46 Solar System. 



them in a straight line to the sun, make 

 that a curve line they revolve in. 



From the great analogy there is be- 

 tween the other planets and our earth it is 

 generally supposed by astronomers that 

 they are inhabited, and indeed we can 

 never bring ourselves to think, that an in- 

 finitely wise Creator should dispose of 

 all his animals and vegetables here, leav- 

 ing the other magnificent planets, with all 

 their noble attendance of moons, bare 

 and destitute of rational creatures. To 

 suppose that he had any view to our bene- 

 fit, in creating these moons, and giving 

 them their motions round Jupiter, Sa- 

 turn arid Herschel; to imagine that he 

 intended these vast bodies for any ad- 

 vantage to us, when he well knew that 

 they could never be seen but by a few 

 astronomers peeping through telescopes : 

 and that he gave to the planets regular 

 returns of days and nights, and different 

 seasons to all where they would be con- 

 venient ; but of no manner of service to 

 us, except only what immediately regards 

 our own planet the earth ; to imagine that 

 he did all this on our account, would be 

 charging him impiously with having 



