INTRODtJCTlONj V. 



SOLAR SYSTEM. 



The solar system consists of the SuN 0, \\4iich 

 is a large luiuiiious globe, placed in the centre of 

 a nnmher of smaller spheres, shining by Ids re- 

 flected light, and moving ronnd him in regnlar 

 orbits, and hence called planets ; and of very 

 mimerons bodies of a different form, which move 

 ronnd him in more extended and incalculable 

 orbits ; these have luminous tails, and hence called 

 comets. Of these latter we know very little — they 

 move in very eccentric elypses, or in hyperbolic or 

 parobolio curves, and belong not to our present 

 object. The larger planets whicli are known as 

 moving round the sun, are seven in number. 

 Mercury ^ the nearest to the sun,* is small 

 and reflects a reddish light. Venus ? the next, 

 is larger, is very bright, has phases, and is what 

 we call the evening star, or Hesperus, when she 

 follows the westering wheel of Phoebus and 

 spangles on his parting beams ; but the morning 

 star, or Phosphorus, when adorning the dewy- 

 frontlet of the day, she comes forth as the herald 

 of his orient car. Next to Venus, and of nearly 

 the same bigness, comes the Earth ©, which we 



* Almost all the fixed stars, as well as the planets, diflfer from 

 each other in the colour of their lights. 



