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Dr. Herschel's Astronomical Observations 
space ; but as I am still engaged in a series of observations 
for ascertaining a scale whereby the extent of the universe, 
as far as it is possible for us to penetrate into space, may be 
fathomed, I shall conclude this paper by pointing out some 
inferences which the continuation of the action of the cluster- 
ing power enables us to draw from the observations that have 
been given. 
20. Of the breaking up of the milky way. 
The milky w'ay is generally represented in astronomical 
maps as an irregular zone of brightness encircling the heavens, 
and my star gages have proved its whitish tinge to arise from 
accumulated stars, too faint to be distinguished by the eye. 
4 
The great difficulty of giving a true picture of it is a sufficient 
excuse for those who have traced it on a globe, or through 
the different constellations of an Atlas Coelestis, as if it were 
a uniform succession of brightness. It is, however, evident 
that, if ever it consisted of equally scattered stars, it does so 
no longer ; for, by looking at it in a fine night, we may see 
its course between the constellations of Sagittarius and Perseus 
affected by not less than eighteen different shades of glimmer- 
ing light, resembling the telescopic appearances of large easily 
resolvable nebulas ; but in addition to these general divisions, 
the observations detailed in the preceding pages of this paper, 
authorise us to anticipate the breaking up of the milky way, 
in all its minute parts, as the unavoidable consequence of the 
clustering power arising out of those preponderating .attrac- 
tions which have been shewn to be every where existing in 
its compass. 
