Page:Anglo-African Magazine volume 1.pdf/25

 directly stopped in her progress and turned back; by the radiating arrangement of the solar influence, would change her direction in a curve or ellipsis, and passing a short distance around the sun, when, with a velocity equal to that with which she approached, retrace her course by repulsion of the sun. Continuing an opposite direction until losing her electrical intensity—having reached near the point of starting—being again attracted, retraces her steps in a curve, returning toward the sun by the original path, forming the annual revolution.

The Moon, doubtless, bears the same relation to the earth as the earth to the sun, being governed by the same laws of attraction.

The revolution of the planets upon their own axes, taking place at the first attractive impulse, there could not be any counteracting influence, to change their course of motion. Hence their continual revolution with unimpeded or unaccelerated motion, in the same direction in which the first impulse was given.

By this beautifal law alone, may the phenomenon of meteoric stones be satisfactorily accounted for. These astronomical missiles, being stone or minerals—some material substance—situated on the surface of the moon, attaining an electric intensity equal to that of the centre of the planet—in which condition it is simply positive to it—is suddenly repulsed with a force, proportional to the difference of their bulk, projecting it through space to the earth—the comparative short distance of 240,000 miles—with a velocity imperceptible to the naked eye.

The exit of a meteroric missile, might not consume a longer time than would be required by the hand of the swiftest penman, to write the word meteoric stone, or the darting across the heavens of a vivid flash of lightning. When comparing this estimate with that of the velocity of the swiftest planets, it may not appear extravagant.

The diameter of the sun is estimated, at 2,400,000 miles. Supposing every ray of light emanating from this immense surface of two millions four hundred thousand miles of a circle—which doubtless is the case—to be a medium for active electrical attraction, its impulsive influence upon the earth will not for a moment be doubted. And comparing the earth in relation to the sun, with a stone thrown from the moon, with the repulsive influence of that planet, places at once it would seem the conclusion beyond a successful controversy.

The rays of the sun are doubtless, the great media of electrical attraction and influence upon our planetary system, the earth being a modifying medium between the sun and moon, other planets in like manner, relatively modifying each other's motion.

Positive electricity impels the earth to aphelion; negative to perihelion—the moon to apogee and perigee: the great mystery of the laws of the Mutual attraction of matter, and planetary motion, doubtless finding a solution in the laws of electricity.

The earth as a body containing all the elements of atomic attraction—as previously explained—attains an electrical intensity, making it positive to every thing upon the surface, thus from their negative condition attracting and retaining them permanently upon it. The location of this electrical influence, is always at the centre of bodies; hence the impossibility of separating a portion of the planet away from herself. Were this not the case, it would be impossible to retain anything upon the surface, as all detached or loose bodies would immediately fly off in a tangent, being repelled by the revolution of the earth on her axis.

Latent electricity does not affect small bodies, nor detached portions of large ones—as planets—in relation to themselves, although of similar electrical intensity.

Thus, two copper balls of equal