THOUGHTS ON NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. 25 



The nebular theory is a noble speculation supported 

 by plausible argument, and the verdict of science on 

 the whole subject cannot be better expressed than in 

 the words of Newcomb: "At the present time we 

 can only say that the nebular hypothesis is indicated 

 by the general tendencies of the laws of nature, that 

 it has not been proved to be inconsistent with any 

 fact, that it is almost a necessary consequence of the 

 only theory by which we can account for the origin 

 and conservation of the sun's heat, but that it rests 

 on the assumption that this conservation is to be 

 explained by the laws of nature as we now see them 

 in operation. Should any one be sceptical as to the 

 sufficiency of these laws to account for the present 

 state of things, science can furnish no evidence strong 

 enough to overthrow his doubts until the sun shall 

 be found growing smaller by actual measurement, 

 or the nebulae be actually seen to condense into stars 

 and systems." 



The phenomena of nebulae is so interesting and 

 important that further details may be acceptable to 

 the reader. 



" * The Sun, and, by the same process of reasoning, 

 the stars, would thus appear to have originated in 

 extended volumes of tenuous gas, and to be fated in 

 the end to be degraded into cold, inert masses. 

 These conclusions being accepted, it would appear 

 probable that both of these conditions would be at 

 the present time represented among celestial bodies, 

 for even upon the extreme assumption that all of 

 them were tcreated at the same time and in the 



* A. H. Fison. t Evolved. 



