that with which I am impressed by an
hypothesis that not only reconciles these conditions, with mathematical
accuracy, and reduces them into a consistent and intelligible whole, but
is, at the same time, the _sole_ hypothesis by means of which the human
intellect has been ever enabled to account for them _at all_.

A most unfounded opinion has become latterly current in gossiping and
even in scientific circles--the opinion that the so-called Nebular
Cosmogony has been overthrown. This fancy has arisen from the report of
late observations made, among what hitherto have been termed the
"nebulae," through the large telescope of Cincinnati, and the
world-renowned instrument of Lord Rosse. Certain spots in the firmament
which presented, even to the most powerful of the old telescopes, the
appearance of nebulosity, or haze, had been regarded for a long time as
confirming the theory of Laplace. They were looked upon as stars in that
very process of condensation which I have been attempting to describe.
Thus it was supposed that we "had ocular evidence"--an evidence, by the
way, which has always been found very questionable--of the truth of the
hypothesis; and, although certain telescopic improvements, every now and
then, enabled us to perceive that a spot, here and there, which we had
been classing among the nebulae, was, in fact, but a cluster of stars
deriving its nebular character only from its immensity of distance--still
it was thought that no doubt could exist as to the actual nebulosity of
numerous other masses, the strong-holds of the nebulists, bidding
defiance to every effort at segregation. Of these latter the most
interesting was the great "nebulae" in the constellation Orion:--but this,
with innumerable other mis-called "nebulae," when viewed through the
magnificent modern telescopes, has become resolved into a simple
collection of stars. Now this fact has been very generally understood as
conclusive against the Nebular Hypothesis of Laplace; and, on
announcement of the discoveries in question, the most enthusiastic
defender and most eloquent popularizer of the theory, Dr. Nichol, went
so far as to "admit the necessity of abandoning" an idea which had
formed the material of his most praiseworthy book.[9]

[9] "_Views of the Architecture of the Heavens._" A letter,
purporting to be from Dr. Nichol to a friend in America, went
the rounds of our newspapers, about two years ago, I think,
admitting "th