398 Celestial Chemistry. 



at the known periods, to admit of such an operation being- 

 admitted. 



The spectrum observations have also an important bearing 

 on the nebular hypothesis of the cosmical origin of the uni- 

 verse, as showing that the elementary substances must have 

 existed in different proportions at different points of the nebu- 

 lous mass, otherwise by condensation equal proportions of the 

 elements, from the surrounding vapour, would have been col- 

 lected. There is here an analogy to the manner in which the 

 components of the earth's crust are distributed. Some of the 

 elements are widely and universally diffused throughout animal, 

 vegetable, and mineral matter; while others, as the rarer 

 metals, are accumulated at particular points, and whatever the 

 reason of this separation, the benefits to the human race caused 

 thereby are many and obvious. 



The knowledge derived from these observations has induced 

 Mr. Huggins and Dr. Miller to indulge in some speculations, 

 which are so legitimate and so ably put forward by them in the 

 paper of May, 1864, that we cannot do better than allow them 

 to speak for themselves, especially as the paper itself may not 

 fall within the range of many of our readers. 



" The closely-marked connexion, in similarity of plan and 

 mode of operation, in those parts of the universe which lie 

 within the range of experiment, and so of our more immediate 

 knowledge, renders it not presumptuous to attempt to apply 

 the process of reasoning from analogy to those parts of the 

 universe which are more distant from us. 



" Upon the earth we find that the innumerable individual 

 requirements which are connected with the present state of 

 terrestrial activity, are not met by a plan of operation distinct 

 for each, but are effected in connection with the special modi- 

 fications of a general method, embracing a wide range of ana- 

 logous phenomena. If we examine living beings, the per- 

 sistence of unity of plan observable amidst the multiform 

 varieties of special adaption of the vertebrate form of life 

 may be cited as an example of the unity of operation referred 

 to. In like manner, the remarkably wide range of phenomena 

 which are shown to be reciprocally inter-dependent and corre- 

 lative of each other, by the recent great extension of our 

 knowledge in reference to the relation of the different varieties 

 of force, and their connection with molecular motion, exhibits 

 a similar unity of operation amidst the changes of the bodies 

 which have not life. 



" The observations recorded in this paper seem to afford 

 some proof that a similar unity of operation extends through 

 the universe as far as light enables us to have cognizance of 

 material objects. For we may infer that the stars, while dif- 



