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the two lately discovered celestial Bodies. 
is not unlikely, we might soon be obliged to convert the whole 
firmament into zodiac ; that is to say, we should have none left. 
In the fourth article, which points out the direction of the 
motion, these stars agree with the planets. 
With regard to the fifth, concerning satellites, it may not be 
easy to prove a negative; though even that, as far as it can 
be done, has been shewn. But the retention of a satellite in its 
orbit, it is well known, requires a proper mass of matter in the 
central body, which it is evident these stars do not contain. 
.The sixth article seems to exclude these stars from the con- 
dition of planets. The small comas which they shew, give them 
so far the resemblance of comets, that in this respect we should 
be rather inclined to rank them in that order, did other circum- 
stances permit us to assent to this idea. 
In the seventh article, they are again unlike planets ; for it 
appears, that their orbits are too near each other to agree with 
the general harmony that takes place among the rest ; perhaps 
one of them might be brought in, to fill up a seeming vacancy 
between Mars and Jupiter. There is a certain regularity in the 
arrangement of planetary orbits, which has been pointed out by 
a very intelligent astronomer, so long ago as the year 1772; 
but this, by the admission of the two new stars into the order 
of planets, would be completely overturned ; whereas, if they 
are of a different species, it may still remain established. 
As we have now sufficiently shewn that our new stars can- 
not be called planets, we proceed to compare them also with the 
other proposed species of celestial bodies, namely, comets. The 
criteria by which we have hitherto distinguished these from 
planets, may be enumerated as follows. 
