THE CONCEPTION OF THE GREAT REALITY. 



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hour, it takes 164 of our years to complete one revolution. 

 Now let us look back from this remote point. What do we 

 see ? One planet only, Uranus, is visible to the unaided eye ; 

 the giant planets Jupiter and Saturn have disappeared, and 

 the sun itself is only a star : no heat, no light, all is darkness 

 in this solitary world. Thus far have we gone, and standing 

 there at the enormous distance of 3,000,000,000 miles from our 

 starting point, we can begin to comprehend the vast limits of 

 the solar system ; we can begin to understand the ways of this 

 miglity family of planets and satellites. But let us not set up 

 too small a standard whereby to measure the infinity of space. 

 We shall find, as we go on, that this stupendous system is but 

 an infinitesimal part of the whole universe. 



Let us now look forward along the path we are to take. 

 We are standing on the outermost part of our solar system, and 

 there is no other planet towards which we can wing our flight, 

 but all around are multitudes of stars, some shining with a 

 brightness almost equal to what our sun appears to give forth 

 at that great distance, others hardly visible, but the smallest 

 telescope increases their number enormously, and presents to 

 our mind the appalling phantom of immensity in all its terror 

 standing there to withstand our next great step. How are we 

 to continue on our journey when our very senses seem paralysed 

 by this obstruction, and even imagination is powerless from utter 

 loneliness ? One guide only is there to help us, the messenger 

 which flits from star to star, universe to universe ; light it is 

 which will help us to appreciate even these bottomless depths. 

 JSTow, light travels 186,000 miles per second, or 11,000,000 miles 

 every minute of time. It therefore takes only about four hours 

 to traverse the huge distance between our sun and Xeptune, 

 where we are now supposed to be standing. But to leap across 

 the interval which separates us from the nearest fixed star, will 

 require a period not to be reckoned by hours or by days or by 

 months, long years must roll away before light, travelling with 

 its enormous velocity, can complete its journey. Let us use 

 this to continue on our voyage. On a clear night the human 

 eye can perceive thousands of stars in all directions, scattered 

 without any apparent order or design ; but in one locality, 

 forming a huge ring round the heavens, there is a misty 

 zone called the Milky Way. Let us turn a telescope with a 

 low aperture on this, and what a sight presents itself. 

 Instead of mist, myriads of stars are seen surrounded by 

 nebulous haze. We put a higher aperture on, and thus pierce 

 further and further into space ; the haze is resolved into 



Q 



