Sunlight. 3 1 



If, therefore, the sun be truly dark, the 

 brightness of its satellites cannot be caused 

 by light projected from its surface or sur- 

 roundings. How, then, may we account for 

 the light of the moon and planets, which do 

 not possess a light sui generis? A new 

 hypothesis is requisite. To frame this hypo- 

 thesis is not difficult. 



The New Hypothesis. 



Analogy teaches us that the earth is seen 

 from the moon and planets, even as they arp 

 seen from the earth. Yet there is nothing 

 upon the face of the whole earth which is 

 capable of reflecting the slightest amount oi 

 the sun's rays to those spheres. The fields, 

 forests, rocks, and seas, only absorb light, 

 they do not reflect it. In this phenomenon, 

 therefore, there is no element of specular 

 reflection. It consists rather of the lighting 

 up of the static vito-magnetic fluid of our 

 atmosphere, by the great solar current. The 

 atmosphere, thus vivified, discloses our pres- 

 ence to those orbs, and in like manner, their 

 presence to the inhabitants of the earth. 



