Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1868-10-16
Extract from Commodore NJ. F.
Maury's Address. Delivered
Before the Virginia Military
Institute,

First, hypothesis, then theory, then de-
mOnstratiUn these are the steps by which
the science of astronomy has reached its
present advanced state. At first, the hy-
pothesis was that the earth was the centre
OF the universe that it stood still, and that
the heavens rolled round it from East to
West. But discovery and research soon
convinced astronomers that this theory was
not consistent with the results of observa-
ton. Then, the theory was that the heav
ems stood still, apd that the earth turned
around daily on its axis from West to East,
and annually, In orbitai revolution, roand
the SUI. Observation ard research furnish
ed data by which the truth of this theory,
as far as IL goes, was demonstrated. Fl
nslly, II was discovered that the sun is NOV
ing through space with the velocity of can
non balls, carrying in his train the earth
and the whole retinue of planets, asteroids
and satellites and so hypothesis was brought
TO the dignity of a theory, which reconciles
all the known facts OF the case.
Though we may not claim that the Neb
ulae hypothesis has, as yet, attained to the
dignity Of a theory, nevertheless, its plausi-
bihty appears to be such as to bring it with
in the range of probability, and, therefore,
il may or may not have truth for its corner
stone.
The Nebulae hypothesis is the concep.
tion OF great French geometer named La,
place. THIS hypothesis is more profound
In its reach than Nowtons laws, for the
EDglishman, with his beautiful theory OF
gravitation only dealt with tho heavenly
bodies as he found Them. The Frenchnan
soaring beyond that. attempted to deal with
them from 'the beginning" TO comprehend
chaos, and to show how, when the earth
was without form aud void, the various
physical processes took place, by which the
inorganic matter of the universe was con-
deDsed into suns, aggregated into planets,
thrown off aud converted into satellites, sent
wheeling on their orbits about the sun, and
then turning on their axis. In comparing
these two philosophers, 1 speak OF their in
tellecis, not of their characters.
You know how all the planets revolve in
the same direction, how they go round the
sun in a direction opposite To the hands OF
watch, and have theiI orbits nearly In the
plane OF the suns exuator; that they also
rotate on their axis in the same direction,
and that with the single exception, perhaps
OF the two outside, aud most distant plan
cts, all their moons do the same. They
could uOt move as they do by any chance,
for there is no chance ID nature, neither in
the heavens nor in the eartb moreover,
according to the doctrine of chances, the
odds are millions aud millions to one against
such an arrangement AS that which we ac-
tually behold among the planets as they
move in their orbits.
1t is assumed, as our point Of departure,
that this arrangement ia the planetary
world must be according To design and In
obedience to law. Upon other assump-
.tiOns, equally plausible, its author founded
| Al
ogy aud Illustration TO develop il, and that
With degree Of probability, which, if it do
not carry convection to our minds, must at
least challenge our respect aud admiration.
It assumes that sin the beginning" the
earth; sun aud moon; with ali the planets,
we're IN a gaseous state; that when this was
the case, the planetary sps ees were illed by
| this rare and attenuatea matter.
| What O Q tue Ieasoas foe these assump-
| tious (! Chemistry tells us tuAJ all Tho mat
ter Of which this earth conssts--the rocks,
| the metals and the mOuutains--is made
| from sixty Que or sixty Two simple sub
| stances that the greater part OF all the
| solid matter Ia the world il gaseous; that
| one halt of the earth's crust consists OF OK
ygen alone, and that all the water in tue
sea is composed OF but Two gases, and uOth-
| ing else, and that all the other substances
| known upon the earth may, by heat, be ei
| ther yolatillzed or converted lnto fumes and
| vapors, rare, light aud attenuated as the
| gases the nlselyes. With such materials,
| which the Ereuehman called nebuLGus, he,
with bis theory, filled the planetary spaces
| That this assumption may receive from you
its due weight, IL is necessary TO state thai
we have recently discovered, and can nov
prove almost that the neOulae are of just
| sucn materials as this hypothesis calls for.
As this chaotic mass of matter began
so runs the hypothesis-to radlate OFF It's
heat, (for the assumption IS, and, II Is sup
ported by many Rnalogies,) that the centre
| of our planet is still in an incandesceni
slate-as, therefore, this chaotic aud highly
| heated mass began TO radiate OIL its heal
| and TO cool, il began TO contract, and thus
motion WAS generated irom that motion, The
hypothes,s derives the prinlum mobile or thG
nower which FIRST gave the planets the
/ motion 10 their orbits,
| Such. In briet, are the assumptions o
! Laplaee, and, being granted, the rest d
| philosophical deduction. Newton's law
look no notice of tho great urst cause tina
sent the planets wheeling round the snn II
| their peculiar orbits, aud SCI iaem all re
! yolving and rotating in ;he same direction
on their axes nor did this law sttempt Z
account tor the satellites aud rings whicl
| attend some Of the planets.
In going beyond gravity and grapphnl
with first causes and ar'Rnm mobttei th'
| Frsnchman stalked forth. INTO dark region
and travelled proudly upon grounds Whlcl
the EnPlishmen, as great ana es g'gsntlc a
was ms intellect, had not ventnreG 10 o say
10 explaiu tho peuhlae Hypothesis upou th
bad, of these assumptions, let us avail our
selves 81 familiar m stances for Illustration
Y.u have. observed, while driving last aonI
,at,. ,n,d az the carriage wheel