Vlll CONTENTS, 



CHAP. II. 



SEAECH APTEB A CENTBAL LAW IN SOME OF THE PHENOMENA OF 

 NATUEA1 MOTION. 



PAGE 



The laws of Kepler 94 



Newton's interpretation of these laws 95 



The Newtonian philosophy of the heavens . . . .95 



Some difficulties which are not altogether explained by this 

 philosophy 105 



The probability that space is not the incorporeal void which is 

 necessary to allow the unimpeded operation of projection . 105 



Application of the law of the laboratory to the explanation of 

 the translatory movements of the earth . , . . 108 



This law will account for the eccentricity of the orbit . . Ill 

 This law will account for the rotation upon the axis . . 113 



Difficulty of applying this law to the explanation of the move- 

 ments of the companion planets . "-;.. 113 



How this difficulty may be overcome . . . . . 114 



How the particular orbital eccentricities of the planets are to 

 be accounted for ... . . . , . v . 115 



All the planets must rotate upon their axes . .- ; . . 118 



The taw of the laboratory will account for the movements of 

 comets, and explain their peculiarity . . . . . . 119 



