248 Resisting Mediwn. 
ceive how any other mode of distribution than what is here sup- 
posed eventually to obtain, could be permanent. 
Those who admit the nebular theory, would hardly contend 
that the ether has been otherwise circumstanced since the detach- 
ment of the planetary rings. While each expanded belt or atten- 
uated globe was describing the orbit which the planet has since 
described, a medium capable of resisting its motions, could not 
remain at rest. There is no known reason why an incongruity of 
angular velocity, and partial equilibrium of the centripetal and 
centrifugal forces, capable of separating the zones of grosser mat- 
ter exceedingly rarefied, should fail to produce analogous effects 
upon any other fluid, governed by similar laws, and having like 
diversities of velocity. And should the belts of ether, having their 
several appropriate rates of motion, and separated by considerable 
intervals, probably, even before the completion of the earlier ad- 
justments of the system, subsequently interfere with each other, 
or be otherwise disturbed, the same causes which would be capa 
ble of producing it, must operate to restore the arrangement. 
_ Should it be assumed that this medium is, and must necessarily 
remain continuous, and that such a disposition of it as has beet 
indicated, is impossible, it is conceded that the system must eX 
perience important changes. ‘The impropriety of any such as 
sumption has been already shown. Since then no disposition of 
tendency of the resisting medium inconsistent with the purposes 
of our argument, is at all probable, and since the planets cannot 
be retarded by a medium having the same periodical revolution 
with themselves, it is conceived that we are justified in concluding 
that we have no sufficient reason to infer that these bodies must, 
from any such cause, fall to the sun. 
But although what has been already advanced is deemed sufli- 
cient to evince that the orbits of the principal planets are not likely 
to experience any essential alteration from the causes under dis- 
cussion, the possible effects upon the rotation of the primaries 
upon their axes, and upon all the motions of their secondaries 
remain to be noticed. Such motions, whenever they take plac 
in a zone of ethereal fluid, must evidently be resisted until the 
contiguous portions acquire an equal rotation. This could not 
; pen, until they should cease to be retarded by other and oni 
rior portions; but that it must sooner or later take place is ¢ ent 
from the following considerations. 
