The Sun.
London, England, 1834-09-26 00:00:00

NEBULAR THEORY OF THE UNIVERSE.

It is well known by the scientific world that the ce-
lebrated Laplace was of opinion that in the original
condition of the solar system the sun 'revolved upon his
axis, surrounded by an atmosphere which in virtue of
an excessive heat, extended far beyond the orbits of all
the planets, the planets as yet having no existence.
The heat gradually diminished, and as the solar atmos-
phere contracted by cooling, the rapidity of its rota-
tion increased by the laws of rotatory motion, and an
exterior zone of vapour was separated from the rest,
the central attraction being no longer able to over-
come the increased centrifugal force. This zone of
vapour might in some cases retain its form, as we see
in Saturn's ring ; but more usually the ring of vapour
would separate into several masses, and these would
coalesce into one mass, which would revolve about the
sun. Such portions of the solar atmosphere abandoned
successively at different distances would form planets
in the state of vapour. These masses of vapour it
appears from mechanical laws would have each its ro-
tatory motion, and as the cooling of vapour still went
MI would each produce a planet which might have sa-
tellites and rings formed from the planet, in
the same manner as the planets were formed from the
atmosphere of the sun. Laplace, therefore, imagines
that in its original state the sun consisted of a scat-
tered luminosity, so as to resemble those nebulae among
the fixed stars which are viewed by the aid of the tele-
scope, and which produce a nucleus more or less lu-
minous accompanied by a cloudy brightness ; this an-
terior state was itself preceded by other states in which
the nebulous matter was more and more extended, the
nucleus being less and less brilliant. We arrive in this
manner at a nebulosity so diffuse that its existence
could scarcely be suspected. Such is, in fact, the first
state of the nebulae, which Sir William Herseliell care-
fully examined by his powerful telescopes. He traced
the progress of condensation, not indeed by one nebula,
for this progress can only become sensible to us in the
course of centuries, but in the assemblage of nebulae.
He saw, in the first place, the nebulous matter dis-
persed in patches in different parts of the sky. He
saw in some of these patches this matter feebly con-
densed round one or more faint nuclei. In other ne-
bulae these nuclei were brighter in proportion to the
snrrounding nebulosity. When by a farther conden-
sation the atmosphere of each nucleus becomes sepa-
rated from the others, the result is multiple, nebulous
stars formed by brilliant nuclei very near each other,
and each surrounded by an atmosphere ; sometimes the
nebulous matter condensing in a.uniform manner has
produced nebulous systems, which are called planetary.
Finally, a still greater degree of condensation trans-
forms all the nebulous systems into stars. The nebjax
classed according to this philosophical view indicate
with extreme probability their future transformation
into stars, and the anterior nebulous condition of the
stars which now exist. Such is the hypothesis of the
celebrated Laplace : upon it the editor of the work
from which we have made the above abstract (an Eng-
lish translation of Cuvier's celebrated work on-Fossil
Remains, now publishing in shilling numbers) offers
the following admirable remarks, and with which we
fully concur :—" Leaving to future ages to decide
upon the scientific merits. of the hypothesis of this
great man,. the final state of this opinion cannot in
sound judgment affect the view of the 'universe as the
work of an all-wise, omnipotent
to whichipotentCreatthoirs.
hLypeotthiteshise
supposed that the point
guides us is the ultimate point of physical science ;
that the most remote glimpse we can obtain of the ma-
terial universe, by our natural faculties, shows it to
us occupied by a boundless abyss of brilliant matter;
still we have to ask how space came to be thus occu-
pied—how matter came to be thus luminous ? If we
fully establish, by physical proofs, that the first fact
which the human mind can trace in the history of the
universe is, that " there was light," we must be led by
our natural reasoning faculties to the conclusion that,
before this could possibly
be light I" occur, "God said, let there

We understand, upon good authority, that it is the
intention of the inhabitants of Cockermouth to invite their
zealous and trust worthy representative, Mr. Aglionby, to a
public dinner, to take place some day next week, as a-token
not only of their admiration of his unwearied attention to his
duties in Parliament, but to convey to him their grateful thanks
for his unceasing exertions in the cause of civil and religious
liberty, and for the interest he has shown for the amelioration
of the condition of all classes of his Majesty's subjects. This
is as it should be.—an explanation at the end of every session.
How it reminds people of short Parliaments.—!. hitehaven
Herald.

COBBETT IN AMERICA AND IN IRELAND'

A few days after Hamilton Rowan landed in Amer'ia
his attention was called to a number of Cobbett
which announced the arrival in the new world of " anothe,r
rascally Irish t • raitor, named Archibald Hamilton Rowan:,
who the Americans were called on to shun as they. would.
a plague. The stranger in a foreign land, the mistaken
friend of his country, was designated by Cobbet " a traitori;
who having basely betrayed the Government of his nn
country, would be found ready to betray any other Govern-
ment."! What was the conduct of the suffering Irishman
under these circumstances ? Attend, good reader, and you
shall know. Mr. Rowan instantly possessed himself 's Register,
horsewhip, with which he proceeded to the office of C°'r_
betty demanded an interview, which being granted, h alho
essayed :—" You are Mr. Cobbett ?" The fine anim re'
plied, " I am." Mr. Rowan went on—" Do you, " sal Sir, knl
me ?" The answer was, " No, Sir."—" Then, Sir, e
Mr. Rowan, " how dare you mention my name, the namt_
Hamilton Rowan; in your vile publication ? lam here
know your object—mine is to seek a quiet retreat, an asY_,
lum from public care ; here (holding up his left hand, coa,
taming a purse) are fifty guineas.; if your object be Dinntqi
let me never again find my name in your columns;, hit
your object be not money, look at this (holding UP 'l5 I
hand, which held the p)— whi the next time I meet You,
will shatter every fibre o;' this whip on your putrescent c?'
cass." So saying, Mr. Hamilton Rowan departed, lel
behind the purse, of which he never heard more! 11
anxiously looked in every subsequent number of the Regis"
ter, but never beheld his namecitherein.—Dubliii Fvenifig
Packet.