On Nebulæ

Although the cause is utterly unknown, and in the present stage of human cognoscence appears to be inscrutable, it is surmised that the exceptional bodies designated Nebulæ have a connection with double-stars (see Arago's Popular Astronomy, book xi. chapter xxiv.) while, as to colours, I have noticed in them pale tints of white, creamy white, yellow, green, and blue. It therefore follows that these incomprehensible but palpable evidences of Omnipotent power and design are not unnecessarily hauled in and appended to our dissertation upon Sidereal Chromatics.

It will be recollected by all who are really concerned about the matter, that, when the wondrous revelations of Lord Rosse were communicated to the public, certain buzzing popinjays, who hang about and obstruct the avenues to the temple of science, vociferously proclaimed that the Nebular Theory had received its coup de grace from the castle at Parsonstown. Now this crude conceit was assuredly not imbibed from his Lordship's statement, he having most pointedly said, that “now, as has always been the case, an increase of instrumental power has added to the number of clusters at the expense of the nebula; properly so called; still it would be very unsafe to conclude that such will always be the case, and thence to draw the obvious inference that all nebulosity is but the glare of stars too remote to be separated by the utmost power of our instruments.”