130 EXPLANATIONS. 



heavens. ... But . . the uniformitarian 

 doctrine on this subject rests on most unstable 

 foundations. We have as yet only very vague 

 and imperfect reasonings to show that by such 

 condensation a material system such as oui*s could 

 result ; and the introduction of organized beings 

 into such a material system is utterly out of the 

 reach of our philosophy. Here . . therefore, 

 we are led to regard the present order of the 

 world as pointing towards an origin altogether of 

 a different kind from anything which our material 

 science can gi'asp." Because the nebular hypo- 

 thesis rests on unstable foundations, and " nothing 

 has been pointed out in the existing order of 

 things which has any resemblance or analogy, of 

 any valid kind, to that creative energy which must 

 be exerted in the production of new species," — 

 therefore, according to Dr. Whewell, we are 

 " driven to assume events not included in the course 

 of nature^'' as having formerly taken place. Such 

 is his reasoning. Now let us call to mind a few 

 of the laws ascertained to have been concerned in 

 the cosmical arrangements, leaving for the mean- 

 time all that is doubtful in the nebular hypothesis 

 entirely out of view. The proportion of the equa- 

 torial to the polar diameter of the earth is exactly 



