224 Dr. Herschel on the Quantity 
By the contents of this Table, Fig. 5 is drawn with the lines 
contained in the third column and the angles of the fourth ; 
the scale of it is that of the 5th and 3d figures ; and it repre- 
sents the directions and angular quantities of the real motions 
that are required to compound with the parallactic effects of 
the second column, so as to produce those annual proper 
motions which are established by observation. 
Fig. 6 is drawn on the reduced scale of the 2d and 4th 
figures. The lines make the same angles with the direction 
of the solar motion as before, but their lengths are in the 
proportion of the velocities contained in the last column. 
Remarks that lead to a necessary Examination of the Cause of the 
sidereal Motions. 
The first particular that will strike us when we cast our 
eye on Fig. 5, is the uncommon arrangement of the stars. It 
seems to be a most unaccountable circumstance that their real 
motions should be as represented in that figure ; indeed, if 
we except only ten of the stars, all the rest appear to be 
actuated by the same influence, and, like faithful companions 
of the sun, to join in directing their motions towards a simi- 
larly situated part of the heavens. 
This singularity is too marked not to deserve an exami- 
nation ; for unless a cause for such peculiar directions can be 
shown to exist, I do not see how we can reconcile them with 
a certain equal distribution of situations, quantities, and mo- 
tions, which our present investigation seems to demand. In 
order to penetrate as far as we can into this intricate subject, 
we shall take a general view of the causes of the motions of 
celestial bodies. 
