our earth the heat of the situation depends 
upon the readiness of the medium to yield 
to the impression of the solar rays, we have 
only to admit, that on the sun itself, the 
elastic fluids composing its atmosphere, and 
the matter on its surface, are of such a na- 
ture as not to be capable of any extensive 
affection of its own rays ; and this seems to 
be proved by the copious emission of them ; 
for if the elastic fluids of the atmosphere, or 
of the matter contained on the surface of 
the sun, were of such a nature as to admit 
of an easy chemical combination with its 
rays, their emission would be very much 
impeded. Another well known fact is, that 
the solar focus of the largest lens thrown in- 
to the air, will occasion no sensible heat in 
the place where it has been kept for a con- 
siderable time, although its power of excit- 
ing combustion, when proper bodies are 
exposed, should be sufficient to fuse the 
most refractory substances. 
It is by analogical reasoning that we con- 
sider the moon as inhabited. For it is a 
secondary planet of considerable size, its 
surface is diversified, like that of the earth, 
with hills and vallies. Its situation with 
respect to the sun, is much like that of the 
earth ; and by a rotation on its axis, it en- 
joys an agreeable variety of seasons, and of 
day and night. To the moon our globe 
would appear a capital satellite, undergoing 
the same changes of illumination as the 
moon does to the earth. The sun, planets, 
and the starry constellations of the heavens, 
will rise and -set there as they do here : and 
heavy bodies will fall on the moon as they 
do on the earth. There seems, then, only 
to be wanting, in order to complete the 
analogy, that it should be inhabited like the 
earth. It may be objected, that, in the 
moon, there are no large seas ; and its at- 
mosphere (the existence of which is doubted 
, by many) is extremely rare, and unfit for 
the purposes of animal life ; that its climates, 
its seasons, and the length of its days and 
nights, totally differ from ours ; that with- 
out dense clouds, which the moon has not, 
there can be no rain, perhaps no rivers and 
lakes. In answer to this, it may be observ- 
ed, that the very difference between the 
two planets strengthens the argument. We 
find even on our own globe, that there is a 
most striking dissimilarity in the situation 
of the creatures tliat live upon it. While 
man walks on the ground, the birds fly in 
the air, and the fishes swim in the water. We 
cannot surely object to the conveniencies 
afforded by the moon, if those that are to 
inhabit its regions are fitted to their condi- 
tions as well as we on this globe of ours. 
ITie analogy already mentioned establishes 
a high probability that the moon is inha- 
bited. 
Suppose, then, an inhabitant of the moon, 
who has not properly considered such ana- 
logical reasonings as might induce him to 
surmise that our earth is inhabited, were to 
give it as his opinion, that the use of that 
great body, which he sees in his neighbour- 
hood, is to carry about his little globe, in 
order that it may be properly exposed to 
the light of the sun, so as to enjoy an agree- 
able and useful variety of illumination, as 
well as to give it light by reflection, when 
direct light cannot be had. Should we not 
condemn his ignorance and want of reflec- 
tion ? The earth, it is true, performs those 
offices which have been named, for the in- 
habitants of the moon, but we know that it 
also affords magnificent dwelling-places to 
numberless intelligent beings. From expe- 
rience, therefore, we affirm, that the per- 
formance of the most salutary offices to in- 
ferior planets is not inconsistent with the 
dignity of superior purposes; and in conse- 
quence of such analogical reasonings, assisted 
by telescopic views, which plainly favour 
the same opinion, we do not hesitate to 
admit that the sun is richly stored with in- 
habitants. 
This way of considering the sun is of the 
utmost importance in its consequences. 
That stars are suns can hardly admit of a 
doubt. Thdir immense distance would 
effectually exclude them from our view if 
their light were not of the solar kind. Be- 
sides, the analogy may be traced much fur- 
ther: the sun turns on its axis; so does the 
star Algol ; so do the stars called /3 Lyrse 
& Cephei, *i Antinoi, o Ceti, and many more| 
most probably all. Now from what other 
cause can we, with so much probability, ac- 
count for their periodical changes? Again, our 
sun’s spots are changeable ; so are the spots 
on the star o Ceti. But if stars are suns, 
and suns are inhabitable, we see at once 
what an extensive field for animation opens 
to our view. 
It is true, that analogy may induce us to 
conclude, thgt since stars appear to be 
suns, and suns, according to the common 
opinion, are bodies that serve to enlighten 
warm, and sustain a system of planets, we 
nsay have an idea of numberless globes that 
sei ve for the habitation of living creatures. 
But if these suns themselves are primary 
planets, we may see some thousands 
