An Expository Outline of the Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation | Page 3

be the fate of our author remains to be proved. The
moment selected for his appearance has at least been well chosen. The
Vestiges have the air of novelty, a long time having elapsed since any
one had the hardihood to propound a new system of Nature. In
common with most manifestations of our time, his effort exhibits a

marked improvement on the crudities of his predecessors in the same
line of architectural ambition. Science has been called to his aid, and
the patient ingenuity with which he has sought to make the latest
discoveries subservient to his purpose challenges admiration, if not
acquiescence. Some of our contemporaries have been warmed into
almost theological aversion by the boldness of his conclusions, but we
see little cause for fear, and none for bitterness or apprehension. More
closely Nature is investigated and deeper the impression will become of
her majesty and might. Unlike earthly greatnesses, she loses no
power--no grandeur--no fascination--no prestige, by familiarity. The
greatest philosophers will always rank among her greatest admirers and
most devout and fervent worshippers.
Had our author proved all he has assumed our faith would not be
lessened, nor our wonder diminished. Whether matter or spirit has been
the world's architect, the astounding miracle of its creation is not the
less. What does it import whether it resulted direct from the fiat of
Omnipotence, or intermediately from the properties He impressed, or
the law of development He prescribed? He who gave the law, who
infused the energies by which Chaos was transmuted into an organized
universe, remains great and inscrutable as ever.
It is time, however, that we entered upon a more detailed and closer
investigation of the Vestiges of Creation. Our purpose is not hastily,
and without examination, to deprecate, deny, or controvert; but
patiently, and without prejudice, to inquire, to submit faithfully and
intelligibly the outlines of a remarkable treatise; describe briefly its
scope and bearing, the arguments by which they are supported, and the
counter reasons by which they appear to be wholly or partially
impugned. Our readers will thus be enabled to appreciate the merits of
a controversy, the most comprehensive and interesting that for a
lengthened period has occupied the attention of the scientific and
intellectual world.
For greater clearness of exposition we shall endeavour to follow the
order observed by the author in the division and treatment of his
subjects, commencing first with the

BODIES OF SPACE.
The author opens his subject with a brief but luminous outline of the
arrangement and formation of the astral and planetary systems of the
heavens. He first describes the solar system, of which our earth is a
member, consisting of the sun, planets, and satellites with the less
intelligible orbs termed comets, and taking as the uttermost bounds of
this system the orbit of Uranus, it occupies a portion of space not less
than three thousand six hundred millions of miles in diameter. The
mind cannot form an exact notion of so vast an expanse, but an idea of
it may be obtained from the fact, that, if the swiftest racehorse ever
known had began to traverse it at full speed at the time of the birth of
MOSES, he would only yet have accomplished half his journey. Vast
as is the solar system, it is only one of an infinity of others which may
be still more extensive. Our sun is supposed to be a star belonging to a
constellation of stars, each of which has its accompaniment of
revolving planets; and the constellation itself with similar constellations
to form revolving clusters round some mightier centre of attraction; and
so on, each astral combination increasing in number, magnitude, and
complexity, till the mind is utterly lost in the vain effort to grasp the
limitless arrangement.
Of the stars astronomers can hardly be said to know anything with
certainty. Sirius, which is the most lustrous, was long supposed to be
the nearest and most within the reach of observation, but all attempts to
calculate the distance of that luminary have proved futile. Of its
inconceivable remoteness some notion may be formed by the fact, that
the diameter of the earth's annual orbit, if viewed from it, would
dwindle into an invisible point. This is what is meant by the stars not
having, like the planets, a parallax; that is, the earths' orbit, as seen
from them, does not subtend a measurable angle. With two other stars,
however, astronomers have unexpectedly and recently been more
fortunate than with Sirius, and have been able to calculate their
distances from the earth. The celebrated BESSEL, and soon afterwards,
the late Mr. HENDERSON, astronomer royal for Scotland, were the
first to surmount the difficulty that had baffled the telescopic resources
of the HERSCHELS. BESSEL detected a parallax of one-third