30 D. Trowbridge on the Nebular Hypothesis. 
nearest correspond in their motions. Retrograde comets, anda 
portion of those which have a direct motion, cannot very well be 
as : 
matter would be drawn, by the attractive influence of the sun 
and planets, into the system, and it would appear in the 
differing from a sphere, a rotation around a rincipal axis; but © 
a fluid body would readily adapt itself to sack an axis. Wedo — 
not doubt but that Infinite Wisdom and Power could cause any 
solid body to rotate around a natural axis; but we have not the — 
least evidence that Infinite Wisdom ever works in that special — 
manner. God always adapts means to ends, so that all things — 
are produced under the action of fixed natural laws. We, there- 
fore, conclude that the planets, formed as required by the Nebu- — 
ar Hypothesis, should all be found to rotate on natural aces. . 
44, 
‘on several secondary rings. In reference to the number of these 
secondary rings cast off by each of the planets, all that we ca 
*° We have attempted here to be guided by strictly reasonable conclusions, with- _ 
out any reference to the Ec reine aR Solar System. ; . 
