148 FROM NEBULA TO NEBULA 



this interesting question is to be found in Mother 

 Ijjirth's own diary as transcribed on her geological 

 leaves. 



The size of a planet, determines its character abso- 

 lutely. If over-large it generates too much gravistatic 

 heat to make life possible on its surface; if too small, 

 it does not generate enough to keep its oceans from 

 freezing, and life is again rendered impossible. Since 

 however it is the nature of planets to grow, such as 

 are too small, like Mars and the moon, may hope one 

 day to emulate the earth in fecundity, but the major 

 planets are doomed to perpetual barrenness. 



A close analysis of these and many other facts, 

 such, for example, as the inclination of the earth's axis, 

 the small eccentricity of its orbit, the nice adjustment 

 of its size "gravistatloa.lly" to the work required of it, 

 its favorable distance from the sun, the possible fortu- 

 ity involved in the origination of life, etc., make it seem 

 not entirely impossible that terrestrial man is the only 

 creature in the universe capable of comprehending and 

 appreciating its stupendous beauty and scope. The 

 thought has its terrors as well as its inspiration, and 

 oppresses one with its weight. 



The evolutionist, the physicist, the geologist, the 

 biologist, may all find in gravistatic heat the explana- 

 tion of many of their enigmas, such, for example, as 

 the assimilation by Nature of her heterogeneous sub- 

 stances into combinations beneficial to plant and 

 animal life; or the distillation of mineral gases, oils, 

 etc., or the internal structure of the earth; or the ex- 

 planation of submarine life, etc., etc. 



Having passed the habitable stage, nothing lies 

 in store for a planet but to grow up into a sun or a star, 

 with a retinue of planets to circle around him. Even- 

 tually his Gargantuan appetite for devouring lesser 

 surround ing bodies Avill create of him a vortex menao 



