SIR,
Reflecting upon the agreeable Conversation of our last Meeting, which you may remember chiefly turned upon the Stars, and the Nature of the planetary Bodies; a Subject, which is generally allowed to give true Pleasure to all those who take Delight in mathematical Enquiries; and having not a little Regard to the repeated Request in your late Letters, I have at length undertaken to explain to you, as far as I am able, my Theory of the Universe, and the Ideas I have form'd of the known Creation.
The Hypothesis upon which this new Astronomy is founded, and now reduced into a regular System, was the result of my Astronomical Studies[D] full fifteen years ago, hence I hope you will allow, I have more than observed Horace's celebrated Aphorism,
Nonumque prematur in annum.
[D] The first Scheme of this Hypothesis was plann'd in the Year 1734, representing in a Section of the Creation, eighteen Feet long and one broad, several thousand Worlds and Systems, and a great Number of emblematical Figures, now in the Author's Possession, together with a Scheme of the entire Creation, completed since, nine Feet long and six broad, more fully illustrating upon the same Construction the Innumerability of Systems and Worlds.
The Subject, I have often observed, you have listened to with a pleased Attention, and I am the more incouraged to explain it at large to you, as I am perswaded you don't want to be convinced of its valuable Uses and Importance.
I remember you have often told me, that to apply ourselves to the Study of Nature, was the surest and readiest Way to come at any tolerable Knowledge of ourselves, however difficult the Task might prove either in the Attempt, or the attaining it, and the less to be neglected, as it never fails to introduce a proper Knowledge of the Divine Being, as a certain Consequence along with it, and such a Knowledge, as will naturally make every Man, who has but a tolerable Share of common Sense, and is not a Slave to another's Reason, without any other Evidence or Motive, in all Stations, and under all Circumstances, Act justly, Live chearfully, and die full of Hope in the Expectation of a happy Sequel, in Futurity.
Eternity is written in the Skies:
Mankind's Eternity, nor Faith alone;