tion 48° N. "Supposing," says Sir John Herschel, "it consists of stars, the appearance it would present to a spectator placed on a planet attendant on one of them, excentrically situated towards the north-west quarter of the central mass, would be exactly similar to that of our milky way, traversing in a manner precisely analogous the firmament of large stars into which the central cluster would be seen projected, and (owing to its greater distance) appearing like it to consist of stars much smaller than those in other parts of the heavens. Can it, then, be that we have here a brothersystem, bearing a real physical resemblance, and strong analogy of structure, to our own?"

To describe in detail the various kinds of nebulæ scattered by hundreds over the face of the heavens would far exceed the space we can devote to the subject; the telescopic appearances of a few of the most remarkable, with accompanying explanations, will be all we can attempt. These views may be considered such as would be presented by a ten-feet refracting telescope, with powers varying from 80 to 150. Through large reflectors like that constructed by Lord Rosse the appearances would differ in form and exceed in brilliancy, and with such only can the secret depths of the heavens be studied with entire satisfaction. That eminent nobleman, it is said, is preparing for publication a series of views of these wondrous objects, such as only himself and a few privileged savans have ever witnessed. In many quarters of the heavens are found clusters of stars more or less closely packed. A well-known specimen of this arrangement are the Pleiades, which appear to the naked eye to consist of six stars; a telescope of very moderate power will disclose 40 or 50. Now that these have some mysterious connection with each other is more than probable; they belong to a minor stellar system, of which the members are far less numerous than those of the galaxy, and less diffused.

If we imagine the numbers of stars in a certain cluster, similar to the Pleiades, enormously increased and arranged symmetrically about a centre, we shall form a correct idea of a globular cluster, of which a splendid specimen exists in the constellation Hercules. The drawing gives a fair representation of its telescopic appearance, but words cannot express

the wonder felt by those who have viewed it through the monster telescope of Lord Rosse; the centre is brilliantly illumined by the combined light of a thousand suns, the brilliancy becoming less and less towards the edges, till, on the outskirts, single stars are seen projected on the background of the heavens; this capability of being separated into distinct stars, is in fact what is meant by a nebula being resolvable: many there

are which no telescope has yet presented to view otherwise than as a diffused mass of bluish-white light, and although that of Lord Rosse has surpassed its predecessors in power, and added many to the resolvable class, there are others which it has failed to separate into their component stars. The one before us is one of those most readily resolved, and in a 9-ft. achromatic will present the appearance here given. To state the number of stars thus wedged together, as it were, but actually separated by immeasurable distances, would be impossible; "they are not to be reckoned by hundreds; and on a rough calculation (we are quoting Sir J. Herschel), grounded on the apparent intervals between them at the borders, where they are not seen projected on each other, and the angular diameter of the whole group, it would appear that many clusters of this description must contain at least 5000 stars, compacted and wedged together in a round space whose angular diameter does not exceed 8' or 10'." One of the most remarkable forms assumed by these agglomerations of stars is the annular, of which a few specimens only exist; the annular nebula in Lyra, between the two stars ẞ and y of that constellation, is faintly perceptible with by no means a powerful telescope. Here again a further disclosure by Lord Rosse's has indicated that the entire space within the ring is occupied by stars less thickly planted than around the border; it is described as presenting an appearance of fine gauze strained over a luminous hoop. What are the causes which have produced this

marvellous arrangement, which is evidently not without some definite design, who shall say? To speculate, when we have no ground to base our reasoning on, would be useless, and probably such laws will remain among the things unknown to man in his present state of existence.

Here again we have what would appear to be a combination of two globular clusters, with a mutual dependence upon or connection with each

other.

Many nebulæ, however, present not a definite form, but appear like irregularly diffused masses of matter. A splendid object is that in the sword of Orion, which gives a nebulous tint to that part of the constellation even to the naked eye; one nebula is of a spiral form, others, like the brother system of the galaxy, viewed from our position is circular, or oval, but from another point would be seen to send out branches in two or three directions; indeed to enumerate all the varieties of arrangements would very far exceed the limits of this paper; we must therefore conclude with alluding only to one more-itself the type of a class-called a planetry nebula.

In this drawing we have a nebula whose light is of equal intensity throughout, like the disk of a planet, but infinitely fainter; as the telescope has not yet resolved it into component stars, it is assumed to be a mass of diffused nebulous matter, existing, as it were, in a chaotic or unformed state, similar, perhaps, but far exceeding in extent our globe before its materials had assumed their present form; that it is larger than the space included by the orbit of the planet Uranus is demonstrable, but that such nebula will not be resolved should advances be yet made in the construction of telescopes, is questionable. On indications supposed to be shadowed forth by nebulæ irresolvable and diffused has been founded the nebulous theory, an exposition of which, as it borders rather on the regions of speculation than demonstration, would be out of place in a series of papers professing to give such principles of astronomy only as are based on rigorous deductions from careful observations and mathematical principles.

A reflection from Admiral W. H. Smyth, himself a devoted labourer in sidereal astronomy, may suitably conclude this general view of the sidereal heavens:

:

"The works and design of the Omnipotent Creator are inscrutable to the most brilliant human intellect, yet enough is revealed, both with regard to the wondrous universe and our own mental capacity, to convince the reflecting mind that it is a mark of devotion which we owe to our Maker to study with earnestness the beautiful and harmonious works around us, however their immensity may at first bewilder us. In worldly pursuits a long noviciate is devoted to acquire the imperfect concoctions of man; how much more is due to catch a glimpse of the imperishable laws of the CREATOR."

CATHEDRAL SCHOOLS.

(Continued from p. 122.)

In our last number we discussed the original constitution and recent condition of the Cathedral School at Worcester. We now proceed to the interesting case of Ely, beginning with the scheme for its foundation preserved in a MS. of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and agreeing exactly with the record in the Augmentation Office, as follows:

"The Boke of the Erection of the Kings newe College at Elye, with the names and portion of livinge assigned to the Deane and all other Officers appointed for the accomplishment of the same.

'The Deane there, Robert Steward, late Prior there, to have Eight Prebendaries there, each to have 207.

Eight Pety Canons there, each to have 107.

"Sir John Spirarde, Gospeller there

£ 120 7 6

s. d.

. 160 0

80

0 0 0

26 13 4

"Sir Thomas Maunde, Pistoller there

"Four Students in Divinitie, one of them Thomas Wilberton, late Munke

there;

8 Singing men to sing Prayers in the Quere, to have each 61. 13s. 4d. A Scole Master for the Queristers

"8 Queristers to have each 31. 6s. 8d.

"24 Scolers to be taught Grammar, each 31. 68. 8d.

6 aged men, decayed in the Kings Warres or Service, each to have

16 13, 4

"Two Cookes to have Wages and Dietts, the Chief Cooke 67. and the under Cooke, 31. 6s. 8d.

"The Dean's expenses in receyving the Rents and surveying the Lands "Allowed for extraordinary charges yerely

41 15 94

10 0 0 20 0

869 14 2

"And so to bere all charges, and to pay the tenthes and first fruites, it may please the King's Majestye to endow the Church with 9957. 08. 17 d.

"RICHARD RYCHE."

This Richard Ryche was solicitor to Henry VIII., afterwards Lord Ryche, and Lord High Chancellor.

But this by the way, and we must observe that this Ely scheme, and the others previously quoted, prove that no surplus either existed at first in the Cathedral revenues, or was expected to arise afterwards, the rents

and profits being exhausted or intended so to be, by the stipends and apportionments charged upon them. However (Lambeth MS. 639) the actual church endowment for Ely was not 9957. 1s. 5d., but 10297. 9s. 2 d., a discrepancy which is perhaps to be accounted for by modifications of the original scheme in the subsequent statutes.

But that these modifications did not alter the leading characteristics and general objects of the scheme is very easily proved. Indeed, as regards the payments of the principal officers of the cathedral, this is shown at once by a MS. record contained in the library of Corpus Christi Coll., intituled "The sum of all payments made by the Cathedral Church of Ely, from the Feast of Michael the Archangel, in 1572, to the audit of the following year, 1573, by John Bell, receiver."

The first items are:

"The corps of the Dean, Master Andrew Perne

"Prebendaries—Mr. Parker, Dr. Ithell, Dr. Whitgift, Dr. Harvey, Mr. Willett, Mr. Bell, Dr. Day, Dr. Leedes, each 207.

STIPENDS OF THE VICARS.

"Mr. Speyght 107., Mr. Holland 8., Mr. Crow 107., Mr. Utley 107., Mr. Lye 61. 138. 4d., Mr. Gotobed 107., Mr. Robinson 107., In all

.£120 7 6

"The sum of all the disbursements made by A. Perne Dean, and by the Chapter

160 0 0

64 13 0"

98 7 31 15 0 0

£113 7 31"

.£1055 19 7"

The apparent excess of 10551. over 10297., the clear endowment, arises from the fact of payments charged upon the gross revenues of the church estates being allowed for in the estimates of the net income. Remembering this fact, it will be seen that the actual constitution and arrangements of Ely Cathedral did not, in 1573, substantially differ from the scheme submitted to the approval of Henry VIII. But the most satisfactory proof of the exactitude with which all the particulars of that scheme were eventually carried out is afforded by the existing statutes, although they are not identical with those of the founder, but contain various alterations, some of which were ratified by Queen Elizabeth, others by Charles II. in 1666. For instance, the first chapter agrees almost exactly with the scheme, as follows:

"De Numero eorum qui in Ecclesid Eliensi sustentantur aut Stipendium accipiunt. 44 CAPUT PRIMUM.

"Statuimus et ordinamus ut sint perpetuo in dictâ Ecclesiâ unus Decanus octo Canonici quinque Minores Canonici, unus Prælector Theologicus, quatuor Sacellani, viz. ad curam Ecclesiarum S. S. Trinitatis et S. Mariæ atque Capellarum de Chetisham et Stuntny, unus Diaconus, octo Clerici Laici, unus Magister Choristarum, unus Organista, octo Choriste, duo Informatores Publici Puerorum in Grammaticâ (quorum unus sit Præceptor alter Subpræceptor) viginti quatuor Pueri in Grammaticâ erudiendi, sex Pauperes, duo Subsacristæ, unus Registrarius, unus Senescallus, unus Auditor, unus Janitor, unus Barbitonsor, unus Obsonator, unus Coquus, unus Custos Pontium, unus Pulsator Campanæ, et Horologii Custos, et septem decem Balivi Maneriorum, qui qui