479 
of goo new Nebula, and Clusters of Stars. 
By calling a star insulated, I do not mean to denote its being 
totally unconnected with all other stars or systems ; for no one, 
by the laws of gravitation, can be intirely free from the in- 
fluence of other celestial bodies. But, when stars are situated at 
such immense distances from each other as our sun, Arcturus, 
Capella, Lyra, Sirius, Canobus, Markab, Bellatrix, Menkar, 
Shedir, Algorah, Propus, and numberless others probably are, 
we may then look upon them as sufficiently out of the reach of 
mutual attractions, to deserve the name of insulated stars. 
In order not to take this assertion for granted, without some 
examination, let us admit, as is highly probable, that the whole 
orbit of the earth’s annual motion does not subtend more than 
an angle of one second of a degree, when seen from Sirius. In 
consequence of this, it appears by computation, that our sun and 
Sirius, if we suppose their masses to be equal, would not fall 
together in less than 33 millions of years, even though they 
were not impeded by many contrary attractions of other neigh- 
bouring insulated stars ; and that, consequently, with the 
assistance of the opposite energies exerted by such surrounding 
stars, these two bodies may remain for millions of ages, in a 
state almost equal to undisturbed rest A star thus situated may 
certainly deserve to be called insulated, since it does not imme- 
diately enter into connection with any neighbouring star ; and 
it is therefore highly probable, that our sun is one of a great 
number that are in similar circumstances. To this may be 
added, that the stars we consider as insulated are also sur- 
rounded by a magnificent collection of innumerable stars, called 
the milky- way, which must occasion a very powerful balance 
of opposite attractions, to hold the intermediate stars in a state 
of rest. For, though our sun, and all the stars we see, may 
sQ 2 
