3 i6 the beautiful ladder. 
Washington. It is largely composed of iron, 
and so pure that it shows the bright metal 
when cut with a chisel or file. It was evi¬ 
dently in a fused state when it was hurled to 
our earth. Some have let imagination dwell on 
the strange story which the Egyptian mummy 
that stands near this aerial visitant could tell; 
but what would be the tale of his short life on 
this planet to the sublime unfoldings of this 
wanderer through infinite space for—who knows 
how long ? or from whence his setting forth be¬ 
gan ? Nay, dumb as it is, it speaks of a far- 
off world, to which the astronomer has never 
stretched his line, and of which he has not 
caught the faintest glimpse even through his 
marvellous glass. And has it come only to 
unfold to this astonished and listening world 
the wider range of the reign of chance and the 
vagaries of natural laws and selection ? No, 
no; its sublime teaching is, he is there who 
can ‘ bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or 
loose the bands of Orion,’ who bringeth ‘ forth 
Mazzaroth in his season,’ and who can ^ guide 
Arcturus and his sons.’ He is there who ' rideth 
upon the heavens by his name Jah.’ 
“ Following inversely the trail of the aerolites. 
