Read Ebook: An original theory or new hypothesis of the universe by Wright Thomas

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Now sure, if we consider this continual Decrease of the Sun's Declination, which can proceed from no other Cause than that of his having moved out of the primitive Plane; we need make no great Difficulty thus far, to think our Conjectures not irrational.

If these Observations, delivered down to us by very able Astronomers, be either true or near it, as great Allowances have been made for the Ignorance of the Ages in which they were taken, and the Inaccuracy of the Instruments, we may naturally conclude, that these Stars must have a Motion; and if they move, as has been before observed, the Sun must also; hence he cannot now be in the original Plane of the Earth's annual Direction, or at least in the same identical Place he was at first possessed of: And if so, the Stars must also have the like Motion, though in different Directions, and all may thus be governed by the same impulsive Power.

To illustrate this primitive Motion of the Stars, and at the same time to show that the Variety which appears in the Quantity of Motion can be no Objection to it,

Where A represents the Eye of an Observer, and B, E, F, H, various Systems, moving in different Directions thro' the mundane Space; it is evident that the Sphere B, having moved from C, and that of E, not having appeared to move at all, there must be a sensible Change in the new Position of these two Systems to one another, and so of the rest; and tho' the apparent Motion of H, be much more than that of F, from the Point A, yet from C, they will appear less different, and from B, they will appear nearly equal. And farther, as the Direction from H, is in the Line I, H, and that of F, in the Line K, G, those two Systems will appear to approximate, and the Magnitude of the Star in the first will be increased, and in the latter diminished. Thus, many of the Stars in the oldest Catalogues, which were said to be of the second Magnitude, are now become of the first, and several of the first are now judged to be of the second, &c.

But as this apparent Motion of the Stars at the Earth, must, from its Nature, be very small, so as scarce to be discovered in some of them in less than an Age, with any Instrument by the nicest Observer, I judge it will be extremely proper in this Place to propose some Method, by which, in process of Time, the Truth of the Theory may be ascertained. The Way I think most likely to succeed is this.

Is a Plan of the principal Stars that form the Pleiades, correctly taken by a Combination of Triangles, as in the Figure, from whence it will naturally follow, all the whole Form being comprehended in much less than one Degree. That the most minute local Motion in any one of those Stars in a very few Years, will be made sensible to an Eye at the Earth. For Instance, if any of the Stars that form the Letter A, or T, within the Term of ten or twenty Years, be found in the least to deviate from the Lines of their present Position and Direction, it will be evident beyond a Contradiction, that they have a Motion amongst themselves, and since at such a Distance they cannot possibly be affected by the Earth, it must be a Motion of their own; and thus if any one can be proved, to change its Situation, with regard to the rest, we can have no new Difficulty in concluding that they all may do the same.

Is a true Plan and Combination of the principal Stars that form the Persedes, in which other Observations may be made in a different Part of the Heavens, and perhaps with an Opportunity of being still more exact, the Areas of these Triangles, particularly that of ? I K, and those of ? and ?, being much less than the former, where the least Alteration possible must render them sensibly distorted. But here it must be considered, that the real Motion of the Stars, as well as their apparent, may be, and in all Likelihood, is extreamly slow, for the most minute, visible, local Motion, will answer all the Purposes we know in Nature, and the greatest seems to be that of the projectile, or centrifugal Force, which not only preserves them in their Orbits, but prevents them from rushing all together, by the common universal Law of Gravity, which otherwise, as a finite Distribution of either regular or irregular Bodies, they must at length do by Necessity.

LETTER the SEVENTH.

This Imperfection, much to be lamented, as greatly to the Disadvantage of all mathematical Reasoning, I would willingly always prevent, in my Readers, and to chuse in my Friend; I shall therefore content myself with referring you to a few orbicular Figures, concave and convex, as may best suggest to your Fancy the simplest Way, a just Idea of the Hypothesis I have fram'd, and naturally enough I hope, render my Theory so intelligible, as to help you sufficiently to conceive the Solution aimed at, of the important Problem I have attempted.

As I have said before, we cannot long observe the beauteous Parts of the visible Creation, not only those of this World on which we live, but also the Myriads of bright Bodies round us, with any Attention, without being convinced, that a Power supreme, and of a Nature unknown to us, presides in, and governs it.

The Course and Frame of this vast Bulk, display A Reason and fix'd Law, which all obey.

Sher. Manilius.

The Earth indeed has long possessed the chief Seat of our System, and peaceably reigned there, as in the Center of the Universe for many Ages past; but it was human Ignorance, and not divine Wisdom, that placed it there; some few indeed from the Beginning have disputed its Right to it, as judging it no way worthy of such high Eminence. Time at length has discovered the Truth to every body, and now it is justly displaced by the united Consent of all its Inhabitants, and instead of being thought the most majestick of all Nature's lower Works, now rather disgraces the Creation, so much it is reduced in its present State from what it had Reason to expect in the former.

Now it is no longer the only terrestrial Globe in the Universe, but is proved to be one of the least Planets of the solar System, and surprizingly inferior to some of its Fellow Worlds. The Sun, or rather the System, has almost as long usurped the Center of Infinity, with as little Pretence to such Pre-heminence; but now, Thanks to the Sciences, the Scene begins to open to us on all Sides, and Truths scarce to have been dreamt of, before Persons of Observation had proved them possible, invades our Senses with a Subject too deep for the human Understanding, and where our very Reason is lost in infinite Wonders. How ought this to humble every Mind susceptible of Reason!

In this Place, I believe, you will pardon a Digression; which, in Answer to Part of your last Letter, I judge will not be very impertinent, tho' perhaps just here I cannot so well justify it.

Why has not Man a microscopic Eye? For this plain Reason, Man is not a Fly. Say what the Use, were finer Opticks given, To inspect a Mite, not comprehend the Heav'n.

The peculiar Business then of the human Mind naturally precedes its Amusements, as evidently ordained to soar above all the inferior Beings of this World; and however our Natures may, thro' Indolence, or thro' Ignorance, degenerate, that of the Man can never be supposed to sink into the Mole.

The properest Way then sure for Men to preserve their Pre-heminence over the Brute Creation, is to make use of that Reason and Reflection, which so manifestly distinguishes their natural Superiority. A right Application of which, must of course then direct us to a forward, rather than a backward Search in the vast visible Chain of our Existence, which clearly connects all Beings and States as under the Direction of one supreme Agent.

This is all I would have understood by the foregoing Position, which, in one Word, implies no more than that the sublime Philosophy ought in all Reason to be preferred to the Minute; but I hope you will not infer from this my seeming Partiality for the celestial Sciences, that I mean to insinuate, that the Study of terrestrial Physicks is not a rational Amusement.

Let us imagine a vast infinite Gulph, or Medium, every Way extended like a Plane, and inclosed between two Surfaces, nearly even on both Sides, but of such a Depth or Thickness as to occupy a Space equal to the double Radius, or Diameter of the visible Creation, that is to take in one of the smallest Stars each Way, from the middle Station, perpendicular to the Plane's Direction, and, as near as possible, according to our Idea of their true Distance.

The second Method of solving this Phaenomena, is by a spherical Order of the Stars, all moving with different Direction round one common Center, as the Planets and Comets together do round the Sun, but in a kind of Shell, or concave Orb. The former is easily conceived, from what has been already said, and the latter is as easy to be understood, if you have any Idea of the Segment of a Globe, which the adjacent Figures, will, I hope, assist you to. The Doctrine of these Motions will perhaps be made very obvious to you, by inspecting the following Plates.

Is a Representation of the Convexity, if I may call it so, of the intire Creation, as a universal Coalition of all the Stars consphered round one general Center, and as all governed by one and the same Law.

Is a centeral Section of the same, with the Eye of Providence seated in the Center, as in the virtual Agent of Creation.

Represents a Creation of a double Construction, where a superior Order of Bodies C, may be imagined to be circumscribed by the former one A, as possessing a more eminent Seat, and nearer the supream Presence, and consequently of a more perfect Nature. Lastly,

Represents such a Section, and Segments of the same, as I hope will give you a perfect Idea of what I mean by such a Theory.

How much a Confirmation of this is to be wished, your own Curiosity may make you judge, and here I leave it for the Opticians to determine. I shall content myself with observing that Nature never leaves us without a sufficient Guide to conduct us through all the necessary Paths of Knowledge; and it is far from absurd to suppose Providence may have every where throughout the whole Universe, interspersed Modules of every Creation, as our Divines tell us, Man is the Image of God himself.

It remains that I should now give you some Idea of Time and Space; but this will afford Matter sufficient for another Letter.

LETTER THE EIGHTH.

The Opportunity you gave me in your last Visit, of shewing you my general Scheme of the Universe, I find, besides the Pleasure it then gave, is now attended with many useful Advantages.

The System of the Sun compar'd but with a very minute Part of the visible Creation, takes up so small a Portion of the known Universe, that in a very finite View of the Immensity of Space, I judg'd the Seat of the Earth to be of very little Consequence, could I have possibly represented it, as not only being one of the smallest Objects in our Regions, but in a manner infinitely less than even her own annual Orbit, and had nothing to do with my main Design, which was to represent all our planetary Worlds as one collective Body, and begin my comparative Scale of Magnitude from the Sun only and his Sphere of activity; as the smallest Object I could with any Propriety pretend to express in such a Plan.

From the Magnitude of the Earth on which we live, as from a known Scale with respect to its Parts compar'd with our own Bodies, we naturally frame our first Ideas of Extent, and fix our Rationale of Remoteness; by which we are sufficiently enabled to judge of all other sensible Distances within one finite View. And hence by the undoubted Principles of Geometry, having first given the Measurement of the Earth in any known Proportion with any other Quantity most familiar to our Senses, and the Angle of Appearance, or Parallax to any perceivable Object, we can easily find in homogenial Parts its true Distance from the Eye. And thus allowing for some small tho' unavoidable Errors, that may possibly arise from the Difficulties of Observation we can always determine to a sufficient, and very frequently to a just Exactness, the relative Distance of all visible Bodies, remote or near, such as the Planets, Comets, and the Sun.

But what Idea of Distance can you receive from this sort of Estimation, where Numbers arise so very high. I own to you mine are soon quite lost by this Method of counting, either, Distances or Duration. I believe few People can range their Ideas with such Perspicuity, as to arrive at any adequate Notion of any Number above a thousand.

The whole System exhibited in the above Proportion, would be nearly as follows:

Now, if like Creations crowd the vast Depths of Infinity, and if each are adapted to receive Beings of different Natures, where must our Wonder and Ideas have end?

Again, if there are still Stars beyond all these of other Denomination, which we do not here perceive, how vastly must these Numbers be increased, to express, almost without Idea, the amazing Whole of this one visible Creation; but what has been already said, I judge will be sufficient to show the Immensity of Space, and help you to conceive the stupendious Nature of an endless Universe; every where the home Possession, Production, and instantaneous Care, of an infinite good Being, perfectly wise, and powerful, of whom we can have no Idea more, than a Being in dark Privation can have of Light, but through the Lustre of his own resplendent Attributes.

Thus, having attempted to enlarge your Ideas of the Creation in general, and in some measure having considered the Indefinity of Space, I shall in the next Place proceed to give you some Account of my Notions of Time.

As Distance is the Measure of Magnitude and of all Extent, and helps our Imagination to the Ideas of Space, so are progressive Moments the Measure of Velocity, and makes us sensible of Duration: And as Space may be extended through all Infinity, so Time may be continued as to Eternity. This Succession of temporal Ideas impressed, or excited in the Mind, as an Effect of Matter in Motion, producing a perpetual Change, both of Objects earthly and celestial, enables us not only to reflect upon past Vicissitudes of Nature, but from their regular Courses, known Order and Returns, predict Phaenomena to come, and prove the periodical Effects of Nature's constant Laws so just and certain, that Time may be said with Truth, to co-exist with Motion.

Measure being a certain Quantity of Sensation interwove with our Ideas of Distance and Duration, proceeding from a Reflection of what is impressed upon the Mind by some external Object, I must again return to our Mother of Ideas the Earth, and from thence, as I did, of Distance, frame the original Images best suited to the Understanding, proper for our Judgment of Duration.

Time takes its first Denomination from the diurnal Rotation of the Earth upon its Axis, which we call a natural Day, and this for obvious Reasons we subdivide in twenty-four Parts or Hours. This diurnal Motion having been successively repeated, and the Day renewed three hundred and sixty-five Times, we find that all the vegetable World has gone through all its Variegations, and Nature has again put on the same Face, adapted to the Season; during which Time, and indeed which occasions this general Change and Repetition, the Earth is found to make one intire Revolution round the Sun. This Space, or Period of Time, we call a solar, or rather a natural Year; and from our Sensibility of this, and its constituent Parts, both horary and diurnal, we form our general Judgment of Duration.

Addison.

Of these habitable Worlds, such as the Earth, all which we may suppose to be also of a terrestrial or terraqueous Nature, and filled with Beings of the human Species, subject to Mortality, it may not be amiss in this Place to compute how many may be conceived within our finite View every clear Star-light Night. It has already been made appear, that there cannot possibly be less than 10,000,000 Suns, or Stars, within the Radius of the visible Creation; and admitting them all to have each but an equal Number of primary Planets moving round them, it follows that there must be within the whole celestial Area 60,000,000 planetary Worlds like ours. And if to these we add those of the secondary Class, such as the Moon, which we may naturally suppose to attend particular primary ones, and every System more or less of them as well as here; such Satellites may amount in the Whole perhaps to 100,000,000, or more, in all together then we may safely reckon 170,000,000, and yet be much within Compass, exclusive of the Comets which I judge to be by far the most numerous Part of the Creation.

This Idea has something so chearful in it, that I own I can never look upon the Stars without wondering why the whole World does not become Astronomers; and that Men endowed with Sense and Reason, should neglect a Science they are naturally so much interested in, and so capable of inlarging the Understanding, as next to a Demonstration, must convince them of their Immortality, and reconcile them to all those little Difficulties incident to human Nature, without the least Anxiety.

Such a Prothesis can scarce be called less than an ocular Revelation, not only shewing us how reasonable it is to expect a future Life, but as it were, pointing out to us the Business of an Eternity, and what we may with the greatest Confidence expect from the eternal Providence, dignifying our Natures with something analogous to the Knowledge we attribute to Angels; from whence we ought to despise all the Vicissitudes of adverse Fortune, which make so many narrow-minded Mortals miserable.

LETTER the NINTH.

The Probability of the foregoing Conjectures, chiefly built upon very distant Observations, shew an apparent Necessity for some other kind of Doctrine permitted by Providence, to give Mankind a Knowledge of their Immortality and Dependance upon it, in the first Ages of the World.

To make manifest the infinite Empire and Agency of God, from celestial Motion, became the Task, but of very late Years; and I can't help being of Opinion, that by means of these primary Bodies, only, we shall at length be able to trace the greater Circulations, and Laws of Nature, to their real original and fountain Head.

But 'tis now high time to look back upon my Theory, and tell you it is a vain Supposition, to imagine I shall ever be able to convince every Reader, either of the Truth or Probability of what I have advanced to you: Mathematical Assistance not being to be expected, where perhaps it has never been thought of; and I allow you, it is much more reasonable to expect, that fifty Persons will read these Letters without perceiving the Reasonableness of them, than that five should consider them with proper Judgment.

I must ingenuously confess to you, that nothing is wanting to convince me intirely of the Certainty of what I here advance by way of Conjecture to you. But this you must only look upon as an happy Partiality, which generally attends all Authors, and always will be the chief Support of their tedious Labours. I assure you, I have neither Hopes nor Expectation, no, not the weak Breath of a Wish, to be admitted a proper Judge of my own Works. But I shall always take their Imperfection to be rather, to be too near me to be seen; I therefore trust all to my Friend, and if I am so fortunate as to excite his Approbation, I shall think myself very happy in a very favourite Point; which is, The advancing nothing which a rational Reader would willingly overlook, or be ignorant of.

But if I have been so happy as to come so near the Mark, as to border upon Truth, I believe you will allow me to carry my Conjectures a little further, and point out some farther pleasing Consequences, which I begin to perceive may naturally follow.

Should it be granted, that the Creation may be circular or orbicular, I would next suppose, in the general Center of the whole an intelligent Principle, from whence proceeds that mystick and paternal Power, productive of all Life, Light, and the Infinity of Things.

Here the to-all extending Eye of Providence, within the Sphere of its Activity, and as omnipresently presiding, seated in the Center of Infinity, I would imagine views all the Objects of his Power at once, and every Thing immediately direct, dispensing instantaneously its enlivening Influence, to the remotest Regions every where all round. I know you'll say Astronomers are never to be satisfied, and I must own where there is so much rational Entertainment for the human Mind, and so suitable to the true Dignity of God, and most worthy of Man, it is not easy to know where to stop in such a Scene of Wonders.

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