NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 183 



show that the motions of the satellites thus pro- 

 duced and the motions of rotation of the planets 

 must be in the same direction. And thus it is 

 held that the hypothesis accounts for the most 

 remarkable circumstances in the structure of the 

 solar system : namely, the motions of the planets in 

 the same direction, and almost in the same plane ; 

 the motions of the satellites in the same direction 

 as those of the planets ; the motions of rotation of 

 these different bodies still in the same direction 

 as the other motions, and in planes not much 

 different ; the small excentricity of the orbits of 

 the planets, upon which condition, along with 

 some of the preceding ones, the stability of the 

 system depends ; and the position of the source 

 of light and heat in the centre of the system. 



It is not necessary for the purpose, nor suitable 

 to the plan of the present treatise, to examine, 

 on physical grounds, the probability of the above 

 hypothesis. It is proposed by its author, with 

 great diffidence, as a conjecture only. We might, 

 therefore, very reasonably put off all discussion 

 of the bearings of this opinion upon our views of 

 the government of the world, till the opinion 

 itself should have assumed a less indistinct and 

 precarious form. It can be no charge against 

 our doctrines, that there is a difficulty in recon- 

 ciling with them arbitrary guesses and half- 

 formed theories. We shall, however, make a 



