114 The Earl of Rosse's Telescopes, and their 



indefinite or diffuse nebulous forms shewn by other instru- 

 ments generally, and either exhibits configurations altogether 

 unimagined, or resolves perhaps the nebulous patches of 

 light into clusters of stars. Guided in the general researches 

 by the works of the talented and laborious Herschels — to 

 whom astronomy and science owe a deep debt of gratitude — 

 time has been economised, and the interest of the results 

 vastly enhanced. So that many objects in which the tine 

 instruments of other observers could discern only some vague 

 indefinite patch of light, have been brought out in striking, 

 definite, and marvellous configurations. 



Among these peculiar revelations is that of the spiral fovm 

 — the most striking and appreciable of all — which we may 

 venture to designate " The Rossean Configuration.' 1 '' Its 

 discovery was at once novel and splendid ; and in reference 

 to the dynamical principles on which these vast aggregations 

 of remote suns are whirled about within their respective 

 systems and sustained against interferences, promises to be 

 of the greatest importance. 



One of the most splendid nebula? of this class — the great 

 spiral or whirlpool — has been figured in the Philosophical 

 Transactions for 1850. It may be considered as the grand type 

 and example of a class ; for near 40 more, with spiral charac- 

 teristics, have been observed, and about 20 of them carefully 

 figured. Dr Scoresby had the pleasure of being present at 

 the discovery of this particular form in a nebula of the 

 planetary denomination, in which two portions following 

 spiral forms were detected. Its colour was peculiar, — pale 

 blue. He had the privilege, too, of being present on another 

 interesting occasion, where the examination of the great ne- 

 bula in Orion was first seen to yield decisive tokens of reso- 

 lution. 



In these departments of research, the examination of the 

 configurations of nebulae, and the resolution of nebulas into 

 stars, the six-feet speculum has had its grandest triumphs, 

 and the noble artificer and observer the highest rewards of 

 his talents and enterprise. Altogether, the quantity of 

 work done, during a period of about seven years, — including 

 a winter when a noble philanthropy for a starving population 



