494 Dr. Herschel’s Catalogue 
present arrangement is equally to be admitted among the con- 
structions of sidereal systems that may be permanent. 
We have before remarked, that any appearance of treble 
Stars might be explained, by admitting the combinations pointed 
out in Figs. 5, 6 , 7, and 8 ; and it must be equally obvious, that 
quadruple systems, under what shape soever they may show 
themselves, whether in straight lines, squares, trapezia, or any 
other seemingly the most irregular configurations, will readily 
find a solution from one or other of the arrangements of the 
eight last figures. 
More numerous combinations of stars may still take place, 
by admitting simple and regular perturbations; for then all 
sorts of erratic orbits of multiple flexures may have a permanent 
existence. But, as it would lead me too far, to apply calculation 
to them, I forbear entering upon the subject at present. 
Before I proceed, it will be proper to remark, that it may 
possibly occur to many, who are not much acquainted with the 
arrangement of the numberless stars of the heavens, that what 
has been said may all be mere useless surmise; and that, possibly, 
there may not be the least occasion for any such speculations 
upon the subject. To this, however, it may be answered, that 
such combinations as I have mentioned, are not the inventions 
of fancy : they have an actual existence ; and, were it necessary, 
I could point them out by thousands. There is not a single 
night when, in passing over the zones of the heavens by sweep- 
ing, I do not meet with numerous collections of double, treble, 
quadruple, quintuple, and multiple stars, apparently insulated 
from other groups, and probably joined in some small sidereal 
system of their own. I do not imagine that I have pointed out 
