AND THEORY OF THE HEAVENS. 147 



my theory that I should not be ready to acknowledge that 

 the supposition of the successive expansion of the creation 

 through the infinite regions of space which contain the 

 matter for it, cannot entirely escape the reproach of its 

 being undemonstrable. Nevertheless, I expect from those 

 who are capable of estimating degrees of probability that such 

 a chart of the infinite, comprehending, as it does, a subject 

 which seems to be destined to be for ever concealed from 

 the human understanding, will not on that account be at 

 once regarded as a chimera, especially when recourse is 

 had to analogy, which must always guide us in those cases 

 in which the understanding cannot follow the thread of 

 infallible demonstrations. 



This analogy may, however, be supported by other ten- 

 able reasons ; and the perspicuity of the reader, so far as 

 I may flatter myself with his favourable consideration, will 

 perhaps be able to increase them by adding other reasons 

 more powerful still. For if it is considered that creation 

 does not bring the character of stability with it, in so far 

 as it does not oppose to the universal striving of attraction 

 which acts through all its parts, as thorough a determination 

 sufficient to resist the tendency of the former to destruction 

 and disorder ; if it has not distributed forces of impulsion 

 which, in combination with the central tendency, establish a 

 universal Systematic Constitution: then we are forced to a 

 universal centre of the whole universe which holds all its 

 parts together in a combined connection, and makes the 

 totality of nature into only one system. If to this we add 

 the conception of the formation of the world-bodies from the 

 scattered elementary matter, as has been delineated above, 

 yet do not limit it here to a separate system but extend it 

 to the whole of nature : we shall be compelled to think of 



