82 KANT'S UNIVERSAL NATURAL HISTORY. 



what short of a perfect compensation, the result is 

 divergence from the circular movement and eccentricity. 

 It is as easily seen that, although the orbits of all the 

 planets ought properly to be in one plane, yet even 

 in this respect a small deviation is presented, because, as 

 already mentioned, the elementary particles while situated 

 as near as possible to the general plane of their 

 movements, yet occupy some space on both sides of it. 

 Now it would be a very happy chance if all the planets 

 were to begin to form themselves exactly in the middle 

 between these two sides in their relative plane, which 

 already would bring about some inclination of their 

 orbits to each other, although the tendency of the 

 particles to limit this divergence on both sides, permits 

 it only within very narrow limits. It is therefore not 

 astonishing that the greatest exactness of determina- 

 tion is not to be found here any more than in any of 

 the other products of nature, because the multiplicity of 

 the circumstances which enter into every fact of nature 

 does not admit of absolute regularity. 



movement at the place where they collect upon the planet, compen- 

 sate for what is lacking in the velocity of those particles which are 

 more remote from the sun, and which become incorporated in the 

 same body, in order that they may revolve in a circle at the 

 distance of the planet. 



