has been said before, performs one Revolution round the Sun in about
twenty-nine of the above solar Years: The great Comet of 1680 makes but
one periodical Return in five hundred and seventy-five of those Years,
and the general Motion of the Stars, arising from the Procession of the
Equinoxes, altogether continually changing their Aspect, or Position,
at the Rate of 50″ _per_ Year round the ecliptic Poles, compleats but
one Revolution in 25920 Years; in which Time the whole sidereal Frame
of Heaven has changed, and every Star returned to the same Point of
the solar Sphere it set out from. This is by many called the great
_Saturnian_ Year: Concerning which, Mr. _Addison_ has thus translated
an eminent Author.
When round the great _Saturnian_ Year has turn'd,
In their old Ranks the wandering Stars shall stand,
As when first marshall'd by the Almighty's Hand.
Addison.
Now, if this sidereal Revolution, arising from a secondary Cause,
require this Number of Years to perfect one Rotation, what must their
primitive Orbits take to circumscribe the _Vortex Magnus_.
It has been observed, that the biggest Star to us scarce moves a Minute
in an hundred Years, and the most remote as insensibly for Ages, from
whence and what has been already said of the imagined Distance of the
general Center, we may frame this probable and well-grounded Guess,
that the mean Revolution of a Star near the Middle of the _Vortex
Magnus_, cannot be made in less than a Million of Years, and though
to us imperceptible, our Sun in his own orbicular Direction, may be
moving many Miles _per_ Day. Besides, if local Motion can be proved
amongst the Stars, what less than an Eternity can again restore them to
their original Order and primitive State. Such vast Room in Nature, as
_Milton_ finely expresses it, cannot be without its Use; and nothing
but absolute Demonstration is wanting (which from their Nature and
Distance cannot be expected) to confirm the grand Design, so suited
to the Deity's infinite Capacity, and of eternal Benefit to all his
Creatures, especially Beings of a rational Sense, and in particular
Mankind.
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.
In this great Celestial Creation, the Catastrophy of a World, such
as ours, or even the total Dissolution of a System of Worlds, may
possibly be no more to the great Author of Nature, than the most common
Accident in Life with us, and in all Probability such final and general
Doom-Days may be as frequent there, as even Birth-Days, or Mortality
with us upon the Earth.
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.
_I am now, &c._
LETTER the NINTH.
_Reflections, by Way of_ General Scolia, _of Consequences relating to
the Immortality of the Soul, and concerning Infinity and Eternity._
_SIR_,
This my last Letter to you, I mean my final astronomical one, I
propose as a _General Scolia_ to the rest, the principle Matter being
Reflections upon what is gone before, with some Conclusion naturally
following or appendant to what has been already said; but which, I
could not in any other Place, so properly remark to you.
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.
And for the same Reason it evidently appears, that the ancient
Philosophers had it not in their Power to prove a supream _Being_ and
Director of all Things this Way.
And yet, as by a Sort of Instinct, or natural Reason, and Consciousness
of a _good Principle_, we see how many noble Steps they made towards
it, and was convinc'd at last of this _great Truth_, that since there
was a _Mind_ in so imperfect a Creature as Man, the _perfect Universe_,
which comprehended all Things, could not possibly be without one; and
as Sir _Isaac Newton_ has justly observed in his _Principia_, "If every
Particle of Space be _always_, and every individual Moment of Duration
_every where_; surely the Maker and Lord of all Things, cannot be
_never_ and _no where_."
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.
These, were any thing wanting, besides the _Miracle ourselves_, to
convince us of a divine Origination, are all infallible Proofs, that
the Universe is governed by an intelligent and all-powerful Being,
whose Existence is too nearly related to a self-evident Truth to be
more clearly demonstrated, than it is manifest of itself, both from the
particular Laws of Nature, and the general Order of Things. An Argument
which has been thought of no small Force, and well worth observing in
the Infancy of _Christianity_. _The invisible Things of God are clearly
seen, being understood by the Things that are made, even his eternal
Power and Godhead._ Rom. i. 20.
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, (like my own Faults) 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.
Having, I say, once granted that all the Stars may move round one
common Center, I think it is very natural to one, who loves to pursue
Nature as far as we may, to enquire what most likely may be in that
Center; for since we must allow it to be far superior to any other
Point of Situation in the known Universe, it is highly probable, there
may be some one Body of siderial or earthy Substance seated there,
where the divine Presence, or some corporeal Agent, full of all Virtues
and Perfections, more immediately presides over his own Creation. And
here this primary Agent of the omnipotent and eternal Being, may sit
enthroned, as in the _Primum Mobile_ of Nature, acting in Concert with
the eternal Will. To this common Center of Gravitation, which may be
supposed to attract all Vertues, and repel all Vice, all Beings as
to Perfection may tend; and from hence all Bodies first derive their
Spring of Action, and are directed in their various Motions.
Thus in the _Focus_, or Center of Creation, I would willingly introduce
a primitive Fountain, perpetually overflowing with divine Grace, from
whence all the Laws of Nature have their Origin, and this I think would
reduce the whole Universe into regular Order and just Harmony, and at
the same time, inlarge our Ideas of the divine Indulgence, open our
Prospect into Nature's fair Vineyard, the vast Field of all our future
Inheritance.
But what this central Body really is, I shall not here presume to say,
yet I can't help observing it must of Necessity, if the Creation is
real and not merely Ideal, be either a Globe of Fire superior to the
Sun, or otherwise a vast terraqueous or terrestrial Sphere, surrounded
with an Æther like our Earth, but more refined, transparent and serene.
Which of these is most probable, I shall leave undetermined, and must
acknowledge at the same time, my Notions here are so imperfect, I
hardly dare conjecture. 'Tis true, I have ventur'd to think it may be
one of these, and since so glorious a Situation can hardly be supposed
without its proper Inhabitants, 'tis most natural to conclude it may
be the latter. In the first Case, besides our having no Idea of Beings
existing in Fire, it would not, notwithstanding its Distance, be so
easy to account for its being invisible; and since the Lustre of the
Stars are all innate, they could receive no Benefit from it, and
consequently such a Nature as a solar Composition, must in this Place
be render'd useless; but in the latter Supposition of its being a dark
Body, we have no Difficulty attending us, having several Instances of
like Bodies, moving round an opaque one. Now when we consider, that
all those radient Globes, which adorn the Skies, those bright ætherial
Sparks of elemental Fire, thick strewed like Seeds of Light all round
our Hemisphere, are each to us the Embrio of a glorious Sun; how awful
and stupendious must that Region be, where all their Beams unite and
make one inconceivable eternal Day?
Though the Deity, says a learned Writer "be essentially present
thro' all the Immensity of Space, there is one Part of it in which
he discovers himself in a most transcendent and visible Glory. This
is that Place which is mark'd out in Scripture, under the different
Appellations of Paradice; _the third Heaven_; _the Throne of_ God, _and
the Habitation of his Glory_."
This continues the same Author, is "that Presence of God, which some of
the Divines call his glorious, and others his majestick Presence."
It is here, and here only, as in the Center of his infinite Creations,
where he resides in a sensible Magnificence, and in the midst of those
Splendors, which can Effect the Imagination of his Creatures; and
though the most sacred and supreme Divinity be allowed as essentially
present in all other Places as well as in this, as being a Being whose
Center is every where, and Circumference no where; yet it is here only,
or in such Sensorium of his Unity, where he manifests his corporeal
Agency, as in the Foci of his infinite Empire over all created Beings.
It is to this majestick Presence of God, we may apply those beautiful
Expressions of Scripture, "_Behold even to the Moon and it shineth not;
yea the Stars are not pure in his Sight_."
"The Light of the Sun, and all the Glories of the World, on which we
live, are but as weak and sickly Glimmerings, or rather Darkness it
self, in Comparison of those Splendors, which encompass this Throne of
God."
Here Heav'ns wide Realms an endless Scene displays,
And Floods of Glory thro' its Portals blaze;
The Sun himself lost in superior Light,
No more renews the Day, or drives away the Night:
The Moon, the Stars, and Planets disappear,
And Nature fix't makes one eternal Year.
Here and here alone center'd in the Realms of inexpressible Glory,
we justly may imagine that primogenial Globe or Sphere of all
Perfections, subject to the Extreams of neither Cold nor Heat, of
eternal Temperance and Duration. Here we may not irrationally suppose
the Vertues of the meritorious are at last rewarded and received into
the full Possession of every Happiness, and to perfect Joy. The final
and immortal State ordain'd for such human Beings, as have passed this
Vortex of Probation thro' all the Degrees of human Nature with the
supream Applause.
What vast room is here, for infinite Power and Wisdom to act in,
and that so visibly takes Delight to bless all his Beings with his
Bounty. And endless as his Prescience, Attributes, and Goodness, are
undoubtedly all those natural and apparent Joys with which he manifests
his Love to all his Creatures, a Multiplicity of Objects not to be
enumerated. For wheresoever we turn our Eyes, and follow with our
Reason, we may meet with Worlds of all Formations, suited no doubt to
all Natures, Tastes, and Tempers, and every Class of Beings.
Here a Groupe of Worlds, all Vallies, Lakes, and Rivers, adorn'd with
Mountains, Woods, and Lawns, Cascades and natural Fountains; there
Worlds all fertile Islands, cover'd with Woods, perhaps upon a common
Sea, and fill'd with Grottoes and romantick Caves. This Way, Worlds all
Earth, with vast extensive Lawns and Vistoes, bounded with perpetual
Greens, and interspersed with Groves and Wildernesses, full of all
Varieties of Fruits and Flowers. That World subsisting perhaps by soft
Rains, this by daily Dews, and Vapours; and a third by a central,
subtle Moisture, arising like an Effluvia, through the Pores and Veins
of the Earth, and exhaling or absorbing as the Season varies to answer
Nature's Calls. Round some perhaps, so dense an Atmosphere, that the
Inhabitants may fly from Place to Place, or be drawn through the Air
in winged Chariots, and even sleep upon the Waves with Safety; round
others possibly, so thin a fluid, that the Arts of Navigation may be
totally unknown to it, and look'd upon as impracticable and absurd,
as Chariot flying may be here with us; and some where not improbably,
superior Beings to the human, may reside, and Man may be of a very
inferior Class; the second, third, or fourth perhaps, and scarce
allow'd to be a rational Creature. Worlds, with various Moons we know
of already; Worlds, with Stars and Comets only, we equally can prove is
very probable; and that there may be Worlds with various Suns, is not
impossible. And hence it is obvious, that there may not be a Scene of
Joy, which Poetry can paint, or Religion promise; but somewhere in the
Universe it is prepared for the meritorious Part of Mankind. Thus all
Infinity is full of States of Bliss; Angelic Choirs, Regions of Heroes,
and Realms of Demi-Gods; Elysian Fields, Pindaric Shades, and Myriads
of inchanting Mansions, not to be conceived either by Philosophy or
Fancy, assisted by the strongest Genius and warmest Imagination.
All harmoniously crowded and provided with every Object of Beatitude,
that Friendship, Love, or Society can inspire, the Muses or the
Graces Frame; and all as permanent and perfect, that is destin'd to
a Duration, suited to the Nature of their Existence and Degree of
Cognisance; for as a very learned Writer observes upon this same
Subject:
"How can we tell, but that there may be above us Beings of greater
Powers, and more perfect Intellects, and capable of mighty Things,
which yet may have corporeal Vehicles as we have, but _finer_ and
_invisible_? Nay, who knows, but that there may be even of these many
_Orders_, rising in Dignity of Nature, and Amplitude of Power, one
above another? It is no Way below the Philosophy of these Times, which
seems to delight in inlarging the Capacities of Matter, to assert the
Possibility of this."
From these amazing Ideas of Space in general, and from the particular
Distance of the Stars, which separates as it were, one System of Bodies
from another, and by so prodigious an extent, as scarce to be suppos'd
a temporal Task. I think it naturally follows, had we no other Way
to prove it, or any other Reason to believe it, that the Soul must
of Necessity be immaterial; for as this Space seems so impassible to
Matter, as not to be undertaken and performed without the Loss of Ages,
in a State only of Transmigration, we may well imagine, that Change of
Place is not effected this Way, but by some other Virtue or Property,
more immediate, if not instantaneous.
I own next to _Annihilation_ is the State of Oblivion, and this Way we
may solve all Difficulties with regard to our being sensible of such
a Loss of Existence; but if we allow the Soul to be immaterial, it no
longer has any thing to do with Space, but as operating by Reflection
only, or the Faculty of Thinking; it may be like the Imagination where
it pleases in a Moment.
Objects of the Mind abstracted from the Senses of the Body, has no
real or comparative Magnitude; that is, I would say, an Inch, a Foot,
a Yard, a Mile, or a Million of Miles are all equally indefinite, and
is thus prov'd; every finite Line is formed of an infinite Number of
Points, and no finite Line can be solv'd into more. Thus if you will
allow me the Expression, the Mind being magnified as all Objects are
diminished, what seems impracticable in the natural State of Things,
in an Ideal one, becomes very possible; that is, to make myself more
intelligible, though we can hardly conceive, how any Being can pass
from _Syrius_ to the Sun, by natural Laws in their proper State, yet if
proportionally reduced by a new Modification of Ideas, to the Bigness
of a Ball 6 Feet Diameter, and to be only 680 Miles asunder; the Thing
is very comprehensive and easy.
[Illustration: Plate XXXI.]
[Illustration: Plate XXXII.]
Hence Vision, Light, and Electrical Virtue, seem to be propagated with
such Velocity, that nothing but God can possible be the Vehicle; and
hence we may justly say with St. _Paul_, _Acts_ xvii, 28. _In him we
live, in him we move, in him we have our Being._
It will further appear, from the foregoing Letters, that all the Stars
and planetary Bodies within the finite View, are altogether but a very
minute Part of the whole rational Creation; I mean that vast collective
Body of habitable Beings, which I have endeavoured to demonstrate, are
all govern'd by the same Laws, though variously revolving round one
common Center, in which Center we may not impertinently venture to
suppose the prime Agent of our Natures; or otherwise, the most perfect
of all created Beings, illimitable in his Ideas and Faculties of
Sensation particularly preside.
But tho' past all diffus'd, without a Shore
His Essence; _local_ is his Throne, (as meet)
To gather the disperst, (as Standards call
The listed from afar) to fix a Point;
A central Point, collective of his Suns,
Since finite ev'ry Nature, but his own.
Dr. _Young_.
And farther since without any Impiety; since as the Creation is, so
is the Creator also magnified, we may conclude in Consequence of
an Infinity, and an infinite all-active Power; that as the visible
Creation is supposed to be full of siderial Systems and planetary
Worlds, so on, in like similar Manner, the endless Immensity is an
unlimited Plenum of Creations not unlike the known Universe. See
_Plate_ XXXI. which you may if you please, call a partial View of
Immensity, or without much Impropriety perhaps, a finite View of
Infinity, and all these together, probably diversified; as at A, B and
C. in _Plate_ XXXII. which represents their Sections, if all may be a
proper Term for an infinite or indefinite Number, we may justly imagine
to be the Object of that incomprehensible Being, which alone and in
himself comprehends and constitutes supreme Perfection.
That this in all Probability may be the real Case, is in some Degree
made evident by the many cloudy Spots, just perceivable by us, as far
without our starry Regions, in which tho' visibly luminous Spaces, no
one Star or particular constituent Body can possibly be distinguished;
those in all likelihood may be external Creation, bordering upon the
known one, too remote for even our Telescopes to reach.
With the raptur'd Poet may we not justly say
O, what a Root! O what a Branch is here!
O what a Father! what a Family!
Worlds! Systems! and Creations!
And in Consequence of this
In an Eternity, what Scenes shall strike?
Adventures thicken? Novelties surprize?
What Webs of Wonder shall unravel there?
_Night Thoughts._
So many varied Seats where every Element may have its proper Beings
and all adapted to partake of every thing suited to their Natures,
argue such Maturity of Wisdom, and the vast Production such mysterious
Power; 'tis hardly possible for Mortals not to see divine Intelligence
preside, and that every Being somewhere must be happy.
A Universe so well designed, and fill'd with such an endless Structure
of material Beings, and all the Result of Prescience and infinite
reflected Reason, flowing from a Mind all perfect, full of all Ideas,
could never be designed in vain; and tho' our narrow Bounds of Reason
limited, by finite Senses, cannot directly see the Consequence
dependant on a Sequel, yet from what we do see, great Room we have to
hope the next Stage of Existence will be more lasting and more perfect;
and it is highly probable, the noblest Suggestion of the most luxuriant
Fancy may fall infinitely short of what we are designed for.
But here, even in this World, are Joys which our Ideas of Heaven
can scarce exceed, and if Imperfection appear thus lovely, what
must Perfection be, and what may we not expect and hope for, by
a meritorious Acquiescence in Providence, under the Direction,
Indulgence, and Protection of infinite Wisdom and Goodness, who
manifestly designs perfect Felicity, as the Reward of Virtue in all his
Creatures, and will at proper Periods answer all our Wishes in some
predestined World.