NEWS FROM THE MOON. 241 



vaporous matter would not have been expelled to an 

 extent irreconcilable with observed phenomena. 



It is manifest that we have in the moon a subject of 

 research which has been by no means exhausted. Ascer- 

 tained facts respecting her have not yet been explained ; 

 and doubtless many facts still remain to be ascertained. 

 The moon will hereafter be examined with greater 

 telescopic power than has yet been applied, and when 

 this has been done appearances may be accounted for 

 which are at present unintelligible. Again; new in- 

 quiries into the question of the evolution of our solar 

 system can hardly fail to throw light on the peculiar 

 relations presented by the moon with reference to the 

 terrestrial globe. I believe that the problems suggested 

 by lunar research, perplexing though they unquestion- 

 ably are, will not be found insoluble ; and it is most 

 probable that their solution will in turn throw impor- 

 tant light on the history of our earth and her fellow 

 terrestrial planets, on the giant planets which travel 

 outside the zone of asteroids, and lastly, on the past 

 history, present condition, and future fate of the great 

 central luminary bearing sway over the planetary 

 system. 



(From the Comhill Magazine for August 1873.) 



