THE EARTH IN FRAGMENTS. 101 



orbits; they would continue in their course around the sun, 

 although subjected to the action of disturbing agencies greater 

 than is our planet. The smaller portions would feel the dis- 

 turbing influence first, and, moving inward, become entangled 

 in that attenuated form of matter which exists in the inter- 

 planetary spaces ; for I suppose we must admit that, in the 

 immense abyss above, there is a resisting medium. It used 

 to be supposed that there was no resisting medium in space, 

 but there is good evidence to the contrary. Modern science 

 has shed much light upon this interesting question. 



Now, if fragments of our earth, of the least density, in 

 their movements around the sun, should meet with resistance, 

 their orbit would become changed, and the lighter particles 

 would begin to form an orbit more erratic than the heavier 

 ones, — those composed of the dense metals ; consequently, 

 the first specimens of our earth falling upon the planets 

 would be made up of the lighter kinds of minerals, the 

 substances forming the upper crust of our earth, and they 

 would fall upon those planetary bodies which are inside of 

 our orbit. They would gravitate towards Venus, that body 

 having its orbit inside of that of our earth. If there are 

 inhabitants upon that planet having mineral ogical cabinets, 

 a considerable number of years would elapse before they 

 could place on exhibition specimens of our exploded earth 

 representing its complete chemical and physical character. 

 First would come to them the lighter fragments ; and then, in 

 process of years, the heavier particles, the metalloids and 

 metals. The gold and the platinum would be the last to 

 reach them. We have received from exploded planets out- 

 side of our orbit but comparatively few of the elementary 

 principles known to us, and it is probable the list may not be 

 much further increased for centuries. 



You will find in the Smithsonian Institute, at "Washington, 

 a very large and peculiarly-shaped meteorite ; and a very 

 remarkable collection is found in the British Museum, all 

 arranged in perfect order, and by a perfect system. 



The chemical analysis of the meteorite which I hold in my 

 hand differs from that of others which have been examined, and 

 it indicates that it belongs to the first instalment of those stones 

 which may be expected to reach us in process of time from 



