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That the sun is constituted of matter similar to that which 

 we find in this world. That this matter is ever burning, 

 but, as Newton supposed, returning in a changed form into 

 itself by the force of attraction in the mass. 



That the physical forces which are developed by those 

 vast chemical changes are radiated in waves through space. 



Of Stellar chemistry we have at present but little know- 

 ledge. Fraunhofer observed that the spectra of the fixed 

 stars contained dark lines differing from those seen in the 

 solar spectrum. A half century has elapsed since Fraun- 

 hofer made these observations, and our knowledge on this 

 point is no further advanced, though we have become as- 

 sured of the truth of his statements. In the spectrum of 

 Sirius he observed no dark lines in the orange colored 

 region, but in the green there was a distinct line, and in 

 the blue two dark bands, none of which were seen in solar 

 light. The spectra of other stars were likewise examined 

 by Fraunhofer, and they appeared each to differ from the 

 other. The difficulties attending the exact observation and 

 measurement as regards dark lines in the spectra of the stars 

 are very great, but doubtless with the vastly improved op- 

 tical instruments of the present day, astronomers will over- 

 come these difficulties. The astronomer royal of England, 

 in his last annual report announces that he is about to 

 undertake the examination of the spectra of the fixed stars, 

 and perhaps ere long we will know why Mars looks so red 

 and some of the other stars so blue. 



How wonderful is it that man by the power of mind is 

 enabled to extend his investigations from the earth directly 

 to the sun ; and that he can determine the chemical compo- 

 sition of a body millions of miles distant from him, is most 

 surprising, and proves the divine origin of his intelligence, 

 and even more than this has he accomplished by his phil- 

 osophy, in proving the completeness of the balance of 

 forces throughout the universe. 



