nineteen years in which time the conjunctions and lunar aspects are nearly the same as they were nineteen years before." This I consider to be owing to the Sun moving in an orbit. It sets out from a certain point, and, like a clock, works round until it comes to the same point again.

I then directed my attention to the inclinations of the Planets to the planes of their respective orbits ;-to the laws by which the Planets govern their Moons ;-to the cause of the Tides ;—and to the probable use of Comets in the system.

In endeavouring to account for the mechanical construction of the Solar System, I have gone upon principles purely mechanical, and have derived much pleasure as I proceeded, from accidentally. finding several recog nized principles in the science of Astronomy agree with my system, and tend to confirm it.

We see the Sun, a globular body, placed near the centre of the system. Why has it a diurnal rotation? As the Planets move in their orbits round the Sun, it would always present the same appearance to them, without

diurnal rotation, as it does with, then why any diurnal motion of the Sun at all, unless it be a governing principle for the diurnal motion of the Planets? And if a diurnal rotation be necessary to the Sun, and it correspond with the total amount of diurnal rotation of the Planets, then, I ask, why may it not be necessary for the sun to move in an orbit in the same manner as the Planets, and its orbital motion be the governing principle of the orbital motions of the Planets.

Again, it is admitted by Astronomers that the Earth and the Moon move round a common centre. If the Earth move in a small lunar orbit to govern the orbital distance and motion of the Moon, why may not the Sun move in a small orbit to govern the distances and orbital motions of his attendant Planets?

In the application of mechanical principles to the system, I have taken the popular tables of the respective diameters, distances, and motions of the Planets. The only alteration I have made, is in the diameter of the Sun. With this increased diameter; the Sun, according to my theory, requires 18 years and 170 days to make a revolution in its orbit, thus

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approaching to nearly nineteen years, which I conceive to be the true period of the Sun's orbital revolution. If the heavenly bodies were accurately measured in their diameters, and their relative distances as accurately ascertained, we might then obtain accurate results; as it is, they appear to me to come very near on a first trial.

The diameters and diurnal rotations of the newly discovered Planets, Vesta, Juno, Pallas, and Ceres, are not known, but probably neither of them is less than 100 miles, nor greater than 400 miles in diameter. I have averaged the diameter at 300 miles and the diurnal rotation at 20 hours.

La Place thinks the diurnal rotation of Uranus is performed in the same time, or rather less, than that of Saturn; I have taken it at 10 hours.

Birmingham, May, 1829.

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ASTRONOMY.

ELEMENTS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

THE Solar System is a vast machine, occupying a circle in the Heavens, three thousand, six hundred millions of miles in diameter.

The Solar System consists of the Sun, eleven primary Planets, and eighteen Moons.

The primary Planets are Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Vesta, Juno, Pallas, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus.

The Moons are distributed among the primary Planets in the following manner,

I.

The Earth has one Moon.

Jupiter has four Moons.

II.

III. Saturn has seven Moons

IV. Uranus has six Moons.

The Sun and Planets move in orbits round a common centre, this I call the centre of equilibrium.

Those primary Planets which have Moons attending them, move in orbits round a common centre between them and their Moons, and while they are making these lunar orbits they proceed in their circuit round the Sun.

The Sun and Planets each turn on their respective axes; this is called their diurnal rotation.

The Sun and Planets are inclined to the planes of their orbits.

In looking through the system we see great variety in the sizes, distances, motions, and inclinations of the heavenly bodies. Whether we compare the small bulk of the newly discovered Planets with the immense Sun in the centre of the system-whether we compare