96 



its current all cosmic sounds in directions perhaps quite 

 remote from the aim of the cosmic speaker. Instead 

 therefore of audible sounds, the stars converse through a 

 medium of electric light. 



With the aid of this luminous language they pass 

 safely on their course through space, and perhaps they 

 express by it their moods ; but in any case they dis- 

 tinguish clearly the sex, "the age and the mutual sym- 

 pathies of surrounding worlds. 



Concerning the phenomena of cosmic love it would 

 be possible to write much, but as my present aim is not 

 to write an astronomical romance, but to expound the 

 theory of cosmic reason, I must refer readers who are 

 interested in such phenomena to the investigations of those 

 who have studied in detail the luminous organisms li- 

 ving on the earth, taking occasion to recommend the 

 best work I know on this subject - "Luminous Orga- 

 nisms", by M. Elpe. (Professor Popoft). 



Our oceans sometimes present the appearance of a 

 milky way of shining infusoria, and these tiny creatures 

 resemble in their movements the shining spheres, inas- 

 much as it appears that they demonstrate their mutual 

 desires by means of increased or diminished brilliancy, 

 and discover by the same means one another's wherea- 

 bouts. This varying light is strikingly analogous to the 

 light of stars, which, as we know, gleam with varied 

 intensity and many coloured hues. 



Both the sun and the plants have their own peculiar 

 light; the former deriving luminosity from combustion of 

 cosmic matter; the latter shining with reflected light, 

 and also with that derived from the movement of their 

 oxo-hydrogen toward the sun. 



The atmosphere of the planets consists of nitrogen 

 and the three other primary gases, of which the hydrogen 

 in conjuction with oxygen is always striving to burst 

 through the envelope of hydrogen to reach the sun. This 

 outward effort produces a struggle between these gases, 

 and a friction which raises the general temperature and 



