MIRACLES OF SCIENCE 



do the four moons of Mars, the five moons of Jupiter 

 that were then known, and the eight previously 

 known satellites of Saturn. The rings of Saturn had 

 also been proved to spin about in the same way; in- 

 deed, the system of Saturn had often been pointed to 

 as in itself presenting what might almost be called a 

 working model of the Laplacian hypothesis of worlds 

 in the making. 



And now came this ninth satellite, like a broken 

 cog in the wheel, to interfere with the harmonious 

 arrangement of this pleasing mechanism. Phoebe is 

 but an inconsequential body as to mere size. And she 

 is so distant from us that, as Professor Poor esti- 

 mates, to see her at all puts a test on our telescopes 

 equivalent to what would be required if one were to 

 stand in New York and attempt to watch a humming 

 bird flitting about the flower beds in the garden of the 

 Capitol at Washington. 



Yet this one tiny satellite moving in reverse order 

 seemed to disprove the entire theory as to the origin 

 of worlds. 



For, be it understood, exceptions do not prove rules 

 in the scientific world they disprove them. This 

 single refractory little satellite would upset the nebu- 

 lar hypothesis more convincingly than all Professor 

 Chamberlin's reasoning, unless a way could be 

 found to explain its anomalous conduct. 



HAS THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN. 3 



But mathematicians are resourceful in sustaining 

 accepted hypotheses, and of course the old theory was 

 not to be given up without debate. More than one 



12 



