Copy 1, Volume 1

Ferguson's astronomy, explained upon Sir Isaac Newton's principles. With notes and supplementary chapters / by David Brewster.

  • James Ferguson
Date:
1811
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ferguson's astronomy, explained upon Sir Isaac Newton's principles. With notes and supplementary chapters / by David Brewster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    23/514 page 5
    sun, with all the planets, moons, and comets, be- CHAP: longing to it, were annihilated, they would be * 10 ce inissed, by an eye that pienie takein the whole creation, ati a grain of sand from the sea- shore; the space they possess being cémpara- tively so small, that it would scarce be a sensible blank in the universe, although Saturn, the out- ermost of our planets, revolves about the sun in an orbit of 4,884 millions of miles in circumfer- ence, and some of our comets make excursions upwards of ten thousand millions of miles beyond Saturn’s orbit ; and yet, at that amazing distance, they are incomparably nearer to the sun than to any of the stars ; as is evident from their keeping clear of the attractive power of all the stars, and returning periodically by virtue of the sun’s at- traction. 10. From what we know of our own system, The stellar , it may be reasonably concluded that all the rest Pen are with equal wisdom contrived, situated, and able, provided, with accommodations for rational inha- bitants. Let us therefore take a survey of the system to which we belong ; the only one access- ible to us ; and from thence we shall be the better enabled to judge of the nature and end of the other systems of the universe. For although there is almost an infinite variety in the parts of the creation, which we have opportunities of examin- ing, yet there is a general analogy running through and connecting all the parts into one scheme, one design, one whole ! 11. And then, to an attentive observer, it will appear highly probable, that the planets of our system, together with their attendants called satel- lites or moons, are much of the same nature with 4s our solar planets are, our earth, and destined for the like purposes ; for they are solid opaque globes, capable of sup- AS
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3