The Planet Saturn. 147 



distinguishable from that of the sky. — 16, to June 10, he 

 searched in vain, like Dawes, for the shadow of the ring, 

 which ought to have "become visible in consequence of the 

 sun's passage to the side opposite to the earth about 17. — 

 May 17, S II. considered the light of W. " of the colour of rose 

 copper." (Edgewise that day to sun.) 



The reader who has had the patience to examine and com- 

 pare the mass of details which has been laid before him, in an 

 accumulation which must have appeared more than ordinarily 

 tedious to those not specially interested in the subject, will be 

 disposed, we think, to view it in a two-fold light. Some part 

 of it he will consider sufficiently intelligible on the principles 

 of analogy and the known laws of the universe ; other portions 

 he will find so puzzling, that he would take refuge in the sup- 

 position of instrumental or personal error, did it not seem 

 precluded by the character of the testimony, But what shall 

 we say when we find that a number of observations which 

 remain, are still less capable of explanation upon known 

 principles, and at the same time are so well established by 

 the consent of astronomers, that they cannot fairly be got rid 

 of by any supposition of illusion ? To explain them aright is 

 most difficult ; to explain them away may suit the taste of 

 those who choose to magnify the attainments of human know- 

 ledge, but they would scarcely have escaped the censure of 

 Aristides of old, in thus adopting a course which, however ex- 

 pedient, would not be just. The true philosopher, on the 

 contrary, deems such outstanding phenomena of peculiar 

 interest and value. They have continually recurred during 

 the extension of physical knowledge, and have furnished 

 invaluable tests of the truth of theories, which, but for them, 

 might have found unchallenged but erroneous acceptance. 

 And though those to which we are now referring do not seem 

 weighty enough to overthrow any received hypothesis, yet they 

 are such as, steadily kept in sight and diligently pursued, may 

 lead to interesting investigations and valuable conclusions. 



We have indulged in very little speculation as to the 

 possible materials of the ball and rings. Their nature is 

 indeed involved in so much mystery that the reader will not 

 be disappointed if we enter into no lengthened discussion 

 upon the subject. The very slight density of the globe is well 

 known. It has been given at only 0*132251 (the earth being 

 1), or f that of water, so that it would float high out of a 

 terrestrial ocean large enough to give it sea-room. And if, as 

 may be expected from analogy, its density increases towards 

 the centre, the value already specified being the average of the 

 whole mass, the exterior shell must be considerably lighter 

 still, and we can hardly form an idea of solid materials suf- 



