gated into one mass, it would probably be but as nothing, when compared with the material creation that lies beyond the reach of human research. Intimately connected with the idea of magnitude, is that of space,-space, the theatre of astronomical science. When the midnight sky is refined by frost, the deep azure canopy is seen to be thronged with glittering points, which we call stars; it is admitted that these are at an immense distance; for were we to travel in the direction towards which they lie, they would not increase their apparent magnitude, which is the case with those objects which we approach on the earth's surface; the diameter of the earth, therefore, is too small a scale with which to measure their distances; the diameter of the earth's orbit also fails in accomplishing the desired object; this amazing length of line (190 millions of miles) fails to increase or diminish their visual angle, or alter their relative positions to each other. Without availing ourselves of every step which reason and science afford, it will be readily admitted, that space lies far beyond where the faintest star-beam may be supposed to indicate the verge of creation; to aid, however, the contemplation, the nature of extension may be considered-mere extension; the distance of two bodies from each other; the path along which a body moves; but, the path described by a moving body in a right line, has only length, space has also breadth and thickness, which latter may be called a solid space; keeping the mind intent on the figure thus supposed, let it be conceived, if possible, of an infinite extension in the three dimensions of the infinite flowing of a line each way; an infinite extension of a superficies; an infinite radia tion of a cube; but the mind falters in attempting to fathom this profound abyss. Let there be described the largest circle that imagination can conceive, and a tangent be drawn to this vast circle, and extended till the powers of the mind languish. Do we approximate a boundary? that which bounds, must itself be bounded, and thought invigorated may renew the task; but millions and millions of years may the swiftest wing urge on its vigorous unwearied flight in one direction; it may ascend, descend, and describe a course, making all possible angles with its previous directions, and still be as distant from a boundary as at the first. Two bodies might travel millions of ages with exceeding velocity towards each other, and in the same right line, and never meet. Words and numbers fail, or we might call in the aid of the ages that have rolled on to the present moment, and those which the vast ocean of futurity contains, and assist the ideal flight, with the swiftness of sun-beams or of seraphs, but no human fancy can summons up an adequate conception to rove through this mighty abyss, where above, beneath, around, all is interminable ocean, shoreless, bottomless: At once it quite ingulfs all human thought; This wondrous space is replenished with rolling orbs of diversified forms, magnitudes, and constitutions. Is it not more easy to conceive that these glorious bodies are infinite in their number, and interminably dispersed over the fields of space, than that they are placed in a void, which bounds the amplitude of creation? Let it, however, be supposed, that there is a termination, and that a circle can be described and generated which would include the whole of material existence; and that this spherical universe is as vast as the imagination can grasp, by either numbers or geometry; let the rein of fancy be given to the most vigorous mind in calculating the sum total of these suns, firmaments of suns, systems of systems of suns; let the toil of computation be renewed year after year, with the aid of the whole human race, and a continuation of the task be left as a legacy to posterity, to estimate the grand amount. In this imaginary calculation of the suns of the universe, it should be borne in mind that all are arranged in clusters; and that each cluster is as distant from each other in the same proportion, as two individual stars in a cluster may be from one another. The system of fixed stars to which our sun belongs is the Via Lactea; the extent of which is at least nine hundred times the distance of the nearest fixed star from our central orb; so distant is the extreme boundary of our cluster or nebula, that the light of a star, placed at its farthest verge, though it travel with the velocity of twelve millions of miles every minute, would take up three thousand years to reach the earth! the telescope has discovered thousands of these clusters of stars; from those that are distinctly seen and of considerable extent, to those that are barely visible under the most favourable circumstances of atmosphere, and with the most powerful instruments. In estimating the number contained in this limited universe, when ages had rolled over ages, it is evident a boundary would be approximated, for on the principle that matter is not infinitely extended, the task of numeration would at length be terminated, even though in an eternity of time, if the phrase may be admitted; numbers could be applied to denote the aggregate. On the conclusion of the task, this stupendous fact would be evident, that this spherical universe of suns and systems, limited in number, would bear no proportion to the vast void which would surround it; a void, compared with which, the fair fields of creation would be an atom, and from some distant point of space, the whole of the vast assemblage would sink into the dim twinkling of a solitary star! (See Frontispiece to the Astronomical Occurrences.) But there is a consideration connected with this subject which renders it probable that matter is infinitely extended; for were the universe limited, the surrounding void would have no action on the bodies it environed; these would then exert all their gravitating force on each other; those systems on the confines of creation would be less acted upon in one direction than another, without any attractive influence to keep them in their position. In the other direction, these exterior systems would be most powerfully acted upon by the interior, which action would ultimately draw them towards the centre with accelerated velocity, till the whole would ultimately rush together, and form one immense mass of matter! when we admit that suns, and systems of suns, are continued without end, we see a counterbalance of this action, an equilibrium preserved, and the mind seems to be relieved from a species of horror. If 'tis an error, 'tis an error sprung From noble root, high thought of the Most High. He that can set Omnipotence abound. But A whole creation, and a single grain. Speaks he the word? a thousand worlds are born! Darts not his glory a still brighter ray The less is left to Chaos? These bodies, vast in magnitude, infinite in number, and the tenants of space are in rapid motion; but what imagination can possibly conceive of that power, which impels the movement! An idea may be acquired of this rapid motion by a reference to familiar objects,—the velocity of a ship impelled by the wind, particularly if urged over the rolling billows by a furious tempest; the swiftness of a bird winging its flight through the air, especially if pursued by an eagle; the motion of a ball projected from a cannon, which, in some cases, is at the rate of 800 miles in an hour. But these are creeping things,-Saturn, one of the most tardy in its course of any of the planets,—a globe 900 times larger than the earth, is impelled at the rate of 22,000 miles in an hour, carrying with him a system of stupendous rings, and seven moons larger than the earth's satellite. Jupiter, whose vast circumference would comprise within it, a thousand such globes as the one we inhabit, moves at the rate of 29,000 miles in an hour. This earth is urged forward at the rate of 68,000 miles in an hour, and Mercury still faster, being 107,000 miles in the same time; but even these motions are slow, when compared with that of the comet of 1680, which went half round the sun in ten hours and a half, and its tail, (at least an hundred millions of miles in length) turning round in the same time, keeping nearly in the direction opposite to the sun; the velocity of this comet, at this |