190 HISTORY OF PHYSICAL ASTRONOMY. 



of the events of this part of the history of astro- 

 nomy; but our narrative must necessarily be ex- 

 tremely brief and imperfect; for the subject is most 

 large and copious, and our limits are fixed and 

 narrow. We have here to do with the history of 

 discoveries, only so far as it illustrates their phi- 

 losophy. And though the astronomical discoveries 

 of the last century are by no means poor, even in 

 interest of this kind, the generalizations which they 

 involve are far less important for our object, in 

 consequence of being included in a previous gene- 

 ralization. Newton shines out so brightly, that all 

 who follow seem faint and dim. It is not precisely 

 the case which the poet describes ; 



As in a theatre the eyes of men, 

 After some well-graced actor leaves the stage, 

 Are idly bent on him that enters next, 

 Thinking his prattle to be tedious: 



but our eyes are at least less intently bent on the 

 astronomers who succeeded, and we attend to their 

 communications with less curiosity, because we 

 know the end, if not the course, of their story; 

 we know that their speeches have all closed with 

 Newton's sublime declaration, asserted in some new 

 form. 



Still, however, the account of the verification 

 and extension of any great discovery, is a highly- 

 important part of its history. In this instance it is 

 most important ; both from the weight and dignity 

 of the theory concerned, and the ingenuity and 



