Notwithstanding then the Disadvantages which ever have attended all new Discoveries, either thro' the Ignorance of the Age, or the universal Passion of Ridicule in such contented Creatures, as can't comprehend, yet ever attacking with a fool-hardy Resolution, the advancing Ensigns of Knowledge, if Ignorance was Virtue, and Wisdom Vice; I say, regardless of this noisy Shore, it is sure our Duty to spring forward, and explore the secret Depths of Infinity, and the wonderful hidden Truths of this vast Ocean of Beings. But how the heavenly Bodies were made, when they were made, and what they are made of, and many other Things relating to their Entity, Nature, and Utility, seems in our present State not to be within the Reach of human Philosophy; but then that they do exist, have final Causes, and were ordained for some wise End, is evident beyond a Doubt, and in this Light most worthy of our Contemplation.
He who thro' vast Immensity can pierce,
See Worlds on Worlds compose one Universe,
Observe how System into System runs,
What other Planets, and what other Suns;
What varied Being peoples ev'ry Star;
May tell why Heav'n made all Things as they are.
To expect that so new an Hypothesis should meet with universal Approbation, would be an unpardonable Vanity; nor is it reasonable every Reader should think the Author obliged to remove all his Prejudices and Partialities, so far as to give him the perfect Picture of the Universe he likes best. In many Cases it would be so far from being better for the World, if all Men judged and thought alike, that Providence seems rather to have guarded against it as an Evil, than any how to have promoted it as a general Good: But the following Theory regards the Whole rather than Individuals: And the many worthy Authors cited in the Work, who have all greatly favoured this extensive Way of Thinking, will, I hope, be a sufficient Excuse for forming these obvious Conjectures into a Theory, especially where so great a Problem is attempted as the Solution of the Via Lacteal Phænomenon, which has hitherto been looked upon as an insurmountable Difficulty. How the Author has succeeded in this Point, is a Question of no great Consequence; he has certainly done his best; another, no Doubt, will do better, and a third perhaps, by some more rational Hypothesis, may perfect this Theory, and reduce the Whole to infallible Demonstration: The first System of the solar Planets was far from a true one, but it led the Way to Perfection, and the last we can never too much admire. It is well known, that the first System of the Planets was also but a Conjecture, yet none will deny that it was an happy one.
The Discovery of the Magnet Poles; the Government of the Tides; proportional Distance and Periods of the Planets, &c. have all their Uses, and undoubtedly were designed to be known. Ignorance is the Disgrace of Mankind, and sinks human Nature almost to that of Reptiles. Knowledge is its Glory and the distinguishing Characteristic of rational Creatures.
To Enquiries of this sort, then sure we may say with Milton, That