COMETS. 177 



continues till the comet is no longer able to influence them, 

 ami then they assume their natural position again. The tail* 

 of comets are long, or short, or invisible, according to their 

 position in regard to the earth. 



The light of the comets is caused in a similar manner to that 

 of the planets, by a reciprocal action of the magnetic force in 

 each, acting on their atmospheres. What may be the purpose 

 of comets, and the object they accomplish, are questions which, 

 in the present state of our knowledge regarding them, are 

 unanswerable, until we can find out the extent of their 

 journeys, and what other heavenly bodies they may circle round. 



"Whether they are inhabited or not, is also a question to be 

 decided when there is more discovered about the solid nucleus, 

 but the probability is that they are, like our Planet, inhabited 

 by some description of beings. 



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