, " He. a 
8 Obfervations on a Ma/s of Iron found in Siberia. as 
4 ftronger movement in another dire&tion, may not Kat 
united themfelves to the larger accumulating mafs of a new 
world; but have remained infulated, and, impelled by fome 
fhock, have continued their courfe through infinite fpace, 
until they approached fo near to fome planet as to be within 
the fphere of its attraction, and then by falling down to 
occafion the phenomena before mentioned. 
It is worthy of remark, that iron is the principal com- 
ponent part of all the maffes of this kindhither to difcovered; 
that it is found almoft every where on the furface of the 
earth, as a component part of many fubftances in the vegeta- 
ble and animal kingdom; and that the effects of magnetifm 
give us reafon to conclude, that there is a large provifion of 
it in the interior parts of the earth. We may therefore 
conjecture that iron, in general, is the principal matter em- 
ployed in the formation of new planetary bodies; as is ftill 
farther probable by this circumftance, that it is exclufively 
connected with the magnetic power*; and alfo on account 
of their polarity, may be neceflary to thefe bodies. It is 
alfo probable, if the above theory be juft, that other fub- 
ftances contained in fuch fallen mafles, fuch as fulphur, 
filiceous earth, manganefe, &c. may be peculiar not to our 
“globe alone, but may belong to the common materials em- 
ployed in the formation of all planetary worlds. 
* The Profeffor feems not to have been acquainted. with a faé& an- 
nounced in our firft volume (p. 426), ti.at feveral other fubitances befides 
iron poffefs magnetic properties. Ep1T. 
Il. Striélures 
