32 FROM NEBULA TO NEBULA 



Now, in order to set myself straight with the reader, I 

 wish to assure him that I am entirely in accord with these 

 principles, both in letter and spirit ; but that I am not at 

 all in accord with Newton or his followers ; for the very 

 good reason that they do not practice their own precepts! 

 In investigating the laws of circulating bodies, it has 

 been customary from the time of Newton to take, as the 

 typical case, that of the earth and the moon, and from 

 that to generalize as to all. Let us follow their example ; 

 but first let me prepare the way, so that we may have a 

 clearer conception of the magnitude and complexity of 

 the problem before us than even the astronomers possess, 

 or, rather, than they are willing to admit they possess. 



Most people imagine that it is an easy matter to draw 

 a perfectly straight line. Such a thing is not possible for 

 any human being, and even if it were accidentally accom- 

 plished, there would be no available standard by which 

 the fact could be attested. It is said that the flattest 

 piece of metal in existence, though fashioned with great 

 care, is not flatter than the rotundity of the moon. The 

 curvature of the ocean, level as it may seem to us when 

 looking directly down upon it, slopes away from its tan- 

 gent about eight inches in the first mile. Compare this 

 now with the curvature of the moon's orbit, which, ac- 

 cording to mathematical calculation, swerves from its 

 tangent only 1/10 of an inch in a mile, or .0535 inches in 

 one second of time, during which it travels 3350 feet. 



The mean distance of the moon from the earth is 

 238,840 miles, according to Young. Astronomers have 

 attempted to explain how it got there, saying it was 

 originally a part of the earth and by their mutual attrac- 

 tion has been gradually forced out to its present posi- 

 tion ; others, that it came from a distance, and when it 

 approached near enough, was lassoed by the earth's at- 

 traction ; and Newton himself, that the Creator placed it 

 in position. 



Now, considered merely as an isolated fact, it would 

 make very little difference to us whether the moon were a 

 few miles further in or further out ; but it makes all the 



