o/" Thomas Wright of Durham. 249 



" But we are not confined by this Theory to this Form only, 

 there may be various Systems of Stars, as well as Planets, and 

 differing probably as much in their Order and Distribution 

 as the Zones o^ Jupiter do from the Rings of Saturn, it is not 

 at all necessary, that every collective Body of Stars should 

 move in the same Direction, or after the same Model of Mo- 

 tion, but may as reasonably be supposed as much to vary, as 

 we find our Planets and Comets do. 



"Hence we may imagine some Creations of Stars may move 

 in the Direction of perfect Spheres, all variously inclined, 

 direct and retrograde ; others again, as the primary Planets 

 do, in a general Zone or Zodiac, or more properly in the man- 

 ner of Satwm's Rings, nay, perhaps Ring within Ring, to a 

 third or fourth Order, as shown in Plate XXVIII. nothing 

 being more evident, than that if all the Stars we see moved in 

 one vast Ring, like those of Saturn, round any central Body, 

 or Point, the general Phaenomena of our Stars would be solved 

 by it; see Plate XXIX. Fig. 1. and 2. the one representing 

 a full Plane of these Motions, the other a Profile of them, and 

 a visible Creation at B and C, the central Body A, being 

 supposed as i?icog?iitum, without the finite View ; not only the 

 Phaenomena of the MilJci/ Way may be thus accounted for, 

 but also all the cloudy Spots, and irregular Distribution of 

 them ; and I cannot help being of Opinion, that could we view 

 Saturn thro' a Telescope capable of it, we should find his 

 Rings no other than an infinite Number of lesser Planets, in- 

 ferior to those we call his Satellites : What inclines me to 

 believe it, is this, this Ring, or Collection of small Bodies, 

 appears to be sometimes very excentric, that is, more distant 

 from Saturn's Body on one Side than on the other, and as 

 visibly leaving a larger Space between the Body and the Ring ; 

 which would hardly be the Case, if the Ring, or Rings, were 

 connected, or solid, since we have good Reason to suppose, 

 it would be equally attracted on all Sides by the Body of Sa- 

 turn, and by that means preserve everywhere an equal Di- 

 stance from him ; but if they are really little Planets, it is clearly 

 demonstrable I'rom our own in like Cases, that there may be 

 frequendy more of them on one Side, than on the other, and 

 but very rarely, if ever, an equal Distribution of them all 

 round the Saturniaii Globe. 



" How much a Confirmation of this is to be wished, your 

 own Curiosity may make you judge, and here I leave it for the 

 Opticians to determine. I shall content myself with observing 

 that Nature never leaves us without a sufficient Guide to con- 

 duct us through all the necessary Paths of Knowledge ; and 

 it is far from absurd to suppose Providence may have every 



