And if the fixed Stars are the centers of other like systems, these, being form’d by the like wise counsel, must be all subject to the dominion of One especially since the light of the fixed Stars is of the same nature with the light of the Sun, and from every system light passes into all the other systems. This most beautiful System of the Sun, Planets, and Comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being. For by that kind of motion they pass easily through the orbits of the Planets, and with great rapidity and in their aphelions, where they move the slowest, and are detain’d the longest, they recede to the greatest distances from each other, and thence suffer the least disturbance from their mutual attractions. But it is not to be conceived that mere mechanical causes could give birth to so many regular motions: since the Comets range over all parts of the heavens, in very eccentric orbits. Ten Moons are revolv’d about the Earth, Jupiter and Saturn, in circles concentric with them, with the same direction of motion, and nearly in the planes of the orbits of those Planets. The six primary Planets are revolv’d about the Sun, in circles concentric with the Sun, and with motions directed towards the same parts and almost in the same plan. But though these bodies may indeed persevere in their orbits by the mere laws of gravity, yet they could by no means have at first deriv’d the regular position of the orbits themselves from those laws. And the parity of reason must take place in the celestial spaces above the Earth’s atmosphere in which spaces, where there is no air to resist their motions, all bodies will move with the greatest freedom and the Planets and Comets will constantly pursue their revolutions in orbits given in kind and position, according to the laws above explain’d. For in this void a bit of fine down and a piece of solid gold descend with equal velocity. Boyle.s vacuum, and the resistance ceases. For Comets are carry’d with very eccentric motions through all parts of the heavensindifferently, with a freedom that is incompatible with the notion of a Vortex.īodies, projected in our air, suffer no resistance but from the air. The motions of the Comets are exceedingly regular, are govern’d by the same laws with the motions of the Planets, and can by no means be accounted for by the hypotheses of Vortices. But the rotation of the Sun and Planets about their axes, which ought to correspond with the motions of their Vortices, recede far from all these proportions. That the smaller Vortices may maintain their lesser revolutions about Saturn, Jupiter, and other Planets, and swim quietly and undisturb’d in the greater Vortex of the Sun, the periodic times of the parts of the Sun’s Vortex should be equal. But that the periodic times of the Planets may obtain the sesquiplicate proportion of their distances from the Sun, the periodic times of the parts of the Vortex ought to be in sesquiplicate proportion of their distances. That every Planet by a radius drawn to the Sun may describe areas proportional to the times of description, the periodic times of the several parts of the Vortices should observe the duplicate proportion of their distances from the Sun. The hypotheses of Vortices is press’d with many difficulties.
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