FUTURE ABODE OF ANIMALS 219 



As we view this great expanse of the heavens and 

 extend our view as far as we can with our natural 

 eyes, we know that there are still worlds beyond, 

 for we call in the most powerful telescope to our 

 aid, and in proportion to its power we see myriads 

 more, till at length, we resign ourselves to imagina- 

 tion and in the confusion of our thoughts and the 

 weakness of our language, we speak of space as be- 

 ing filled, and of matter as being infinite. 



Our conception of the number of stars is wonder- 

 fully increased by the consideration that each fixed 

 star is a sun like our own glorious orb, and each 

 the centre of a system around which other worlds 

 revolve. Instead then of only one sun and one 

 world in the universe, the science of astronomy has 

 discovered to us suns upon suus, systems upon sys- 

 tems, and worlds upon worlds, dispersed through 

 boundless space, and that our world would be no 

 more missed from the countless millions rolling in 

 ethereal space than a drop of water from the ocean. 



Astronomers classify the stars by calling the 

 most conspicuous "of the first magnitude." But 

 few persons can see any smaller stars than the fifth 

 magnitude. The ordinary telescope shows faint 

 stars down to the tenth, while the most powerful 



