430 SKETCHES OF CREATION. 



Heat will again be gathered into central masses. Matter 

 will dissolve into liquids — liquids burst into vapor, and fill 

 again the vault of space — cohesive affinities will be sun- 

 dered — chemical unions will be unlocked — electrical and 

 gravitating forces will resume their play, and once more 

 will begin the long series of activities which make up the 

 lifetime of firmaments, and systems, and worlds. The mat- 

 ter of our solar system — or of a system like ours — will 

 again be isolated ; the endless whirl of fiery vapor will de- 

 tach rings, in succession, which will consolidate into planets 

 and satellites — another earth will spring up — another pe- 

 riod of the reign of fire will ensue — and then another reign 

 of water — and then another long line of organic creations 

 will begin, and, in due time, in some distant future age, 

 another intelligent race will populate another earth, and 

 dream, as we now dream, of the beginning whence, and the 

 goal whither the grand rush of events is carrying them. 

 This is one of the Cycles of Matter. 



In what light, then, are we to regard all the vicissitudes 

 and activities of the lifetime of a universe ? What are they 

 but a brief agitation on the surface of the infinite ocean of 

 matter — a momentary ripple raised by the presence of the 

 Omnipotent hand — destined speedily to subside, and again 

 to be raised by the breath of Omnific Power ? 



In the presence of such conceptions as these, what is 

 man, and what are the works of his hands ? What are 

 fleets, and forts, and cities with their insect hum? What 

 are temples, and pyramids, and Chinese walls ? The agi- 

 tation of particles of dust in a distant corner of the uni- 

 verse. The track of an insect on the ocean's shore. The 

 breath of an infant in the tornado's blast. 



But what is the spirit of man, whose thoughts thus wan- 

 der through eternity ? What is the intelligence of man 

 which climbs the battlements of the palace of Omnipotence 



