Lesson x.] GEORGIUM sinus 43 



English miles, and his solidity 24155283745628 

 cubic miles. How amazing must be the power 

 that could hurl this and the other planets with such 

 rapidity through the liquid ether ! but let your ad- 

 miration not yet cease, for " these are only part 

 " of his ways." Our contemplations on the starry 

 canopy are not yet completed j 



Night opes the nobkst scenes, and sheds an awe, 

 Which gives those venerable scenes full weight, 

 And deep reception in the entender'd heart. YOUNG. 



Georgium Sidus has six satellites already disco- 

 vered, which are probably of very great utility to 

 his inhabitants. For it is very reasonable to con- 

 clude, that there is scarcely any part of this large 

 planet, but what is constantly enlightened by one 

 or other of these moous*. 



* That the system which is described in the first eleven 

 Lessons, claims a preference to all others, will, I think, ap- 

 pear obvious from the following considerations. 



I. The planet Venus moves round the Sun, and not round 

 the Earth. For through a telescope, it sometimes appears 

 with a bright and round face like the full Moon, and some- 

 times horned like the new Moon ; and when it appears full, 

 it is seen near the body of the Sun, as well as when it appears 

 horned : which could not be, did it move round the Earth 

 alone, or round neither the Sun nor the Earth. For, if it 

 moved round the Earth alone, or round both the Sun and 

 the Earth, it must be seen sometimes in that part of the 

 Heavens which is opposite to the Sun. If it moved round 

 neither the Sun nor the Earth, it could not appear both 

 horned and full when it is seen near the body of the 

 Sun: it remains, therefore, that it revolves about the Sun, 

 and not about the Earth. Hence its orbit includes the 

 Sun, and is within the orbit of the Earth. 



II. Applying 



