PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 661 



"When, to the contrary, the motion is originated at the circum- 

 ference of a mass and is communicated inward, the outside of any 

 fluid ring formed will move more rapidly than its inside, and when 

 this ring breaks, the resulting globes will rotate in the same direc- 

 tion as the central mass. 



^" Let us now apply this reasoning to our planetary system, and 

 test the theory that the motion originated from the outside; we 

 see that all the planets inside of Uranus, rotate in the same direc- 

 tion as the sun, and also in the same direction as they revolve; 

 this makes it probable that the first cause of rotation came from 

 the outside of Saturn's orbit, but as Uranus rotates in an opposite 

 and oblique direction, we see that there was a projecting part in 

 the primitive nebula, betweei:^ which and the main mass the chief 

 current found its way; that this current was powerful is clear 

 from the exceedingly rapid aerial rotation of the planets Satnin 

 and Jupiter. 



The comparison of Plateau's experiment w^ith the actu;,i state 

 of the planetary' system, teaches us that the rings out of whicn the 

 moon and satellites were formed, had about the same velocity on 

 their outside as on their inside, and the resulting satellites had 

 Consequently little rotation, if any ; and this was subsequently 

 entirely destroyed by the tides generated in their liquid mass by 

 the main planet around which they revolved, resulting in the fact 

 that now they all turn the same side toward the planet. 



Before going farther, let me recapitulate the facts learned : 



1st. Before gravitation commenced to act, matter was dispersed 

 into the infinite space in a highly rarified degree, millions of times 

 rarer than hydrogen, which is one-fourth of a million lighter than 

 platinum. 



2d. Matter was unequally dispersed into space, as regards 

 quantity. 



3d. Matter was also unequally distributed in regard to quality, 



4th. The simple law of gravitation is sufficient to explain the 

 formation of all solid, liquid or gaseous masses constituting our 

 planetary system. 



5th. This law is sufficient to explain the cause of the revolution 

 of the planets around the sun, and around their own axis, and the 

 greater velocity of revolution of the inner planets. 



Gth. This law is sufficient to explaili after the well proved prin- 

 ciple of the conservation of forces, all light and heat undoubtedly 

 formerly given off by each celestial body, and now existing only 



