which is probably the only efficient principle of the creation of the physical world, as it is of its preservation." Such is a brief outline of one of the most sublime speculations that has ever resulted from the efforts of human thought. It carries us back to that grand epoch when "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth," when matter was first called into being in its unformed nebulous condition, and "the earth was without form and void," and darkness covered the mighty deep of unfathomable space. But the Spirit of God moved on the boundless flood of vaporous matter scattered through the dark profound, and gave to each particle its now eternal function, impressed the laws of gravitation and motion, selected the grand centres about which the germs of suns and systems should form, and in infinite wisdom drew the plan of that one scheme which we have attempted to examine, among the millions that shine in splendour throughout the boundless empire of space. APPENDIX. TABLES OF ELEMENTS. SOLAR ELEMENTS, EPOCH 1ST JAN., 1801. Rotation in mean solar hours... Time of passing over one degree of mean longitude Eccentricity of orbit (semi-axis major 1) Volume (earth as 1) Mass (earth as 1). .... Mean distance in miles Same (earth's radius 1) Density (earth as 1). Diameter in miles Gravity at equator.. In one second of time bodies fall in feet. ELEMENTS OF THE ORBIT OF MERCURY, EPOCH 1ST JAN., 1801. Weight of a terrestrial pound Space fallen through in one second of time, in feet Mass (earth's as 1) 6"-69 3,089 0.398 0-0595 1.225 10.58 4:59 018 7.70 0.0769 ELEMENTS OF VENUS FOR THE 1ST JAN., 1840. Mean distance from the sun in miles Same (earth's distance as 1) Greatest distance, same unit.. Eccentricity (semi-axis major as 1) Diameter in miles.. Diameter (earth's being 1) Volume (earth's being 1) Mass or weight (earth's being 1) Density (earth's being 1).... Light received at perihelion (earth's being 1) Same at aphelion (earth's being 1) Weight of a terrestrial pound, or gravity Space fallen through in one second of time, in feet 68,713,500 7233317 7282636 •7183998 ⚫0068183 •0000006271 224-7007754 583.920 124° 14' 25":6 3" 24 75° 11' 29"-8 20"-50 3° 23' 31" 4 0".07 96' 7"-8 23h 21m 21s Uncertain 17"-10 7,896 ELEMENTS OF THE EARTH, 1ST JAN., 1801. 0.925 .9960 894 0.923 1.94 1.91 0.90 145 365d 06h 09m 09s'6 365d 05h 48m 49s'7 Mean sidereal revolution (solar days) Mean tropical revolution Mean annualistic revolution Revolution of the sun's perigee (solar days) Mean longitude (20" for aberration) ..... Earth's motion in perihelio in a mean solar day Mean motion in a solar day Mean motion in a sidereal day Motion in aphelion in a mean solar day Mean longitude of perihelion.. Annual motion of perihelion (east).. ... Same referred to the ecliptic Complete tropical revolution of same in years Obliquity of the ecliptic..... Annual diminution of same Nutation (semi-axis major) Precession in longitude Complete revolution of vernal equinox in years. Lunar nutation in longitude Solar nutation in longitude Eccentricity of orbit (semi-axis major 1).. Daily acceleration of sidereal over mean solar time From summer solstice to autumnal equinox From vernal equinox to summer solstice.. 365d 06h 13m 49s'3 7,645,793 100° 39' 10"-2 1° 01' 09"-9 0° 59′ 08"-33 0° 59′ 58" 64 0° 57' 11":50 99° 30′ 05"0 11"-8 1'01"-9 20.984 23° 27′ 56′′-5 0"-457 9"-4 50":4 50"-1 25,868 17"-579 1" 137 0.01678356 0.0000004163 3' 55" 91 92d 21h 50m 93d 13h 44m 89d 16h 44m 89d 01h 33m 0.0000028173 5.6747 7,916 7,898 7,924 0.00346 8' 13" 3 20" 25 ELEMENTS OF THE MOON.-EPOCH 1ST JAN., 1801. Mean distance from the earth (earth's radius 1) Mean sidereal revolution in days |