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MATH EM 



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AND 





were dcfigned, among other pUrpofes, to nourifh and re- 

 freih this earth and all the neighbouring planets. He 

 imagined that by vegetation and putrefadion, a great deal 

 of radical moitture is confumed or changed into earth j 

 that the tail of a cornet is a thick vapour exhaled from the 

 comet by the heat of the Sun, which vapour is fcattered 

 through the planetary regions, and part of it being receiv- 

 ed within our atmofphere, occafionally fupplies our lof$ 

 of moifture. 



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very clear that evaporation cannot be performed unlefs by 

 means of an atmofphere whereby the fluid is attraded, 

 fufpended and carried off. Therefore if we fuppofe that the 

 earth and all the planets are fupplied with radical moifture 

 from the comets, we muft alfo fuppofe, that the folar fyf- 

 tern is univerfally filled with an atmofphere fufficient for 

 attracting and fufpending fluids, which hypothefis would 

 certainly deftroy our prefent fyftem of afl:ronomy. Befid 

 this we may obferve, that from the moft accurate chymical 

 analyfis, there feems great reafon to believe, that all the 

 apparent changes in matter depend on combination and 

 folution alone. That water may be combined with earth 



and again feparatcd from it; but, that fince the creation, 

 this globe has not fuftained the abfolute lofs of one ounce 



of water, or gained one ounce of earth. Therefore we 

 do not require any nourifliement from the vapour of comets. 

 I fee no reafon to doubt that comets were created like 

 this world, to be the refidence of intelligent beings; fome 

 of them no doubt which travel to inimenfediftances through 

 the Heavens, may be inhabited by an order of beings, 

 greatly fuperior to this (hort lived race of mortals, and 

 much better fitted for comprehending and admiring the 

 works of their divine original, which they behold in greater 



One of the primary ideas we form of the 

 Supreme Being is, that he is the fource of life, intelligence 

 and happinefs, and delights to communicate them; tbe 



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4 



