comparison, let it be as flight as we will, infinitely to the dif advantage of the luminous orb. The fun has his spots; but "God is light; and, in him is NO DARKNESS AT ALL:" if we cannot bear the light of the fun, but muft interpose denfer mediums to moderate his rays, what wonder no flesh can see His face “who dwelleth in light inacceffible and full of glory?" The fun too has his inclination, and his revolutions; but" with the Father of lights is no variableness, nor shadow "of turning;" no change, no viciffitude. I confefs the magnitude of the folar orb is great; he fhoots his rays far, very far, but they diminish in power and effect, by distance: Whereas Deity is omniprefent, omnipotent, his effulgence univerfal and undiminihed. Nor. let the fun boast of perpetuity; there was once a time, when he shed no ray, nor imparted light to any gladdened world; there fhall return a time, when he fhall be extinct, when his fervices fhall be difmiffed, and his lamp extinguished. This may be diftant, very diftant, but when ten thousand times ten thousand funs, his fucceffors, fhall like him have expired in darkness, Deity fhall be no nearer termination, eyer, as before, perpetual; the only juft object of veneration, of reverence, and of love!

OBSER

OBSERVATIONS on the

PLATES

Belonging to LECTURE II.

PLATE 1.

THE figures of this plate fhew the various and uncertain forms affumed by the folar fpots, and their perpe

tual changes.

Fig. 1. A fpot feen on the fun, June 27, 1703, at between nine and ten o'clock in the morning, wherein we obferve a is a triangular spot accompanied by two leffer ones, b and c. Fig. 2. The fame spots feen at four o'clock in the afternoon of the fame day, a appears to have loft its triangular shape, and a fragment is broken from it; b is become thinner, and c is augmented in dimenfions.

Fig. 3. The fame spots at half after five o'clock: the fragment from a is itself divided into two, the spot b very narrow, and fcarce vifible.

Fig. 4. At half after fix o'clock, the spot a broken into another fragment c much enlarged.

Fig. 5. The fpot a feen the next morning about seven o'clock, very greatly varied in form, and a new fpot below it at b. Fig. 6. The fame at ten o'clock: the fpot b augmented in bulk, and a small spot additional.

Fig. 7. and 8. Spots furrounded by a yellow mistiness, from whence iffue rays, which give them almost a spider-like

appearance.

Fig. 9. and 10. The fame fpots further varied. Fig. 11. Are fpots furrounded with nebula (or cloudishness): the spot b was feen fometimes very black, fometimes fainter: c and ƒ feemed like fmoke, varying in ftrength, appearing and vanishing often; b disappeared firft: a remained fome time longer, perpetually changing its form and force.

PLATE

PLATE II.

Fig. 1. and 2. Represent the general path of the SOLAR SPOTS; and from thence it appears, that they moftly keep about the middle of that globe, feldom appearing near either his north or fouth extremity; but though not uniform in the lines of their progress, yet on the whole, obferving a general path.

Fig. 3. 4. and 5. Are reprefentations of the course of a cluster of small spots, and their variations in their progress: it appears evidently that they are fubject to no control in their motions, but move freely in every direction, according to any impulse they may receive; which therefore demonftrates that they are immersed in a fluid, not fixed in a folid body. Their continuance, as well as their forms, is extremely uncertain; the longest duration obferved has been feventy days; but fometimes they laft fcarce twenty-four hours.

Fig. 6. Shews a fingle well-defined spot; on which we obferve that in conformity to the principles in the LECTURE the daily interval decreases as the fpot quits the centre: from twenty to twenty-three, being scarce the distance from feventeen to eighteen, agreeable to the appearances on a globe,

LECTURE