Lesson ix.] SATURN. 39 



the nature of a planet to revolve on its axis, Cas- 

 sitii and others supposed that Saturn had a rotation 

 of this kind, the time of which they endeavoured 

 to determine, but without success. This point 

 has, however, been at length ascertained by the 

 observations of Dr. Herschel, from which he has 

 found that Saturn revolves about his axis in ten 

 hours and sixteen minutes. 



Saturn has seven satellites or moons, attendant 

 upon him; but the most surprizing thing observed 

 about this planet is a kind of ring which encom- 

 passes his body: astronomers have noticed it very 

 attentively, and some of .them have determined it 

 to be about twenty-one thousand miles distant 

 from Saturn, and to be nearly thirty thousand miles 

 in breadth. After paying a very minute attention 

 to this ring, Dr. Herschel thinks himself authorised 

 to say, that it is divided into two concentric 

 rings, situated in one plane, which is not much 

 inclined to the equator of the planet. M. Laplace 

 extends this conjecture, and affirms that there 

 are several concentric rings, adjusted nearly to one 

 plane. 



There are several conjectures with regard to the 

 uses of this ring; and amongst them, the one 

 which lends most to evince the wisdom of the 

 Almighty I shall give you in the words of a poet, 

 who has evinced an extensive acquaintance with 

 philosophy, united with that rational devotion 

 which is generally the result of an attentive con- 

 templation of the works of nature. 



Muse! 



