THE FORMS OP MATTER. 21 



CHAPTER III. 



GRAVITATION. 



The Forms of Matter Shape of the Earth Probability of the 

 Mass forming this Planet having existed in a Nebulous State 

 Zodiacal Lights Comets Volatilization of Solid' Matter 

 by Artificial means The principle of Gravitation Its Influ- 

 ence through Space and within the smallest Limits Gravi- 

 tating powers of the Planets Density of the Earth Cer- 

 tainty of Newton's Law of the Inverse Square Discovery of 

 Neptune State of a Body relieved from Gravitation Expe- 

 riment explaining Saturn's Ring, &c. General inference. 



LET us suppose the earth consisting of three conditions 

 of matter ; the solid, the fluid, and the aeriform to be 

 set free from that power by which it is retained in its 

 present form of a spheroid flattened at the poles, but 

 still subject to the influences of its diurnal and annual 

 rotations. Agreeably to the law which regulates the 

 conditions of all bodies moving at high velocities, the 

 consequence of such a state of things would be, that our 

 planet would instantly spread itself over an enormous 

 area. The waters and even the solid masses of this 

 globe would, in all probability, present themselves amidst 

 the other phenomena of space in a highly attenuated 

 state, revolving in an orbit around the sun, as a band of 

 nebulous matter, which might sometimes be rendered 

 sensible to sight by still reflecting solar light, or by 

 condensation in the form of flights of shooting stars.* 



# Three hypotheses may be used to account for this most curious 

 phenomenon. 



1st. The body shines by its own light, and then explodes like a 

 sky-rocket, breaking into minute fragments too small to be any 

 longer visible to the naked eye. 



2nd. Such a body, having shone by its own light, suddenly 



