. E 249 J 
the nebula in the hilt of Perfeus’s fword, 6cc. as Ccj 
thofe ftars, which appear double, treble, &c. when feen 
through telefcopes, we (hall find it fltll infinitely more 
conclufive, both in the particular inftances, and in 
the general analogy, arifing from the frequency of 
them. 
We may from hence, therefore, with the highefl: 
probability conclude (the odds againfl: the contrary 
opinion being many million millions to one) that 
the ftars are really collected together in clufters in 
fqme places, where they form a kind of fvftems, 
whilft: in others there are either few or none of them, 
to whatever caufe this may be owing, whether to 
their mutual gravitation, or to fome other law or 
appointment of the Creator. And the natural con- 
clufion from hence is, that it is highly probable in 
particular, and next to a certainty in general, that 
liich double ftars, &c. as appear to confifi: of two 
or more flars placed very near together, do really 
confifi; of ftars placed near together, and under the 
influence of fome general law, whenever the pro- 
by 1500 gives us — .00000087377, the proportional part for an 
unit in fomewhat more than 496000k 
But it muft be obferved, that this number is fmaller than it 
ought to be upon two accounts ; for, in the firft place, this 
method of computation gives only the probability, that no five 
liars would be within the diftance above fpecified from a fixth, 
if they occupied the largeft fpace, they poffibly could do, under 
that limitation ; and fecondly, we have made no allowance upon 
account of the different magnitudes, which, if it had been 
attended to, would have given a fomewhat greater refult. Thefe 
confiderations, however would have made the reafoning a good 
deal more intricate; and we have no need to defcend to minutiae* 
q difference in the proportion of io to 1 not at all affedling tho 
general conclufion. 
Vol. LVII. K k babilitf 
