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with great satisfaction that he was quite right; that very large spots had appeared on the sun, and that he had found a comet shortly after. I have the story in Zach's handwriting. It would mend the story exceedingly if some day a real relation should be established between comets and solar spots. Of late years good reason has been shown for advancing a connection between these spots and the earth's magnetism. If the two things had been put to Zach he would probably have chosen the comets. Here is a hint for a paradox: the solar spots are the dead comets, which have parted with their light and heat to feed the sun, as was once suggested. I should not wonder if I were too late, and the thing had been actually maintained.' De Morgan was not far wrong. Something very like his paradox was advocated, before the Royal Astronomical Society, by Commander Ashe, of Canada, earlier we believe than the date of De Morgan's remarks. I happen to have striking evidence in favor of De Morgan's opinion about the view which Zach would probably have formed of the theory which connects sun-spots and the earth's magnetism. When the theory was as yet quite new, I referred to it in a company of Cambridge men, mostly high mathematicians, and it was received at first as an excellent joke, and welcomed with laughter. It need hardly be said, however, that when the nature of the evidence was stated, the matter assumed another aspect. Yet it may be mentioned, in passing, that there are those who maintain that, aider all, this theory is untrue,
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