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emanation from the fun fbould be continual in a ftridt 
mathematical fenfe, or without any interval. It 
feems fufficient to all purpofes, that the intervals 
fhould be exceeding fhort. But this I only mention. — 
I think it poffible that a continual emanation might 
fubfilf, without any fuch dangerous confequences to 
the folar fyftem, as Dr. Franklin apprehends. Dr. 
Franklin’s character is not more diflinguifbed by his 
fuperior talents, than by a candor truly philofophical. 
And upon this circumftance, I build the ftrongeft 
confidence, that he will not be offended, that I differ 
from him : that, as a friend to enquiry, he will be 
pleafed that I take the liberty to communicate my 
own notions, however oppofite they may be to his. 
It will be eafily underflood, that a continual ema- 
nation from the fun does not neceffarily imply a 
continual w aide, or lofs, equal to the emanation. — If 
light is continually iffuing from the fun in alfdirec- 
tions, part of this is continually returning to him, 
by reflection from the planets, and other light is 
continually coming to him, from the funs of other 
fyftems. It is true, that the light which he receives, 
is but a very fmail part of the light which he gives. 
For if the light always coming to the fun were equal 
to the light always going from him, our atmofphere 
would be as ftrongly enlightened in the night as in 
the day. — But this is not the cafe ; and the proportion 
of the light that comes - , to the light that goes, cannot 
be greater than that of night-light at a medium, ta 
day-light at a medium — (till it is fomethi'ng — and 
the continual lofs of fubftance that the fun fuffains 
cannot be more than the difference between the 
light that he gives, and the light that he receives. 
4 And 
