CHAPTER VIII 

 THE EARTH AT ITS BEGINNING 



IF we look up at the sky with the eye of knowledge 

 we can read in the celestial objects with which it is 

 strewn something of the history of our earth. We 

 can only read it dimly even with the aid of the greatest 

 telescopes, and it is quite possible that in some respects 

 we may read it wrongly. Let us, however, consider what 

 the eye and the telescope will reveal to us. The eye will 

 see the Sun a great ball, into which the earth might sink 

 without greatly altering the Sun's appearance, and sur- 

 rounded with flaming gases hotter than the hottest fur- 

 nace man has ever been able to contrive. In that heat 

 every solid thing on the earth would melt and be turned 

 into vapour. The eye will also perceive the Moon 

 another ball, much smaller than the earth, surrounded 

 by no gases at all, having as far as can be seen no water ; 

 and being so cold during its long nights that all gases 

 and liquids of which we know would be frozen solid there. 

 The eye can also see a myriad of stars of varying 

 brightness, but for the most part only thus distinguish- 

 able. If the telescope be now called in to aid, the eye 

 will, however, be able to discern differences and distinc- 



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