THEORY AND HISTORY OF THE SUN. l6l 



atmosphere, then the constant operation of the smoke 

 particles that proceed from the flame, by destroying the 

 elasticity of the atmosphere of the sun, presents a great 

 problem, the solution of which is very difficult. For as 

 the flame which burns over the whole surface of the sun 

 uses up the air which is indispensable to it for burning, 

 thereby the sun is in danger of even being extinguished 

 when the most part of its atmosphere has been consumed. 

 It is true that the fire also generates air by the decom- 

 position of certain kinds of matter ; but experiments prove 

 that there is always more consumed than generated. In fact, 

 when a part of the fire of the sun is robbed of the air which 

 ministers to its maintenance by suffocating vapours, as 

 we have already remarked, violent storms will then scatter 

 them, and will exert their energy in carrying them away. 

 But, on the whole, the replacing of this necessary element 

 may be made conceivable, if it is considered that, as in 

 a flaming fire, the heat acts almost solely above it, and 

 but little below it ; and so when it has been suffocated by 

 the cause referred to, its violence turns towards the in- 

 terior of the body of the sun and compels its deep 

 abysses to allow the air confined in their cavities to 

 break forth and to kindle the fire anew. And, if we 

 may use a freedom of conjecture, which is not forbidden 

 in connection with such an unknown subject, we may 

 suppose that in the bowels of the sun there are many 

 substances which, like saltpetre, are inexhaustible in yield- 

 ing elastic air, and thus the fire of the sun may be able 

 to go on through very long periods without suffering in 

 any considerable way from want of the accession of always 

 renewed air. 



Nevertheless, distinct marks of transitoriness are to be 



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