2 14 Mr. HerscHel on the 
views from them, we offend a gain ft the very end for which 
only obfervations ought to be made. I will endeavour to keep 
a proper medium ; but if 1 fhould deviate from that, I could 
with not to fall into the latter error. 
That the milky way is a mod extenfive ft rat urn of ftars of 
various fizes admits no longer of the leaft doubt ; and that our 
fun is aCtually one of the heavenly bodies belonging to it is as 
evident. I have now viewed and gaged this Ihining zone in 
almoft every direction, and find it compoled of ftars whofe 
number, by the account^of thefe gages, conftantly increafes 
and decreafes in proportion to its apparent brightnefs to the 
naked eye. But in order to develop the ideas of the univerfe, 
that have been fuggefted by my late obfervations, it will be beft 
to take the fubjeCt from a point of view at a confiderable 
diftance both of fpace and of time. 
'Theoretical view. 
Let us then fuppofe numberlefs ftars of various fizes, Mat- 
tered over an indefinite portion of fpace in fuch a manner as to 
be almoft equally diftributed throughout the whole. The laws 
of attraction, which no doubt extend to the remoteft regions of 
the fixed ftars, will operate in fuch a manner as moft probably to 
produce the following remarkable effeCts. 
Formation of nebula. 
Form I. In the firft place, fince we have fttppofed the flats 
to be of various fizes, it will frequently happen that a flat, 
being confiderably larger than its neighbouring ones, will 
attrad: them more than they will be attracted hy others that are 
immediately 
