The same distinguished writer supposes that some of the smallest fragments might even have come within reach of the earth's attraction, and by the combined effects of their projectile forces and the attraction of the earth, be made to revolve around this body as the larger fragments are carried around the sun; and that these are in fact the bodies which afford those _meteoric stones_ which are occasionally precipitated to the earth. It is now a well-ascertained fact, a fact which has been many times verified in our own country, that large meteors, in the shape of fire-balls, traversing the atmosphere, sometimes project to the earth masses of stony or ferruginous matter. Such were the meteoric stones which fell at Weston, in Connecticut, in 1807, of which a full and interesting account was published, after a minute examination of the facts, by Professors Silliman and Kingsley, of Yale College. Various accounts of similar occurrences may be found in different volumes of the American Journal of Science. It is for the production of these wonderful phenomena that Dr. Brewster supposes the explosion of the planet, which, according to Dr. Olbers, produced the asteroids, accounts. Others, however, as Sir John Herschel, have been disposed to ascribe very little weight to the doctrine of Olbers. FOOTNOTES: [13] Altissimum planetam tergeminum observavi. Or, as transposed, Smaismrmilme poeta leumi bvne nugttaviras. [14] In imitation of Galileo, Huyghens announced his discovery in this form: a a a a a a a c c c c c d e e e e e g h i i i i i i i l l l l m m n n n n n n n n n o o o o p p q r r s t t t t t u u u u u; which he afterwards recomposed into this sentence: _Annulo cingitur, tenui, plano, nusquam cohærente, ad eclipticam inclinato._ [15] Dick's 'Celestial Scenery.' [16] Dick's 'Celestial Scenery.' LETTER XXIV. THE PLANETARY MOTIONS.----KEPLER'S LAWS.----KEPLER. "God of the rolling orbs above! Thy name is written clearly bright In the warm day's unvarying blaze, Or evening's golden shower of light; For every fire that fronts the sun, And every spark that walks alone Around the utmost verge of heaven, Was kindled at thy burning throne."--_Peabody._