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E. WALTEK MAL'XDEE, F.E.A.S.. OX THE 



That they are of use there is no doubt, but study of facts and not 

 imagination is the only way to find out even partially what that is. 



And beware of Final Causes as a basis of argument ; Lord Bacon 

 well described them as ''Unfruitful Virgins." 



Mr. Maunder, in replying, said : I am exceedingly indebted to 

 the Meeting for the very generous reception which has been given 

 to my paper. My purpose throughout has been to confine myself 

 to the region of observed facts and not to enter upon vague, 

 general and unsupported specidations. Mr. Rouse asked if the 

 fact that the number of satellites appeared to increase as we went 

 outwards from the sun did not look as if the outer planets were 

 intended to be inhabited in the future, if they were not inhabited 

 now 1 In reply to this it should be borne in mind that oiu' moon 

 was the only satellite in the solar system that was of any serious 

 service as a light-giver. The moons of Mars would not together 

 afi*ord one-fourth the light, or those of Jupiter one-tenth, to their 

 respective primaries that the moon gives to the Earth ; and these 

 satellites usually stififer total eclipse when they are at the full. It 

 hardly looks, therefore, as if they have been designed for the 

 purpose of supplying the deficiency of siuilight. I gre<itly sym- 

 pathize -vN-ith Mr. Howard's wise advice that we should beware of 

 making assumptions as to the purpose of any particular structuie. 

 It reminds me very much of what Galileo wrote in his Dialogue of 

 the " Third Day, ' the Dialogue which brought his condemnation. 

 He puts into the mouth of Saviati the words, " Methinks we 

 arrogate too much to ourselves, Simplicio, when we assume that the 

 care of us alone is the adequate and sufficient work beyond which 

 the Divine Wisdom and Power do nothing and dispose of nothing." 

 And may we not look at the question from another point of view ? 

 We know that many millions of acorns fall every year, but only 

 a very few grow up into oaks, so if, in the gradual evolution of the 

 solar system one planet and one planet alone has been rendered fit 

 to bear life, can we in any sense say that the material of the solar 

 system has been wasted ? Mr. Schwartz thought that I svas 

 prejudiced when I said that there was a strong and natural desire 

 amongst men to be able to recognize the presence of similar races 

 in other worlds ; and he denied that such a desire existed. I 

 think, however, he showed pretty clearly that he himself felt this 

 desire, and that his real objection to my paper was that I showed 



