ORIGIN OF THE ANIMATED TRIBES. 



85 



probably with differences in the proportions of ingredi- 

 ents in different globes, and also some difference of condi- 

 tions. Out of a certain number of the elements of inor- 

 ganic matter are composed organic bodies, both vegetable 

 and animal ; such must be the rule in Jupiter and in Sirius, 

 as it is here. We, therefore, are all but certain that her- 

 baceous and ligneous fibre, that flesh and blood, are the 

 constituents of the organic beings of all those spheres which 

 are as yet seats of life. Gravitation we see to be an all- 

 pervading principle : therefore there must be a relation 

 between the spheres and their respective organic occu- 

 pants, by virtue of which they are fixed, as far as neces- 

 sary, on the surface. Such a relation, of course, involves 

 details as to the density and elasticity of structure, as well 

 as size, of the organic tenants, in proportion to the gravity 

 of the respective planets — peculiarities, however, which 

 may quite well consist with the idea of a universality of 

 general types, to which we are about to come. Electricity 

 we also see to be universal ; if, therefore, it be a princi- 

 ple concerned in life and in mental action, as science 

 strongly suggests, life and mental action must everywhere 

 be of one general character. We come to comparatively 

 a matter of detail, when we advert to heat and light ; yet 

 it is important to consider that these are universal agents, 

 and that, as they bear marked relations to organic life and 

 structure on earth, they may be presumed to do so in 

 other spheres also. The considerations as to light are par- 

 ticularly interesting, for, on our globe, the structure of 

 one important organ, almost universally distributed in the 

 animal kingdom, is in direct and precise relation to it. 

 Where there is light there will be eyes, and these, in 

 other spheres, will be the same in all respects as the eyes 

 of tellurian animals, with only such differences as may be 

 necessary to accord with minor peculiarities of condition 

 and of situation. It is but a small stretch of the argument 

 to suppose that, one conspicuous organ of a large portion 

 of our animal kingdom being thus universal, a parity in 

 all the other organs — species for species, class for class, 

 kingdom for kingdom — is highly likely, and that thus the 

 inhabitants of all the other globes of space bear not only 

 a general, but a particular resemblance to those of our own. 



Assuming that organic beings are thus spread over all 

 space, the idea of their having all come into existence by 

 the operation of laws everywhere applicable, is only con- 



