; the Air of Knowledge is at leaf! in finding Fault, and this vain Pretence generally leads People, who have no real Foundation for their Judgment to argue from, to ridicule what they are too fenftble they do not underhand. Thus the fame Difadvantages too often attend both in publick and private an exceeding good Production ' equally the fame as a very bad one : But the Author is not vain enough to think this Work without Faults, has rather Reafon to fear, from the Weaknefs of his own Capacity, that there may be many ; but he hopes the Defign of the Whole will, in fome meafure, plead for the Imperfection of the Parts, if the Merits of the Plan fhould be found infufficient for his full Pardon, in attempting fo extenfive a SubjeCt.

In a Syftem thus naturally tending to propagate the Principles of Virtue, and vindicate the Laws of Providence, we may indeed fay too little, but cannot furely fay too much ; and to make any further Apology fora Work of fuch Nature, where the Glory of the Divine Being of courfe muft be the principal ObjeCt in View, would be too like rendering Virtue accountable to Vice for any Author to expeCt to benefit by fuch Excufe. The Motive which induces us to the Attempt of any Performance, where no good Rea- fon can be fuppofed to be given for the Omifiion, or NegleCt of it, will al- ways be judged an unneceffary Promulgation, and confequently every At- tempt towards the Difcovery of Truth, the Enlargement of our Minds, and the Improvement of our Underflandings will naturally become a Duty. If therefore this Undertaking falls fhort of being inflrumental towards the ad- vancing the Adoration of the Divine Being in his infinite Creation of high- er Works, and proves unable to anfwer all Objections that may pofiibly arife againft it, yet will its Imperfections appear of fuch a Nature to every candid Reader, as to afford the Author a lufficient Apology for producing them to the World : And it is to be hoped farther, that where a Work is entirely upon a new Plan, and the Beginning, as it were, of a new Science, before unattempted in any Language, the i\uthor having dug all his Ideas from the Mines of Nature, is furely intitled to every kind of Indulgence.

To

V

PREFACE.

To thofe who are weak enough to think that fuch Enquiries as thefe are over-curious, vain, and prefumptive, and would willingly, fuitable to their own Ignorance and Comprehenfion, fet Bounds to other People’s Labours, I anfvver with Mr. Huygens , “ That if our Forefathers had “ been at this Rate fcrupulous, we might have been ignorant dill of the “ Magnitude and Figure of the Earth j or that there was fuch a Place as “ America. We fhould not have known that the Moon is enlightened by “ the Sun’s Rays, nor what the Caufes of the Eclipfes of each of them <c are ; nor a Multitude of other Things brought to Light by the late <c Difcoveries in Adronomy; for what can a Man imagine more abdrufe, *( or lefs likely to be known, than what is now as clear as the Sun.”

Had we dill paid that Homage to a Name,

Which only God and Nature judly claim ;

The wedern Seas had been our utmod Bound,

Where Poets dill might dream the Sun was drown’d;

And all the Stars that dune in Southern Skies,

Had been admir’d by none but favage Eyes.

Dryden.

Beddes the Noblenefs and Pleafure of thefe Studies, Wifdom and Mo- rality are naturally advanced, and much benefited by them, and even Re- ligion itfelf receives a double Ludre, “ to the Confufion of thofe who «« would have the Earth, and all Things formed by the fhufRing Concourfe “ of Atoms, or to be without Beginning.” In Adronomy, as well as in natural Philofophy, though we cannot pofitively affirm every thing we fay to beFafts and Truth, yet in fo noble and fublime a Study as that of Na- ture, it is glorious, as Mr. Huygens fays, even to arrive at Probability.

Notwithdanding then the Difadvantages which ever have attended all new Difcoveries, either thro’ the Ignorance of the Age, or the univerfal Paf- fionof Ridicule in fuch contented Creatures, as can’t comprehend, yet ever at- tacking with a fool-hardy Refolution, the advancing Enfigns of Knowledge, if Ignorance was Virtue, and Wifdom Vice ; I fay, regardlefs of this noily Shore, it is fure our Duty to fpring forward, and explore the fecret Depths of Infinity, and the wonderful hidden Truths of this vad Ocean of Beings. But how the heavenly Bodies were made, when they were

made

VI

PREFACE.

made, and what they are made of, and many other Things relating to their Entity, Nature, and Utility, feems in our prefent State not to be within the Reach of human Philofophy; but then that they do exid, have final Caufes, and were ordained for fome wife End, is evident beyond a Doubt, and in this Light mod worthy of our Contemplation.

He who thro’ vad Immenfity can pierce,

See Worlds on Worlds compofe one Univerfe,

Obferve how Sydem into Sydem runs,

What other Planets, and what other Suns;

What varied Being peoples ev’ry Star j

May tell why Heav’n made all Things as they are.

Pope.

To expeCt that fo new an Hypothecs fhould meet with univerfal Ap- probation, would be an unpardonable Vanity j nor is it reafonable every Reader fhould think the Author obliged to remove all his Prejudices and Partialities, fo far as to give him the perfect Picture of the Univerfe he likes bed. In many Cafes it would be fo far from being better for the World, if all Men judged and thought alike, that Providence feems rather to have guarded againd it as an Evil, than any how to have promoted it as a general Good : But the following Theory regards the Whole rather than Individuals: And the many worthy Authors cited in the Work, who have all greatly favoured this exten five Way of Thinking, will, I hope, be a fufficient Excufe for forming thefe obvious Conjectures into a Theory, efpecially where fo great a Problem is attempted as the Solution of the Via Laffeal Pbrenomenon, which has hitherto been looked upon as an infur- mountable Difficulty. How the Author has fucceeded in this Point, is a Quedion of no great Confequence ; hehas certainly done his bed ; ano- ther, no Doubt, will do better, and a third perhaps, by fome more rational Hypothefis, may perfect this Theory, and reduce the Whole to infallible Demondration : The fil'd Sydem of the folar Planets was far from a true one, but it led the Way to Perfection, and the lad we can never too much admire. It is well known, that the fird Sydem of the Planets was alfo but a Conjecture, yet none will deny that it was an happy one.

The

VII

PREFACE.

The Difcovery of the Magnet Poles j the Government of the Tides ; proportional Diftance and Periods of the Planets, &c. have all their Ufes, and undoubtedly were defigned to be known. Ignorance is the Difgrace of Mankind, and finks human Nature almoft to that of Reptiles. Know- ledge is its Glory and the diftinguifhing Charadteriftic of rational Creatures.

To Enquiries of this fort, then lure we may fay with Milton, That

God’s own Ear listens delighted.

The Subjedt is, no Doubt, the nobleft in Nature, and as fuch, will al- ways merit the Attention of the thinking Part of Mankind. Men of Learning and Science, in all Ages, have ever made it their peculiar Study. Towards the latter End of the Republic, and afterwards in the more peace- able Times of Trajan and the Plinys, we have no Reafon to doubt but that Aftronomy was in the higheft Reputation : And notwithftanding Greece had been the chief Seat of the Philofophers, yet may we luppofe Rome in thofe Days little inferior in the Knowledge of the Stars, when we find Men * of the firft Figure in Life become Authors upon the Subjedt.

We have many Inftances to fhew, that Aftronomy was in the greatefl Repute amongft the Antients of all Ranks, and almoft every where look- ed upon as one of the greateft, if not as one of the firft Qualifications of their beft Men. As a Confirmation of which, we find in the hiftorical Accounts of the Argives , a very warm Conteft betwixt the two Sons of Pelops 1205 Years before Chrijl , thus teftified by Lucian: When the Ar- gives, by publick Confent, had decreed that the Kingdom fhould fall to him of the two, who fhould manifeft himfelf the raoft learned in the Knowledge of the Stars, Thyejles thereupon is faid to have made known to them, the Conftellation, or Sign of the Zodiack call’d Aries : But Atreus at the fame time difcovering to themtheCourfeof the Sun, with his various Ri- ling and Setting, demonftrating his Motion to be * contrary to that of the Heavens, or diurnal Motion of the Stars, was thereupon eledted King.

* Cicero tranflated the Phaenomena of Aratus into Latin Verfe. Julius Cccfar , as Pliny relates, wrote of Aftronomy in Greek , and is faid to have left feveral Books of the Motion of the Stars behind him, derived from the Doctrine of the Egyptians. Ant. Chrif. 45. He with Sojigenes reformed the Roman Year, which was firft invented by Numa Pompilius. Germa- nicus Cafar alfo tranflated Aratus' s Phaenomena into Latin Verfe Anno Dom. 15. Tiberius and Hadrian are alfo faid to have wrote on Aftronomy.

* Hence arofe the Fable of the Sun’s going backwards in the Days of Atreus , as if ftruck with Abhorrence of his bloody Banquet. Vide Ovid's Metamorphofis.

To

viii PREFACE.

To recite more of the moft eminent Patrons andProfelTors of this kind of Learning here, will carry me too far from my prefent Purpofe; for farther Information therefore, I fhall refer the inquifitive Reader, to that curious Catalogue in Sherburris Sphere of Manilius , where fo many ruling -{•• Men of all Ages and Nations fwell, and illuftrate the Number.

In aWord, when we look upon the Univerfe as a vaft Infinity of Worlds, aCted upon by an eternal Agent, and crouded full of Beings, all tending through their various States to a final Perfection, and refleCt upon the many illuftrious Perfonages, who have, from time to time, thought it a kind of Duty to become Obfervers, and confequently Admirers of this ftupendious Sphere of primary Bodies, and diligent Enquirers into the ge- neral Laws and Principles of Nature, who can avoid being filled with a kind of enthufiaftic Ambition, to be acknowledged one of the Number, who, as it were, by thus adding his Atom to the Whole, humbly endea- vours to contribute towards the due Adoration of its great and divine Au- thor.

I judge it will be quite unnecefifary to fay any thing about the Order of the Work, fince that would be only a Repetition of the Table of Con- tents, to which the Reader is referred, as to the propereft Account that can here be given.

f Seven Emperors, nine Kings, and as many fovereign Princes. Charlemagne wrote Ephe- meridesy and named the Months and Winds in High Dutchy 770. Rich. II. £3V.

THE

v

THE

CONTENTS.

LETTER the FIRST.

/~>0ncerning the Opinions of the mojl eminent Authors whofe Sentiments upon

^ this Subject have been publifhed in their Works* Pag© i

LETTER the SECOND.

Concerning the Nature of Mathematical Certainty, and the ’various Degrees of Moral Probability proper for Conjedlure . 9

LETTER the THIRD.

Concerning the Nature , Magnitude , and Motion of the Planetary Bodies round the Sun. 1 8

LETTER the FOURTH.

Of the Nature of the heavenly Bodies continued , with the Opinions of the Antients concerning the Sun and Stars. 27

LETTER the FIFTH.

Of the Order , Di fiance, and Multiplicity of the Stars, the Via Ladtea, and Extent of the vifible Creation. 37

LETTER the SIXTH.

Oj General Motion amongjl the Stars , the Plurality of Sy ferns , and Innu - mer ability of Worlds. 48

LETTER the SEVENTH.

The Hypothecs, or Theory , fully explained and demonfir at ed, proving the f de- real Creation to be finite. 5 8

LETTER the EIGHTH.

Of Time and Space , with regard to the known Objects of Immenfity and Duration , 6 7

LETTER the NINTH.

RefieElions, by way of General Scolia, of Confequences relating to the Im- mortality of the Soul, and concerning Infinity and Eternity. 77

D I R E C-

Directions for placing the PLATES.

Plate. Page.

XXV. 64

XXVI. ibid. XXVII. 64 XXVIII. 65

XXIX. ibid.

XXX. 7o

XXXI. 83 XXXII. ibid.

Some of the Principal ERRATA.

Plate X. read the Charaflers of the Planets in this Order % 5 T? c? 2

/

THE

A

L I

O F T H E

T

SUBSCRIBERS.

A.

T 0 R D Anion.

Hon. Mr. Archer. Charles Ambler, Efq;

B.

Duke of Beaufort.

Duke of Bedford.

Dutchefs of Beaufort.

Lord Berkely, of Straton. Miles Barne, Efq ;

Lancelot Barton, Efq-,

Hon. Antoine Bentinck.

Hon. John Bentinck. Norbone Berkely, Efq ;

John Brown, Efq-t

Blaman, Efq ;

Thomas Brand, EJq-,

J. Bevis, M. D.

Rev. T. Bonney, A. M.

C.

Countejs of Cunengelby. Lord Cornwallis.

Lady Cornwallis.

Edward Cave, Efq ;

John Chamock, Ffq ;

Hon. and Rev. Dr. Cowper. Mr. Richard Chad.

Mr. Henry Chapell.

If. Colepepper.

Mr. George Conyers.

D.

Rev. John Dealtary, A. M.

Mr. Samuel Dent.

’ F.

Charles Fitzrea Scudamore, Efq ; Kean Fitzgerald, Efq ;

Thomas Fonnerau, Efq ;

Robert Rakes Fulthorpe, Efq-t Mr. Samuel Farrant.

Mr. Paul Fourdrinier.

G.

Marchionefs Grey.

Lord Glenorchy.

Francis Godolphin, Efqy Roger Gale, Efq ;

James Gibbon, Efq-t Ralph Goward, Efq;

Ralph Gowland, Efq ;

Ralph Gowland, funior , Efq-y Dr. Gregory.

Dr. Griffith.

Rev. John Griffith, A. M.

Rev. Middlemore Griffith.

H.

Lord Hardwick, Lord High Chan- cellor of Great- Britain.

Hon. James Hamilton.

Mr. Thomas Heath.

Mr. 'Fhomas Holt.

John Hughes, Efq j

Earl

A LIST of the S I.

Earl of Jerfey.

Richard Jackfon, Efq-,

Rev. Mr. Jones.

K.

Knowles, Efq ;

Dr. Kendrick.

Mrs. Kennon, 4.

L.

Lady Vicountefs Limerick.

Sir William Lee, Bart.

William Lefter, Efq -y Rev. Dr. Long, Mafter of Pem- broke-hall, Cambridge.

William Lloyd, Efq -y Mr. Andrew Lawrence.

M.

R. J. Mead, M. D.

Richard Meyrick, M. D.

Owen Meyrick, Efq j Pierce Meyrick, Efq-y

N.

Duke of Norfolk.

Lord North.

Lord Bifop of Norwich.

Richard Nicholls, Efq-y Mrs. Nor fa.

P.

Duke of Portland.

Earl of Pembroke, &c. 2 Countefs of Pembroke, &c.

Lady Palmerfton.

Robert Money Penny, Efq -y Sir Francis Pool.

Sir John Pool.

John Probyn, Efq -y Rev. Mr. Pierce.

UBSCRIBERS.

Mr. Dominick Pile.

Mr. Powel, of Cambridge,

R.

Dutchefs of Richmond, &c. &c. James Ralph, Efq j Allan Ram fey, Efq ;

William Read, Efq-y 2.

Henry Reveley, Efq »

William Reveley, Efq -y

S.

Sir George Savile.

Serle, Efq>y

Rev. Dr. Smith, Mafer of Trinity College, Cambridge,

Mifs Stonehoufe.

William Symonds, Efq-y Mr. James Scot.

Mr. James Stephens.

T.

Lord Vijcount Townfhend.

John Temple, Efq ;

James Theobald, Efq-y Charles Townfhend, Efq-y Mrs. Mary Trevor.

Mr. James Thornton.

V.

Lord Vifcount Villiers.

W.

Lady Frances Williams.

Mijs Williams.

Mifs Charlotta Williams.

Rev. Thomas White, A. M.

■ White, Efq-y

Charles Louis Wiedmarkter, Efqy Mr. Ward. Y.

Hon. Philip York. .

Dr. Arthur Young, Preb. of Cant*

LETTER the FIRST.

Opinions of the rnofi eminent Authors whofe Sentiments on the following Sub- ject have been publifed in their Works,

SIR ,

EFLECTING upon the agreeable Converfation of our laft Meeting, which you may remember chiefly turned upon the Stars, and the Nature of the planetary Bodies j a Subject, which is generally allowed to give true Pleafure to all thofe who take Delight in mathe- matical Enquiries j and having not a little Regard to the repeated Requefl: in your late Letters, I have at length undertaken to explain to you, as far as I am able, my Theory of the Univerfe, and the Ideas I have form’d of the known Creation.

The Hypothefis upon which this new Aftronomy is founded, and now reduced into a regular Syftem, was the refult of my Aftronomical Studies * full fifteen years ago, hence I hope you will allow, I have more than obferved Horace's celebrated Aphorifm,

Nonumque prematur in annum.

* The firft Scheme of this Hypothefis was plann’d in the Year 1734, reprefenting in a Sec- tion of the Creation, eighteen Feet long and one broad, feveral thoufand Worlds and Syf- tems, and a great Number of emblematical Figures, now in the Author’s Poflefiion, together with a Scheme of the entire Creation, completed fince, nine Feet long and fix broad, more fully illuftrating upon the fame Conitru&ion the Innumerability of Syftems and Worlds.

B The

2

/

LETTER the FIRST.

The Subject, I have often obferved, you have lidened to with a pleafed Attention, and I am the more incouraged to explain it at large to you, as I am perfwaded you don’t want to be convinced of its valuable Ufes and Importance.

I remember you have often told me, that to apply ourfelves to the Study of Nature, was the fured and readied Way to comeat any tolerable Know- ledge of ourfelves, however difficult the Tafk might prove either in the Attempt, or the attaining it, and the lefs to be negledled, as it never fails to introduce a proper Knowledge of the Divine Being, as a certain Con- fequence along with it, and fuch a Knowledge, as will naturally make every Man, who has but a tolerable Share of common Senfe, and is not a Slave to another’s Reafon, without any other Evidence or Motive, in all Sta- tions, and under all Circumdances, Act justly, Live chearful- iy, and die full of Hope in the Expe&ation of a happy Sequel, in Fu- turity.

Eternity is written in the Skies :

Mankind’s Eternity, nor Faith alone >

Virtue grows there » — — — -

Dr. Young*

A learned Author on the Attributes, recommending thefe Studies as a reafonable and moral Service, fays, “ Sure, it is mod becoming fuch im- “ perfect Creatures as we are, to contemplate the Works of God with this “ Defign, that we may difcern the Manifedations of Wifdom in them u and thereby excite in ourfelves thofe devout AfFedtions, and that lu- c‘ perlative Refpedt, which is the very Edence of Praife.”

Who turns his Eye, on Nature's Midnight Face,

But mujt enquire what Hand behind the Scene, 4

What Arm Almighty, put thefe wheeling Globes In Motion, and wound up the vad Machine ?

The enchanting Idea Milton had of the Subjedts of Adronomy (whofe truly fublime Way of thinking and writing perhaps was never fo nearly equalled, or attempted before this Reverend Author’s Night-Thoughts , ap- pear’d is finely fhewn in the Eighth Book of his Paradtfe Lofl , where he makes his Adam , fo earnedly attentive to the Angel Gabriel, as to ceafe relating the Myderies of Creation.

The

3

LETTER the FIRST.

The Angel ended, and his Adam's Ear So charming left his Voice, that he awhile Thought him dill fpeaking j dill flood fix’d to hear.

Milton's own Ideas of the Univerfe too, which no doubt he had ga- thered from aflronomical Authors, and had reconciled himfelf to, we arc fully made acquainted with in the fame Book, where the Arch-angel fays, in anfwer to Adam' s Enquiries.

Other Suns perhaps

With their attendant Moons thou wilt defcry Communicating Male and Female Light,

Which two great Sexes animate the World,

Stor'd in each Orb, perhaps with fome that live;

For fuch vafl Room in Nature, unpodeft By living Soul, defert and defolate.

Only to fhine, yet fcarce to contribute Each Orb a Glimpfe of Light, convey'd fo far Down to this habitable, which returns Light back to them, is obvious to Difpute.

But before I prefume to plan my own Difcoveries and Conjectures into a. Theory, both in Juflice to thofe who have in fome meafure been in the fame Way of Thinking, and alfo as a Defence of myfelf for producing fo new an Hypothefis to the World, which otherwife (though any Apology made to you I know will be unneceffary) may appear to too many but an idle Chimera of my own. I judge it will be highly proper, by way of flrengthening my own Arguments, and adding more Weight to what I fhall myfelf advance in the following Letters, to give you in this the Opinions of the mod able Writers, whofe Works I have read upon the Subject. I mean fo far as relates to the now general received Notion, that the Stars are all Suns, and furrounded with planetary Bodies, with which I fhall fet out ; and fhew you, it is not a Thing merely taken for granted, but has ever been the concurrent Notion of the Learned of all Nations, as fhall be further fhewn, in its proper Place, and as nearly as Poffibility will admit of, demonflrated to be Truth.

The following is an ExtraCl from Mr. Poland , in his Account of the Works of

Tordanus Bruno.

k’

j

“ The Divine Efficacy (fays this Author in his infinite Creation) cannot “ fland idle, without the Want of Will or Power; but any Imbecillity in

B 2 “ fuch

4 LETTER the FIRST.

4C fuch a Being argues Imperfedlion, and fince any finite Produce com- “ pared with Infinity is as nothing, or rather as the Beginning of Good,

“ it muftbe no lefs idle, and invidious in producing a finite Effedt, than in “ producing none at all.

“ Hence, as all Finites, fingly confidered, are but as Commencements ‘ ‘ of fomething more to be expedted.

“ Omnipotence, in making the Creation finite, will appear to be no “ lefs blameable for not being willing, than for not being able, to make it c< otherwife; i. e. infinite, as being an infinite Agent upon a finite Subjedt, “ which is repugnant to Reafon.”

It follows then that, Creation mull be not only extenfively, but inten- fively indefinite, and beyond the Reach of the human Underflanding to comprehend j and that the one is as neceflary as the other, i. e. an in- finite Expanfe is as reconcileable to our Reafon, as infinite Parts are to our Senfes.

AU the Attributes of the Divine Being are, as any one of them, incom- libleto his Creatures ; why fhould our Imagination then be fuppofed to- extend beyond the divine Adtivity ?

“ Thus, adds the above Author, the Excellency of God is adequately “ magnified, and the Grandeur of his Empire made manifefl j he is not 4< glorified in one, but in numberlefs Suns ; not in one Earth, or in one “ World, but in ten thoufand thoufand of infinite Globes.”

An infinite Reprefentation of an infinite Original, and a Spedtacle befit- ting the Excellency and Eminence of him, that can neither be fully con- ceived, imagined, or comprehended.

What read we here ? th’Exiftence of a God ?

Yes, and of other Beings, Man above ,

Natives of /Ether ! Sons of higher Climes !

Dr. Young.

“ If the Exigence of this one World be good or convenient, it is not “ lefs good or convenient that there be infinite others like it.

** The infinite efficient Caufe would be abfolutely defedtive, without an “ infinite Effedt; and befides, by conceiving the Infinity of the Univerfe “ and innumerable Beings, the Underflanding refls fatisfied, and is recon- “ ciled with the Idea of an Eternity ; whereas, by afferting the contrary, “ it is unavoidably plunged into innumerable Difficulties, and unfolvable “ Inconveniencies, Paradoxes, and Abfurdities.

Again, fays the fame Writer, “ Did we butconfider and comprehend 41 all this, oh ! to what much further Confiderations and Comprehenfions

fhoud

LETTER the FIRST. 5

w fhould we be carried ! as we might be fure to obtain that Happinefs “ by virtue of this Science, which in other Sciences is fought after in vain.

This Profpedl vaft, what is it ? weigh’d aright,

’Tis Nature's Syftem of Divinity,

And every Student of the Night infpires.

Dr. Young.

’Tis elder Scripture, writ by God’s own Hand ;

Scripture authentic ! uncorrupt by Man.

“ This then is that Philofophy, which opens the Senfes, which fatisfie3 M the Mind, which enlarges the Underftanding, and which leads Man- “ kind to the only true Beatitude, whereof they are capable according to “ their natural State and Conftitution ; for it frees us from the follicitous “ Purfuit of Pleafure, and from the anxious Apprehenfions of Pain, mak- “ ing us to enjoy the good Things of the prefent Hour, and not to fear “ more, than we hope from the future ; fince that fame Providence, or “ Fate, or Fortune, which caufes the Viciffitudes of our particular Being, “ will not let us know more of the one, than we are ignorant of the “ other.”

And farther, “ From thefe Contemplations, if we do but rightly confider, “ it will follow, that we ought never to be difpirited by any ftrange Ac- “ cidents, through Excefs of Fear or Pain, nor ever be elated by any prof- “ perous Event, through Excefs of Hope or Pleafure j whence we have “ the Path to true Morality, and following it, we (hall of courle become “ the magnanimous Defpifers of what Men of weak Minds fondly “ Efteem, and be wife Judges of the Hiftory of Nature, which would be “ written in our Minds, and confequently be chearful and ftridt Execu-

tioners of the divine Laws, which would thus be ingraved in the Cen- “ ter of our Hearts. Seeking, as it were, in ourfelves, an Approbation of “ our own Adtion, which alone is capable of true Content and Happi- “ nefs.”

Christopher Huygens,

To whom the World is much indebted for many curious Inventions, and Difcoveries, fays in \i\%. Planet ary Worlds , “ I mud be of the fame “ Opinion with all the great Philofophers of our Age, that the “ Sun is of the fame Nature with the fix’d Stars j and this will give us a

“ greater

f The Pendulum Clock ; the firft Difcovery of Jupiter's Satellites, and Saturn's Ring.

LETTER the FIRST.

greater Idea of the World than all other Opinions can. For then why may not every one of thefe Stars, or Suns, have as great a Retinue, as our Sun, of Planets, with their Moons to wait upon them? Nay, there is a manifeft Reafon why they ftiould j for, if we imagine our- felves placed at an equal Diftance from the Sun and fix’d Stars, we fliould then perceive no Difference at all betwixt them.

“ Why then may we not make ufe of the fame Judgment that we would in that Cafe j and conclude, that our Star has no better Atten- dance than the others ? So that what we allowed the Planets upon the Account of our enjoying it, we muft likewife grant to all thofe Planets that furround that prodigious Number of Suns. They muft have their Plants and Animals, nay, their rational Creatures too, and thofe as great Admirers and as diligent Obfervers of the Heavens as ourfelves ; and muft conlequently enjoy whatever is fubfervient to, and requifite for fuch Knowledge.

cc What a wonderful and amazing Scheme have we here of the mag- nificent Vaftnefsof the Univerfe! So many Suns, fo many Earths, and every one of them ftock’d with fo many Herbs, Trees, and Animals, and adorned with fo many Seas and Mountains ! And how muft our Wonder and Admiration be increafed, when we confider the prodi- gious Diftance and Multitude of the Stars ?”

The O full on of Sir Isaac Newton.

This great Author, in his grand Scholia to che Principia, fays : — - <{ The moft beautiful Syftem of the Sun, Planets, and Comets, could only pro- ceed from the Counfel and Dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being : And if the fix’d Stars are the Centers of other like Syftems, thefe, being form’d by the like wife Counfel, muft be all fubjedf to the Do- minion of One j efpecially, fince the Light of the fix’d Stars is of the fame Nature with the Light of the Sun, and from every Syftem Light paftes into all the other Syftems. And leaft the Syftems of the fix’d Stars fhould by their Gravity fall mutually on each other, he (the Di- vine Being) hath placed thofe Syftems at immenfe Diftances from on£ another,”

LETTER the FIRST.

7

The Opinion of Dr . Derham, in his Afh'o-Theology.

“ The new Sydem, fays he, fuppofeth there are many other Syf- “ terns of Suns and Planets, befides that, in which we have our “ Refidence j namely^ that every fix’d Star is a Sun, and incompafled “ with a Sydem of Planets, both primary and fecondary, as well as ours.

“ Thefe feveral Sydems of the fixed Stars, as they are at a great and “ diffident Didance from the Sun and us j fo they are imagined to be at “ as due, and regular Didances from one another : By which means it is “ that thofe Multitudes of fixed Stars appear to us of different Magnitudes, “ the neared to us large ; thofe farther and farther, lefs and lefs; and “ that fome, if not all of thofe vad Globes of the Univerfe, have a Mo- M tion, is manifed to our Sight, and may eafily be concluded of all, from “ the condant Similitude and Confent that the Works of Nature have “ with one another.”

To this we may add, that this Sydem of the Univerfe, as it is phyfi- cally demondrable, is far the mod rational and probable of any. Becaufe ,

“ It is far the mod magnificent of any, and worthy of an infinite “ Creator, whofe Power zn&WiJ* 'don 1, as they are without Bounds and “ Meafure, fo may they, in all Probability, exert themfelves in the Creation “ of many Sydems as well as one. And as Myriads of Sydems are more “ for the Glory of God, and more demondrate his Attributes than one ; “ fo it is no lefs probable than poffible, there may be many befides this “ which we have the Privilege of living in.” A^nd as the dronged Con- firmation of this, “ we fee it is really fo, as far as it is podible it can be “ difcerned by us, at fuch immenfe Didances as thofe Sydems of the fixed Stars are from us ; and we cannot reafonably expedt more.”

“ Since the Sun and fix’d Stars, fays Dr. Gregory, are the only great “ Bodies of the Univerfe that have any native Light, they are judly “ edeemed by Philofophers to be of the fame Kind, and defigned for the “ fame Ufes ; and it is the Effedt of a Man’s Temper that fets a greater “ Value upon his own Things than he ought, that makes him judge “ the Sun to be the bigged of them all.”

That, as an elegant * Writer obferves, which we call the Morning, or the Evening Star, is, in reality, a Planetary World ; which, with the four others, that fo wonderfully, as Milton expreffes it, “ vary their mydick “ Dance, are in themfelves dark Bodies, and fhine only by Refledtion; “ have Fields and Seas, and Skies of their own j are furnifhed with all Accommodations for animal Subfidence, and are fuppofed to be the

Abodes

* Contemplations on the ftarry Heavens.

8

LETTER Yhe FIRST.

“ Abodes of intellectual Life. Again, The Sun, with all its attendent Planets “ is but a very little Part of the grand Machine of the Univerfe. Every “ Star — is really a vaft Globe, like the Sun, in Size and in Glory, no lefs <{ fpacious, no lefs luminous, than the radiant Source of our Day ; fo that “ every Star is the Center of a magnificent Syftem, has a Retinue of “ Worlds irradiated by its Beams, and revolves round its aCtive Influence j “ all which are loft to our Sight in immeafurable Trails of fEther.

“ Could we, fays the fame Author, wing our Way to the higheft ap- “ parent Star — We Should there fee other Skies expanded, other Suns, “ that distribute their inexhauftible Beams of Day ; other Stars, that gild “ the alternate Night; and other perhaps nobler Syftems established j £: eftablifhed in unknown Profufion, through the boundlefs Dimenfions <c of Space. Nor does the Dominion of the great Sovereign end there, \ even at the End of this vaft Tour, we Should find ourfelves advanced no farther than the Frontiers of Creation ; arrived only at the Suburbs “ of the great Jehovah’s Kingdom.”

O for a Telefcope his Throne to reach !

Tell me ye Learn’d on Earth ! or Bleft above !

Yefearching, ye Newtonian Angels ! tell.

Where your great Mafters Orb ? His Planets where ?

Thofe confcious Satellites, thofe Morning Stars,

Pirft-born of Deity from central Love.

Dr. Young.

Many other Authorities might be produced from Writers of great Re- pute, were it neceffary to trouble you with themf ; but I believe thofe above will be abundantly fuflicient for the prefent Purpofe, if even an Apology were wanting for my own Conjectures. I Shall therefore con- clude this Letter with the following Paffage out of Pope'suniverjal Prayer^ and in my next Shall proceed in the Work I have undertaken.

Yet not to Earth’s contracted Span,

Thy Goodnefs let me bound ;

Or think thee Lord alone of Man,

When thoufand Worlds are round,

I am , &c.

LETTER