ASTRONOMY. 441 



with a good telescope, they are resolvable into 

 clusters of innumerable stars, and with the glass 

 many nebulae are discovered, which cannot be seen 

 by the naked eye. 



Herschel has rendered it highly probable, 

 both from observation and well-grounded con- 

 jecture, that the starry heavens is replete with 

 these nebulae, or system of stars, and that the 

 milky way is that particular nebula in which our 

 sun is placed. Reasoning analogically from the 

 circumstances with which we are acquainted, we 

 may deduce, that the universe consists of nebulae 

 or distinct systems of stars: that each nebula is 

 composed of a prodigious number of suns, or 

 bodies that shine by their own native splendour; 

 and that each individual sun is, perhaps, destined 

 to give light to numbers of worlds that revolve 

 about it. 



What an august, what an amazing conception 

 does this give of the works of the Creator! Instead 

 of one world and one sun, we find thousands and 

 thousands of suns, ranged around us at immense 

 distances, attended by innumerable worlds all in 

 rapid motion, yet calm, regular, and harmonious, 

 invariably keeping the paths prescribed them ; and 

 these worlds, perhaps, peopled with myriads of in- 

 telligent beings, formed for endless progression 

 in perfection and felicity! 



Of Eclipses. 



When any one of the heavenly bodies is obscured 

 or darkened by the shadow of another falling 

 upon it, or by the interposition of any body, it is 

 said to be eclipsed. 



