184 FIRESIDE SCIENCE. 



and facts to prove, that this is constantly taking 

 place, and that by the agency of fire new worlds 

 are being constantly fitted up on the outermost 

 bounds of space, and made ready probably for the 

 residence of beings like ourselves. Among the 

 stars which have been observed to be on fire, one 

 in the constellation of the Northern Crown, a few 

 years ago, attracted much attention. This very 

 small star, in May 1866, suddenly blazed out and 

 attained a magnitude almost equal to the largest 

 stars seen in the heavens. The spectroscope 

 proved that the light emitted was that which pro- 

 ceeds from burning hydrogen, and consequently 

 water must be the product. This sublime, this 

 awful conflagration, which involved a world much 

 larger than our own, was completed in twelve days, 

 and at the end of that time the star had dwindled 

 and faded away from the second down to the eighth 

 magnitude. I venture to introduce these observa- 

 tions regarding the probable origin of water, be- 

 cause of the intense interest which now invests the 

 subject, and also to call attention to one of the most 

 important and wonderful instruments for scientific 

 research which human ingenuity has ever devised. 

 I allude to the spectroscope. However humble 

 our occupation, or however incompatible with study 

 and research may be our pursuits, we cannot fail to 

 reap the great practical benefits which must flow to 



