218 A CENTURY'S PROGRESS IN ASTRONOMY. 



the Abode of the Creator. In 1847 Struve re- 

 jected Madler's theory as " much too hazardous," 

 and this has been the general opinion of astron- 

 omers. Madler's theory is now regarded as 

 quite untenable. 



Herschel's earlier idea that the nebulae were 

 external galaxies was long held by the majority 

 of astronomers, in preference to his later and 

 more advanced ideas. The supposed resolution 

 of the nebulae by Lord Bosse's telescope gave 

 support to this external galaxy theory. It was 

 clearly shown, however, by William Whewell 

 (1794-1866) in 1853, and by Herbert Spencer 

 (1820-1903) in 1858, that the systematic dis- 

 tribution of the nebulae in regard to the stars 

 precluded the possibility of their being external 

 galaxies. This was confirmed by the spectro- 

 scopic discovery of the gaseous nature of some 

 of the nebulae, and by the later researches of 

 R. A. Proctor. Not only did Proctor make fresh 

 discoveries, but it fell to him to clear away the 

 erroneous ideas regarding the construction of the 

 heavens, and to put the study on a new basis. 

 In 1870 Proctor plotted on a single chart all 

 the stars, to the number of 324,198, contained 

 in Argelander's ' Durchmusterung ' charts. This 

 work gave the death-blow to the " disc-theory." 

 In his own words, " In the very regions where 



