and affirm with him also, That,
An indevout Astronomer is mad.
But I find what I at first proposed will prove too long for this Letter. However, I will endeavour to reward your Patience in my next, and continue, &c.
LETTER the SIXTH.
Of General Motion amongst the Stars, the Plurality of Systems, and Innumerability of Worlds.
SIR,
S
Since my last, you'll find by this, speaking in the Stile of Kercher, that I have been very far from home, round almost the visible Creation. I have indeed applied myself very closely to transcribe my Thoughts to you upon the old Subject the Milky Way, which my former Letter left imperfected. To return then to the Theory of the Stars, and that yet unreconciled Phænomenon; let us reason a little upon the visible Order of the Stars in general, and see what Conclusions can be drawn from what every Astronomer knows of them, and cannot be disputed.
First then, that the Stars are not infinitely dispersed and distributed in a promiscuous Manner throughout all the mundane Space, without Order or Design, is evident beyond a Doubt from this vast collective Body of Light, since no such Phænomenon could possibly be produced by Chance, or exhibited without a designed Disposition of its constituent Bodies.
If any regular Order of the Stars then can be demonstrated that will naturally prove this Phænomenon to be no other than a certain Effect arising from the Observer's Situation, I think you must of course grant such a Solution at least rational, if not the Truth; and this is what I propose by my new Theory.