The Universe. i25 



great masses that move m those spaces, 

 that it is as much as nothing. 



These masses of matter are, either lu- 

 minous, or opaque or dark. 



Luminous bodies, are such as give 

 light of themselves ; and such are the 

 sun, and the fixed stars. 



Dark or opaque bodies, are such as 

 emit no light of themselves, though they 

 are capable of reflecting it, when it is 

 cast upon them from other bodies : and 

 such are the planets. 



There are some opaque bodies, as for 

 instance the comets, which besides the 

 light, that they may have from the sun, 

 seem to shine with a "light that is nothing 

 else but an accension, which they receive 

 from the sun, in their near approaches to 

 It, in their respective revolutions. 



The fixed stars are so called, because; 

 they always keep the same distance one 

 from another. 



On a view of the visible system of na- 

 ture, by us called the universe, the grand- 

 est and most admired object is the great 

 luminary of day. Its splendour, its heat, 

 its beneficial influence have always 



