MATERIAL UNIVERSE. 31 



they had invaded, and changing the direction 

 of each. 



This apparent chaos of matter continued till 

 all the fluid masses became subject to uniform 

 and fixed laws of motion and direction ; and, 

 although all the masses, before being formed, re- 

 ceived an impulse or attraction towards the com- 

 mon or great centre of centres, when the first 

 vacuum was educed, and the first condensation 

 of the gases took place, yet, the laws of the 

 attraction of cohesion and gravitation acting 

 alike on all created matter, the smaller masses 

 would be attracted by the larger, and the larger 

 in a less degree by the smaller, thus causing each 

 to deviate from its regular course, the larger 

 masses forming new centres, to which the smaller 

 would be attracted, and, if not subjected to the 

 laws of the two opposite forces, would be united 

 to the larger, and move onward in the direction 

 given them by the laws of motion. 



Finally, the whole matter of the material uni- 



