90 



energy. Its vitality is at first weak: it cannot influ- 

 ence the worlds around and it follows the course of 

 cosmic life for some time unoccupied. But the hydrogen 

 gas continues its work, yielding to the new-comer the 

 quantity of oxygen which it requires to sustain com- 

 bustion, and receiving in return some ol its solar heat, 

 to be conveyed to more perfect planet worlds to aid 

 their vegetation. From this planetary flora this active 

 gas borrows more oxygen and flies back with it to the 

 sun, ever returning on its fruitful mission to the planetary 

 globes. In this way maintaining the life of the little pla- 

 net it cools its surface and forms its crust, which remains 

 for a time in an imperfect and inactive state. But this 

 unwearying agent ploughs the lifeless soil; mountains .and 

 valleys form in which it hides: rivers, lakes, seas appear 

 and the asteroid becomes a working planet. 



But the little world thus introduced to labor works 

 fitfully at first; fitfully because its own position in the 

 universe is uncertain and its movement under the greater 

 or lesser influence of cosmic gases, and the action of 

 cosmic heat- the radiant pushing force proceeding from 

 the sun has as yet no fixed orbit But one fine day, 

 wandering in this way through space, it falls under the 

 attractive power of some big planet and becomes a moon. 

 Accompanying this planet in its course it passes farther 

 from the sun until, at last, the world of which it is the 

 satellite meets with another world of opposite sex. Sexual 

 attraction uniting these planets, wakens their cosmic pas- 

 sion, and bursting into flames they turn to suns. At once 

 their environment is changed. Instead of solar laborato- 

 ries these glohes have become suns, needing their former 

 gaseous product. But a corresponding change takes place 

 in their satellites: the asteroid which became a moon 

 becomes a planet in its turn, taking an orbit of its own 

 and producing its own vitalizing gas, and finally seeking 

 its own satellites to support its vegetation. 



The new sun in its amorous ecstasy creates a new 

 planet world, parting altogether with its old centre, and 



