Conjiruditon of the Heavens. 217 



which miift produce a balance that will effedually fecure all 

 the great parts of the whole from approaching to each other. 

 There remains then only to fee how the particular ftars be- 

 longing to feparate clufters will be preferved from rufliing on 

 to their centers of attraction. And here I muft obferve, that 

 thougli I have before, by way of rendering the cafe more fim- 

 ple, confidered the ftars as being originally at reft, I intended 

 not to exclude projectile forces ; and the admiffion of then* 

 will prove fuch a barrier againft the feeming deftruClive power 

 of attraction as to fecure from it all the flars belonging to a 

 clufter, if not for ever, at leafl for millions of ages Befides, 

 we ought perhaps to look upon fuch clufters, and the deftruc- 

 tion of now and then a (tar, in fome thoufands of ages, as 

 perhaps the very means by which the whole is preferved and 

 renewed. Thefe clufters may be the L^^^^r^/or/Vjoftheuniverfe^ 

 if I may fo exprefs myfelf, wherein the mofl falutary remedies 

 for the decay of the whole are prepared. 



Optical appearances. 



From this theoretical view of the heavens, which has been 

 taken, as we obferved, from a point not lefs diftant in time 

 than in fpace, we will now retreat to our own retired flation, 

 in one of the planets attending a ftar in its great combination 

 with numberlefs others ; and in order to inveftigate what will 

 be the appearances from this contracted fituation, let us begin 

 with the naked eye. The ftars of the firft magnitude being 

 in all probability the neareft, will furnilh us with a ftep to 

 begin our fcale ; fetting off, therefore, with the diftance of 

 Sirius or ArCturus, for inftance, as unity, we will at prefent 

 fuppofe, that thofe of the fecond magnitude are at double, and 



Vol. LXXV. F f thofc 



