" 1850 309,000 283 - 135
" 1851 170,000 323 - 274
" 1852 53,000 41 - 391 Min.
" 1853 167,000 133 - 277
" 1854 315,000 160 - 129
" 1855 475,000 183 + 31 Max.
" 1856 611,000 203 + 167
" 1857 720,000 225 + 276

It is necessary to observe here, that the values of the numbers in
Schwabe's table are the numbers for the whole year, and, therefore, the
1st of July would have been a better date for the comparison; but, as
the table was calculated before the author was cognizant of the fact,
and being somewhat tedious to calculate, he has left it as it was, viz.,
for January 1st of each year. Hence, the minimum for 1843 appears as
pertaining to 1844. The number of spots ought to be inversely as the
ordinates approximately--these last being derived from the Radii
Vectores minus, the semi-diameter of the sun = 444,000 miles.

In passing judgment on this relation, it must also be borne in mind,
that the recognized masses of the planets cannot be the true masses, if
the theory be true. Both sun and planets are under-estimated, yet, as
they are, probably, all to a certain degree proportionally undervalued,
it will not vitiate the above calculation much.

The spots being considered as solar storms, they ought also to vary in
number at different times of the year, according to the longitude of the
earth and sun, and from their transient character, and the slow rotation
of the sun, they ought, _ceteris paribus_, to be more numerous when the
producing vortex is over a visible portion of the sun's surface.

The difficulty of reconciling the solar spots, and their periodicity to
any known principle of physics, ought to produce a more tolerant spirit
amongst the scientific for speculations even which may afford the
slightest promise of a solution, although emanating from the humblest
inquirer after truth. The hypothesis of an undiscovered planet, exterior
to Neptune, is of a nature to startle the cautions timidity of many;
but, if the general theory be true, this hypothesis becomes extremely
probable. We may not have located it exactly. There may be even two such
planets, whose joint effect shall be equivalent to one in the position
we have assigned. There may even be a comet of great mass, capable of
producing an effect on the position of