ii6 CLASSICS OF MODERN SCIENCE 

 in its centre. The small one, on the contrary, which is mentioned as 

 involved, being one of many that are profusely scattered over this 

 rich neighbourhood, he supposes to be quite unconnected vi^ith this 

 phenomenon. A circle of 3' in diameter is sufficiently large to admit 

 another small star, without any bias to the judgment he formed con- 

 cerning the one in question. It might appear singular, that such an 

 object should not have immediately suggested all the remarks con- 

 tained in this paper ; but about things that appear new we ought not 

 to form opinions too hastily, and his observations on the construction 

 of the heavens were then but entered on. In this case, therefore, 

 it was the safest way to lay down a rule not to reason on the phe- 

 nomena that might oi?er themselves, till he should be in possession of 

 a sufficient stock of materials to guide his researches. 



October 16, 1784. A small star of about the nth or 12th magni- 

 tude, very faintly affected with milky nebulosity; other stars of the 

 same magnitude were perfectly free from this appearance. Another 

 observation mentions five or six small stars within the space of 3 or 

 4', all very faintly afifected in the same manner, and the nebulosity 

 suspected to be a little stronger about each star. But a third ob- 

 servation rather opposes this increase of the faintly luminous ap- 

 pearance. (R. A. 6h om 33s. P. D. 96° 13'). Here the connection 

 between the stars and the nebulosity is not so evident as to amount 

 to conviction ; for which reason we shall pass on to the next. 



• ••• • •• ••• 



November 25, 1788. A star of about the 9th magnitude, sur- 

 rounded with very faint milky nebulosity; other stars of the same 

 size are perfectly free from that appearance. Less than i' in diam- 

 eter. The star is either not round or double (a). 



March 23, 1789. A bright, considerably well-defined nucleus, with 

 a very faint, small, round chevelure (b). The connection admits of 

 no doubt; but the object is not perhaps of the same nature with those 

 called cloudy stars. 



April 14, 1789. A considerable, bright, round nebula; having a 

 large place in the middle of nearly an equal brightness ; but less 

 bright towards the margin (c). This seems rather to approach the 

 planetary sort. 



March 5, 1790. A pretty considerable star of the 9th or loth 



