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THE MINOR PLANETS.

(except in a few rare instances) even to measure the diametersof their discs. Our knowledge of their individual peculiaritiesand constitution must inevitably be most limited. Never-theless, their study is in other respects both important andinstructive.

Even if they had no other claim upon our attention, we canhardly refuse it, tvhen we remember the startlingly rapid rateat which they have of late been discovered. So great has beenthe skill and industry of those who have watched for them,that no year has passed since 1846 without at least one newone being found; while the total number known, which at thebeginning of the year 1847 was 6, is now, in August 1882,229. We therefore ask our readers to tarry with us a little,before we go on to discuss the wonders of the mighty planetJupiter , or the fascinating rings of Saturn, while we 'endeavourto show that some statistical results involved in the tables ofthe elements of the orbits of the Minor Planets, which mayat first sight appear to be very uninviting, are really mostimportant and suggestive.

But we ought perhaps to explain, before we make anyfurther remarks with regard to these little bodies, why it isthat we adopt for them the appellation Minor Planets, inpreference to any other. We do so, because the orbits inwhich they travel round the Sun are not only governed by thesame laws, but in many other respects are similar to those ofthe larger planets. At any rate, we may confidently say, thatin no one respect, except in the minuteness of their discs, canthey be justly described as star-like. The name of Asteroid ,which has this meaning, and which was originally assigned tothem, is therefore about as unjustifiable a title as could well beselected.

Another inaccurate way of speaking of them also deserves alittle preliminary notice. It is often stated that they are a sortof swarm, or ring, of small bodies lying between the orbits ofMars and Jupiter, * and approximately occupying the place of a

* See Fig. XXXIII., p. 118; in which it may also be noticed that theappellation “ Planetoid ” is used. This, however, is not so appropriate atitle as “ Minor Planet,” although much better than “ Asteroid .”