46 NATURAL THEOLOGY. 



serve such bodies from being lost, from running 

 together in heaps, from hindering and distracting 

 one another's motions, in a degree inconsistent 

 with any continuing order ; h. e. to cause them to 

 form planetary systems, systems that, when form- 

 ed, can be upheld, and, most especially, systems 

 accommodated to the organized and sensitive na- 

 tures, which the planets sustain, as we know to be 

 the case, where alone we can know what the 

 case is, upon our earth : all this requires an intel- 

 ligent interposition, because it can be demonstrat- 

 ed concerning it, that it requires an adjustment of 

 force, distance, direction, and velocity, out of the 

 reach of chance to have produced ; an adjustment, 

 in its view to utiHty, similar to that which we see 

 in ten thousand subjects of nature which are nearer 

 to us, but in power, and in the extent of space 

 through which that power is exerted, stupendous." 



1^ (Note of Bishop Brinkley. See Note 9.) Since the publi- 

 cation of Dr. Paley's ' Natural Theology' it has been ascertained 

 that a resisting medium is actually diffused through our system. 

 But it is of so rare a nature, that the planets will not be effected 

 by it for an immense period. The existence of this resisting me- 

 dium has been ascertained by the successive revolutions of the 

 small comet, the orbit of which was first accurately computed by 

 M. Encke, and its indentity verified on several successive returns. 

 We had before a knowledge of the weak action of comets on the 

 planets, and of the consequent smallness of their masses. It 

 was also inferred that they were bodies of small densit}-, and con- 

 sequently would be more sensibly affected in their motions through 

 a resisting medium. This comet was found in 1795 by Miss Her- 

 schel, and observed also by her brother. His account of it, when 

 considered with reference to what has since been ascertained as 

 to the resistance it meets wijh in its course, is remarkable, (vide 



