rious points in the orbit, there is still a proportion existing
between its various velocities, in that equal areas are covered in equal
times. We have now to apply the hypothesis of our rotatory Aether
currents, in conjunction with the centripetal and centrifugal forces, in
order to see whether the Second Law of Kepler can be explained on a
physical basis, in the same way that Newton explained it from the
mathematical standpoint.

We have again to conceive the sun as the centre of two equal but exactly
opposite forces, and also possessing a rotatory motion on its axis, with
the electro-magnetic Aether currents ever circulating round it. If the
sun were stationary, it will be manifest at once that Kepler's Second
Law would be literally and strictly fulfilled, for in that case the
orbit of all the planets would be perfect circles, and the motion of
planets in their orbits would be perfectly uniform, and therefore equal
areas would be covered by the radius vector in equal times. Thus any
quarter of the orbit would be described in exactly a 1/4 of a year, 1/12
in 1/12 of a year, 1/40 in 1/40 of a year, and so on, the time being
exactly proportional to the proportion of the area covered by the radius
vector.

The area covered would always be uniform, because the radius vector
would always be uniform in length. But, as we have seen in the previous
article, the distance of a planet from the sun, that is, the length of
the radius vector, is not uniform, as the Earth is nearer to the sun at
perihelion, and further away at aphelion, its distance gradually
changing as it passes from each of these points to the other.

Now what is the effect of the decreased distance upon the circulating or
rotatory Aether currents? We have already seen (Art. 99) that the closer
these Aether currents are to the central body, the sun, the greater is
their velocity and the greater their mass, so that the total impressed
force which they exert over any planet is greater the nearer that planet
is to the sun. This is proved by the fact that Mercury has a greater
orbital velocity than Venus, Venus than the Earth, the Earth than Mars,
and so on right through the whole of the planetary system. In view of
these facts, let us again consider the effect of the sun not being
stationary, but having an orbital velocity of its own through space.
Thus let the sun be at _S_ and the Earth be at point _D_ of its orbit
(Fig. 25).

The circulating Aether currents a