CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 271 



The Reverend Mr. Paschal to Mr. Bay. 



Sir, — There seems to be throughout the universe a 

 mutual contranitency between parts central and circum- 

 ferential ; those emitting and propelling outwards ; these 

 resisting and repelling inwards. Of this I have three 

 instances now in my thoughts. 



1 . In this, or any other planetary system the sun sends 

 forth, chiefly by its ecliptic parts ; and the ambient fixed 

 stars in their respective ethers, and according to their 

 powers, give bounds, and beat back, from whence proceeds 

 a plenitude as absolute and entu-e, and close, as the na- 

 ture of such a fluid can admit of. 



2. In this, or any other planet, the internal solar matter 

 inclosed in its cortex, moving rapidly about its own axis, 

 continually steams out most du'ectly and vigorously in the 

 equinoctial parts ; and the encompassing ether is always, 

 according to its power, giving limits to those steams and 

 driving them back, 



3. In aU those particular mixed bodies, made so as to 

 send outward chiefly whatever individuals, in any of the 

 three kingdoms of nature, there is an internal principle 

 or agent causing effluvia to come forth ; and in the atmo- 

 sphere, in which they are, a resistance to these motions 

 outwards, suitable to the nature and motions of its parts 

 and the determinations belonging to those motions. 



Sir, I fancy, but with submission to better judgments, 

 that if these three were with appKcation and diligence 

 looked into, they might contribute something towards an 

 explication of sundry phenomena in nature, such as, first, 

 gravity, by which I understand the vis centripeta in the 

 parts of a planet, whether united or to some certain dis- 

 tance separated from it. This seems to be a natural and 

 necessary result from such a plenitude as is named above. 

 Secondly, the order, distances, motions, which their regu- 

 larity in the planetary system of the planets, whether 

 primary or secondary, being and moving therein. Thirdly, 



