4 The Saturnian System. [ January 
these and hundreds of other instances has not been the 
theory which commended itself by its obviousness and by 
its close accordance with what was mistakenly regarded as 
the natural order of things. 
I propose in the present essay on the Saturnian system 
to begin with the consideration of known faéts about Saturn 
and his system, and from them to endeavour to educe just 
ideas respecting the constitution of the Saturnian system, 
proceeding in perfect independence of all preconceived 
opinions. I shall neither endeavour to support nor to over- 
throw the common notion that Saturn is a globe resembling 
our earth in nature, though larger and in certain details unlike 
the earth. I shall endeavour as far as possible to treat my 
subject as though the earth were not the sole orb in the 
universe with which we have a close acquaintance. 
In the first place; then, let us consider Saturn’s position in 
the solar system, as respects mass, the most important 
element of a planet’s condition, simply because the mass of 
a planet measures the planet’s power. 
Regarding the solar system as a whole, we see the sun so 
largely surpassing all the planets together in mass and 
volume, that if we knew nothing else respecting him, we 
should recognise the fact that he belongs to another order of 
created things. He does not surpass the several planets 
only, but all the planets taken together. 
But we are apt to overlook the fact that Jupiter and 
Saturn are as markedly distinguished from the earth and 
Venus as the sun is from the giant planets. Jupiter 
alone surpasses all the members of the inner or terrestrial 
family of planets, taken together, about a hundred and forty 
times. Saturn surpasses them all, taken together, about 
forty times. A difference such as this can hardly be 
described as one of degree merely. It is a difference of 
kind, so far as mass can indicate such a difference. It 
seems a sufficient proof of this to note that if the sun were 
destroyed as well as Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, then 
Jupiter could effectively replace the sun as a ruling orb, 
round which the terrestrial families could travel, not indeed 
on such wide orbits as at present, but on paths of great 
extent, Jupiter remaining as appreciably stable at the centre 
of the scheme as the sun now is. ‘The like can be said 
about Saturn, since his mass exceeds that of the earth— 
the largest member of the family of minor planets—about 
ninety times. 
Even taking into account Uranus and Neptune, Jupiter 
and Saturn are supreme among the members of the solar 
