PLANETS. 85 



Vesta, which is so near Pallas, the corresponding angle of 

 inclination is one-fourth less, or scarcely six times greater 

 than in Jupiter. Neither do we find a regular order of 

 succession in the position of the axes of the few planets 

 (four or five), of the planes of rotation of which we have at 

 present any certain knowledge. Judging by the position of 

 the satellites of Uranus (of two of which, *'. e., the second 

 and the fourth, a fresh and certain view has been recently 

 obtained), the axis of this the outermost of all the planets, 

 is inclined barely 11 to the plane of its orbit; and Saturn 

 is placed intermediately between this planet, in which the 

 axis of rotation almost coincides with the plane of its orbit, 

 and Jupiter, whose axis is almost perpendicular to it. 



In this enumeration of forms in space, they have been 

 depicted simply as they exist, rather than as objects of 

 intellectual contemplation, or in inherent causal connec- 

 tion. The planetary system, in its relations of absolute 

 magnitude, relative position of the axes, density, time of 

 rotation, and different degrees of eccentricity of the orbits, 

 has, to our apprehension, nothing more of natural necessity, 

 than the relative distribution of land and water on the sur- 

 face of our globe, the configuration of continents, or the 

 elevation of mountain chains. No general law in these 

 respects is discoverable, either in the regions of space, or in 

 the irregularities of the crust of the earth. They are facts 

 in nature, which have arisen out of the conflict of various 

 forces acting under unknown conditions. We apply the 

 term accidental to what in the planetary formation we 

 are unable to elucidate genetically. If the planets have been 

 formed by the progressive condensation of rings of nebulous 

 matter concentric with the sun, the different thickness, 



