《Natural History（1 自然史 第1卷）》：

　　These are the principal phenomena of the earth， the result of discoveries made by means of geometry， astronomy， and navigation. We shall not here enter into the detail of the proofs and observations by which those facts have been ascertained， but only make a few remarks to clear up what is still doubtful， and at the same time give our ideas respecting the formation of the planets， and the different changes thro' which it is possible they have passed before they arrived at the state we at present see them.

　　There have been so many systems and hypotheses framed upon the for-mation of the terrestrial globe， and the changes which it has undergone， that we may presume to add our conjectures to those who have written upon the subject， especially as we mean to support them with a greater degree of prob-ability than has hitherto been done： and we are the more inclined to deliver our opinion upon this subject， from the hope that we shall enable the reader to pronounce on the difference between an hypothesis drawn from possibilities，and a theory founded in facts； between a system， such as we are here about to present， on the formation and original state of the earth， and a physical history of its real condition， which has been given in the preceding discourse.

　　Galileo having found the laws of falling bodies， and Kepler having observed that the area described by the principal planets in moving round the sun， and those of the satellites round the planets to which they belong， are propor-tionable to the time of their revolutions， and that such periods were also in proportion to the square roots of the cubes of their distances from the sun， or principal planets. Newton found that the force which caused heavy bodies to fall on the surface of the earth， extended to the moon， and retained it in its orbit； that this force diminished in the same proportion as the square of the distance increased， and consequently that the moon is attracted by the earth； that the earth and planets are attracted by the sun； and that in general allbodies which revolve round a centre， and describe areas proportioned to the times of their revolution， are attracted towards that point. This power， known by the name of GRAVITY， is therefore diffused throughout all matter； planets，comets， the sun， the earth， and all nature， is subject to its laws， and it serves as a basis to the general harmony which reigns in the universe. Nothing is better proved in physics than the actual existence of this power in every material sub-stance. Observation has confirmed the effects of this power， and geometrical calculations have determined the quantity and relations of it.This general cause being known， the effects would easily be deduced from it，if the action of the powers which produce it were not too complicated. A single moment's refiection upon the solar system will fully demonstrate the difficulties that have attended this subject； the principal planets are attracted by the sun，and the sun by the planets； the satellites are also attracted by their principal planets， and each planet attracts all the rest， and is attracted by them. All these actions and reactions vary according to the quantities of matter and the distances， and produce great inequalities and irregularities. How is so great a number of connections to be combined and estimated? It appears almost impossible in such a crowd of objects to follow any particular one； nevertheless those difficulties have been surmounted， and calculation has confirmed the suppositions of them， each observation is become a new demonstration， and the systematic order of the universe is laid open to the eyes of all those who can distinguish truth from error.

　　We feel some little stop， by the force of impulsion remaining unknown； but this， howe'ver， does not by any means affect the general theory. We evidently see the force of attraction always draws the planets towards the sun， they would fall in a perpendicular line， on that planet， if they were not repelled by some other power that obliges them to move in a straight line， and which impulsive force would compel them to fly off the tangents of their respective orbits， if the force of attraction ceased one moment. The force of impulsion was certainly communicated to the planets by the hand of the Almighty， when he gave motion to the universe； but we ought as much as possible to abstain in physics from having recourse to supernatural causes； and it appears that a probable reason may be given for this impulsive force， perfectly accordant with the law of mechanics， and not by any means more astonishing than the changes and revolutions which may and must happen in the universe.

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