THE 



HARMONIES OF NATURE, 



CHAPTEE I. 



THE STARRY HEAVENS. 



The Setting Sun The Splendour, of the Starry Vault The First Step to Astrono- 

 mical Science The Planetary System How have we learnt to Measure its 

 Dimensions ? Copernicus Kepler Newton Laplace The Planetary Per- 

 turbations reduced to Harmony Discovery of Neptune by Calculation Shooting 

 Stars and Meteoric Stones Their Composition Spectral Analysis of the Sun's 

 Atmosphere by Kirchhof and Bunsen A Glimpse into the Fixed Star Heavens 

 Enormous Distances of the nearest Fixed Stars Our "World-Island Nebulae 

 Motions of the Fixed Stars Vast Prospects into Space and Time The Uni- 

 versal Harmony of Worlds. 



THE SUN rests on the brink of the western horizon, sparkling 

 over the ever-restless surface of the ocean. Dazzled by the 

 excess of light, I turn my eyes from his brilliant orb and look 

 down upon the strand at my feet, where the indefatigable tide- 

 wave rolls upwards in broad sheets of foam, and then again falls 

 back in a thousand little rills and with a thousand delightful 

 murmurs. 



My eye has rested, and once more wishes to enjoy the aspect 

 of the setting sun ; but the fiery globe has already sunk below 

 the margin of the waters, to cast its streams of light over other 

 lands and seas to awaken millions to the labours and enjoyments 

 of a new-born day. A gorgeous canopy of clouds, glowing in 

 every tint of gold, scarlet, and purple over the evening sky, alone 

 remains to bear witness to the vanished sun's magnificence as 

 after the death of a hero the memory of his deeds still lingers 



