fyftem. Which things I have more largely than ordinary infifted on, for the fatisfaction of many that I am fenfible doubt of them, and particularly fome of my friends, (and those not unlearned too) who may be apt to read my following book with prejudice, wherefoever I favour the Coper-. nican notions.

OF THE NEW SYSTEM.

AND now I pafs from the second system to the third, which is called the New Syftem; which extends the univerfe to a far more immenfe compass, than any of the other fyftems do, even to an indefinite space; and replenishes it with a far more grand retinue than ever was before afcribed unto it.

This new fyftem is the fame with the Copernican, as to the fyftem of the fun and its planets, as may be seen by the fcheme of it in Fig. 3. But then whereas the Copernican hypothefis fuppofeth the firmament of the fixt ftars to be the bounds of the univerfe, and to be placed at equal distances from its centre the fun, the new fyftem fuppofeth there are many other fyftems of funs

and planets, befides that in which we have our refidence: namely, that every fixt ftar is a fun, and encompaffed with a fyftem of planets, both primary and fecondary, as well as ours.

These several fyftems of the fixt stars, as they are at a great and fufficient diftance from the furi and us; so they are imagined to be at as due and regular distances from one another. By which means it is, that those multitudes of fixt stars appear to us of different magnitudes, the nearest to us large, thofe farther and farther lefs and lefs.

Of those systems of the fixt stars I have given a rude representation in Fig. 3. together with that of the fun; which may ferve to give an unfkilful reader fome conception of the state of the universe; although there be but little likenefs in it, for want of room to lay out all the feveral systems in due proportion; which is neceffary to a true reprefentation of the matter.

In this 3d Fig. the fixt ftars with their systems (reprefented by little circles about those stars, which circles fignify the orbits of their refpective planets) are placed without the limits of the Solar fyftem, and the Solar fyftem is fet in the centre of the univerfe, and figured as a more

grand

grand and magnificent part thereof. And fo it may be looked upon by us, by reafon of its proximity and relation to us. But whether it be really fo, whether it be in the centre of the univerfe, and whether among all the noble train of fixt stars, there be no fyftem exceeding ours in its magnificent retinue of planets, both primary and fecondary, and other admirable contrivances, is a difficulty as out of the reach of our glaffes, fo confequently above our ability to fathom, although not at all improbable. But be the various systems of the universe as they will as to their dignity, it is fufficient that in all probability there are many of them, even as many as there are fixt ftars, which are without number.

This fyftem of the universe, as it is phyfically demonftrable, fo is what, for the most part, I have followed in the enfuing book, but not fo rigorously and obftinately, as utterly to exclude or oppugn any other fyftem; because as the works of God are truly great, and fufficiently manifeft their excellence and magnificence in any fyftem; so I was willing to fhew the fame in fuch fyftems as I had occafion to fpeak of them; because I would not offend, and confequently not bar the force of my arguments upon

fuch

fuch readers, as might happen to be wedded to the Ariftotelian principles, or prejudiced to the Ptolemaic, or any other fyftem: nor that I had myself any doubts about this new system, but think it to be far the more rational and probable of any, for these reasons :

1. Because it is far the moft magnificent of any; and worthy of an infinite Creator: whose power and wisdom as they are without bounds and measure, so may in all probability exert themselves in the creation of many fyftems, as well as one. And as myriads of fyftems are more for the glory of God, and more demonstrate his attributes than one, fo it is no lefs probable than poffible, there may be many befides this which we have the privilege of living in. But it is very highly probable the matter is fo, by reafon

2. We fee it really fo, as far as it is poffible it can be difcerned by us, at fuch immenfe diftances as those fyftems of the fixt stars are from us. Our glaffes are indeed too weak so to reach those fyftems, as to give us any assurance of our feeing the planets themfelves, that encompass any of the fixt stars. We cannot fay we fee them actually moving round their respective funs or ftars.

ftars. But this we can difcern, viz. That the fixt stars have the nature of funs, as I have made probable in Book ii. Chap. 2. As also that there are fome things very like unto planets, which fometimes appear and disappear in the regions of the fixt stars; as I have fhewn in my discourse of new stars, Book ii, Chap. 3,

But befides what I have faid there, I have this farther to add from fome late obfervations I have made fince my writing that part of my book; and that is, that the Galaxy being well known to be the fertile place of new stars, the region in which they commonly appear, I am much inclined to be of opinion, that the whiteness there is not caused by the bare light of the great number of fixt ftars in that place, as hath commonly been thought, but partly by their light, and partly (if not chiefly) by the reflections of their planets; which ftop and reflect, intermix and blend the light of their respective stars or funs, and so cause that whitenefs the Galaxy prefents us with; which hath rather the colour of the reflected light of our moon, than the primary light of our fun.

And that there are planets enough for this purpose, I fufpect, because I have fome reasons to imagine that there are many more new stars in

the