CONTENTS 



CHAPTEE I. 



THE STARRY HEAVENS. 



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

 nomical Science The Planetary System How hare we learnt to Measure its 

 Dimensions ? Copernicus Kepler Newton Laplace The Planetary Pertur- 

 bations 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 Univer- 

 sal Harmony of Worlds . , v . . . . . PAGE 1 



CHAPTER II. 



HEAT AND LIGHT. 



The various Sources of Heat Effects of Heat Dependence of Terrestrial Life on 

 the actual Distance of the Earth from the Sun Relations of the various Bodies 

 to Heat The Prismatic Colours The Harmony between Colours and the 

 Human Mind What is Heat ? What is Light ? Importance of the Ethereal 

 Spaces with regard to the Distribution of Heat and Light . , : . 11 



CHAPTER III. 



THE ATMOSPHERIC OCEAN. 



Immensity of the Atmospheric Ocean The Component Parts of the Atmosphere 

 Oxygen Nitrogen Wonderful Constancy in the Composition of the Atmosphere 



Antagonism between Vegetable and Animal Life The System of the Winds 



Dependence of all Terrestrial Life upon the actual Constitution of the Atmosphere 

 Atmospheric Air but a Mixture, no Chemical Combination of Oxygen and 

 Nitrogen Transparency of the Air Its Influence upon the Mental Development 

 of Mankind Air considered as the Bearer of Sounds Voices of Nature 1 6 



