4 EXCURSIONS ROUND LONDON. 



orb of night. The view cf the firmament 

 sometimes inspired me with such whimsical 

 thoughts as the following : 



61 Does not a science, in some measure 

 imperfect, receive additional interest from 

 the mysteries which envelop it ? Are not 

 the moon and stars, as I. now behold them, 

 equally beautiful as if I contemplated them 

 with the help of a telescope, and were ac- 

 quainted with their numbers ? Ye scintilla- 

 ting globes! you overwhelm me with asto- 

 nishment by your effulgent light ! To him 

 who possesses immense wealth, the details 

 of it would be useless and fatiguing. In 

 like manner, I stop not to reckon your num- 

 ber, but dart at once in the immensity of 

 space." 



At this period, a work on natural history 

 fell into my hands, in which the different 

 . objects were arranged alphabetically. I 

 read this production with the greatest avi- 

 dity : but neither my feelings nor my judg- 

 ment were satisfied. It contained only a 



series 



