BY THE SAME AUTHOR. 



OTHEK WOELDS THAN OURS ; 



THE PLUKALITY OF WORLDS 



STUDIED UNDER THE LIGHT OF RECENT 



SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHES. 



Second Edition, revised and enlarged; with 14 Illustrations (6 coloured) 

 crown 8vo. price 10s. 6d. 



OIPIisTIOItTS OIF 1 THE 



'The idea of Mr. PROCTOR'S book has 

 manifestly been suggested by the famous 

 controversy between Dr. WHEWELL and Sir 

 DAVID BREWSTER respecting the plurality of 

 worlds. Since the date of that combat a 

 flood of new light has been thrown on the 

 constitution of the solar system by the reve- 

 lations obtained through the solar spectrum. 

 We can now tell the materials of which the 

 several planets are cotmxwed. We have 

 ascertained with something like certainty 

 which of these bodies are fitted to be the 

 dwelling-place of such life as exists on our 

 own earth. The surface of JUPITER is no 

 longer a complete mystery ; we know some- 

 thing of SATURX ; and MARS has been so 

 successfully surveyed that we possess some- 

 thing like an accurate chart of his continents 

 and seas. Mr. PROCTOR describes many of 

 the more recent scientific revelations on 

 these subjects with such force and vividness 

 that, even to the unscientific reader, his book 

 is one of considerable interest.' 



DAILY TELEGRAPH. 



' A book treating learnedly, yet simply and 

 intelligibly, of those great questions con- 

 cerning the laws of the universe of which the 

 outside world has lately heard so much and 

 understood so little, and written in such ex- 

 cellent English that its literary merits are 

 nearly equal to its scientific value. . . . The 

 work differs from most of its class in being 

 full of original matter, which though familiar 

 to the astronomer is quite new to the general 

 reader.' SCIENTIFIC OPINION. 



' We can assure the reader that he will find 

 in this volume the latest information and 

 much that is interesting and important. 

 The views expressed as to the constitution of 

 the sidereal universe differ from those usually 

 held, are clearly expressed and supported by 

 strong arguments and original and forcible 

 evidence. Mr. PROCTOR has evidently con- 

 sidered this subject carefully. In the part of 

 the book which relates to the solar system 

 useful information is more especially given 

 to the non-scientific reader.' ATHENAEUM. 



' Probably no science during the last few 

 years has made such rapid strides as astro- 

 nomy. This advance is mainly owing to the 

 discovery of the spectroscope, and its appli- 

 cation to astronomical purposes. That won- 

 derful instrument, more wonderful perhaps 

 than the telescope, may be appropriately 

 termed a light-sifter, and is used to analyse 

 the light which comes to us from other orbs 

 across the ocean of space, so as to set before 

 us their general character and structure. 

 The Author of the present work attempts to 

 make use of the startling discoveries effected 

 by the aid of the spectroscope, in order to 

 form juster views of the structure and re- 

 lations of the planetary and stellar systems. 

 He again raises the question of the plurality 

 of worlds, which a few years ago employed 

 the scientific nnd dialectic skill of such men 

 as Dr. WHEWELL and Sir DAVID BREWSTER, 

 and ages before fascinated the early philo- 

 sophers of ancient Greece. Mr. PROCTOU 

 considers that science has progressed so 

 rapidly of late that the subject of life in 

 other worlds has assumed a new aspect since 

 WHE WELL'S Plurality of Worlds and BREW- 

 STER'S More Worlds than One were written. 

 Arguments which were hypothetical thirty 

 years ago have either become certainties or 

 been disproved. Doubtful points have been 

 cleared up ; a new meaning has been found 

 even in those facts which were well known 

 to both the disputants; and, lastly, a new 

 mode of research has been devised, which has 

 not only revealed a number of surprising 

 facts, but promises to work yet greater mar- 

 vels in the years which are to come. Cer- 

 tainly Mr. PROCTOR has taken some pains 

 and trouble to expound and illustrate his 

 arguments and theories ; and his work shows, 

 moreover, much patient research and wide 

 scientific reading. If we are occasionally 

 compelled to differ from some of his con- 

 clusions, we cannot deny the fact that he 

 has produced a most interesting work on 

 a very fascinating subject.' 



EXAMINER. 



London: LONGMANS and CO. 



