86. Every person who looks upon, and compares the Systems of Moons
together, which belong to Jupiter and Saturn, must be amazed at the vast
magnitude of these two Planets, and the noble attendance they have in
respect of our little Earth: and can never bring himself to think, that
an infinitely wise Creator should dispose of all his animals and
vegetables here, leaving the other Planets bare and destitute of
rational creatures. To suppose that he had any view to our Benefit, in
creating these Moons and giving them their motions round Jupiter and
Saturn; to imagine that he intended these vast Bodies for any advantage
to us, when he well knew that they could never be seen but by a few
Astronomers peeping through telescopes; and that he gave to the Planets
regular returns of days and nights, and different seasons to all where
they would be convenient; but of no manner of service to us, except only
what immediately regards our own Planet the Earth; to imagine, I say,
that he did all this on our account, would be charging him impiously
with having done much in vain: and as absurd, as to imagine that he has
created a little Sun and a Planetary System within the shell of our
Earth, and intended them for our use. These considerations amount to
little less than a positive proof that all the Planets are inhabited:
for if they are not, why all this care in furnishing them with so many
Moons, to supply those with light which are at the greater distances
from the Sun? Do we not see, that the farther a Planet is from the Sun,
the greater Apparatus it has for that purpose? save only Mars, which
being but a small Planet, may have Moons too small to be seen by us. We
know that the Earth goes round the Sun, and turns round it’s own Axis,
to produce the vicissitudes of summer and winter by the former, and of
day and night by the latter motion, for the benefit of its inhabitants.
May we not then fairly conclude, by parity of reason, that the end and
design of all the other Planets is the same? and is not this agreeable
to that beautiful harmony which reigns over the Universe? Surely it is:
and raises in us the most magnificent ideas of the SUPREME BEING, who is
every where, and at all times present; displaying his power, wisdom, and
goodness among all his creatures! and distributing happiness to
innumerable ranks of various beings!
[Sidenote: Fig. II.