﻿418 Proceedings. 



fragments of planets liaving organisms, it must be clear that any atmosphere 

 which these little planets might possess must be of a density proportioned to 

 the attracti'on of the planets themselves, as we know that the density of our 

 atmosphere is due to the weight or gravitation of the atmosjjherio column, 

 which is in direct proportion to the attractive energy of the earth, and when 

 you diminish the attraction by ascending a high mountain, you find, in about 

 four miles or less, that the density is reduced one-half. Now, as the attraction 

 exercised by a mass, even 100 miles in diameter, would be thousands of times 

 less than that of the earth, even at a distance of four miles from its siirface, 

 siich a planet would have an atmosphere more rare ihan the most perfect 

 artificial vacuum capable of being produced by the air pump; and even if such 

 small masses had organisms capable of existence in such a highly attenuated 

 atmosphere, they would be incapable of enduring our atmosphere. But the 

 meteoi's which i-each our earth are to be measured by inches, or at the most 

 by feet, and weighed by pounds. So that their atmospheres (if any) would 

 only be an infinitesimal degree denser than interstellar space. How then can 

 we conceive that any organism capable of living in such an atmosphere could 

 survive when plunged suddenly in our dense atmosphere ? 



2. These little planets (assuming them to be such) all move in an orbit 

 round the sun, which crosses or approximates to that of the earth ; the 

 velocity Avith which they move (the so-called planetary velocity) is infinitely 

 greater than that of a cannon ball ; the necessary result is that the instant 

 they enter our atmosphere, they take fire with such energy that in a few 

 seconds the smaller ones are dissipated into vapour, which, condensing, falls 

 gently to the earth — the so-called cosmical dust, which, I believe, is always 

 to be found in our air ; (see " Tyndall on Heat.") It is only the lai-ger ones 

 which reach the earth in a tangible shape, and you know how very rare they 

 are. Tliey are always in a state of intense heat, indeed, of fusion. Now, 

 what chance v/ould any organism (even the mythical salamander) have of sur- 

 viving such a conflagration ? 



3. The third objection which I take is, I think, as strong as any. The 

 hypothesis only shirks the question how organic life began, by attempting to 

 conceal it by substituting the question how or^ganic life arrived on this earth. 

 If organic life existed on these little planets (which according to Sir William 

 have once been portions of some larger planet destroyed by a. cataclysm) it 

 must have had a beginning somewhere ; and if it began on these j^lanets, 

 where, as far as we can see, the conditions of life would be less favourable than 

 here, why should not organic life also begin on our planet ? If the Creator 

 created by direct act, why should not that act have been done on this planet, 

 as well as on others 1 If, on the other hand, the Creator created by estab- 

 lishing laws, by the operation of which life was gradually evolved from matter, 



