| Show NEbb OF THIS THE UNIVERSE that great astronomer sir robert e F bull ball has baa been discussing the un teen universal Universe 0 again and presents bl his views in a striking manner in wk PW monist he tays the he present state of science compeli tn the belief wat bat there ie 16 around us a an invisible universe which more widely the extends universe which is 10 visible than dot dots a the universe ivere we can see exceed that of a being who only the ex istance of a sun BUD and moon in setting fetting forth his hia view be Ima imagine ginst a strange traveler who skirting the be coast of england by night insists on forming his bis ideas of that hat country solely from the distant lights he can see e rn cn shores shore and sails saila away totally ignorant ot of everything that land contained its ita hills and valleys KB its rivers and lakes lakee its great cities and nible dable edif edifices icer its ita wonderful commerce anu and its ite teeming myriads of inhabitants this thie he be saya is our own eon con action with reference to the universe uni around us ue and he be addi adde for every lighthouse which may be counted ground around the coasts of great britain there are within the circuit of these coasts colaia thousands of fields thousands of beautiful tress trees there are are many lakes and rivers there are citie and great numbers of population so too for every one of the visible stars which can be counted in the skies there must be hundreds or thousands indeed there are doubtless millions ot ol other objects utterly beyond our ken of the existence of these unseen objects and of their nature and properties we can only occasionally nalla become aware in a most indirect indeed I 1 might say in a most casual manner now indeed the sublimity of the conception of the unseen universe becomes adequately unfolded reflect on the number nr of luminous stars which the heavens contain think of the thousands of stars which are visible to the unaided eye think of the tens of thousands of stars which are visible in small telescopes think of the hundreds of thousands of stars which are visible in a rn moderate mi telescope and of the abounding millions of stars which are disclosed by our oar mightiest instruments or which are represented on our most sensitive photographic plate then remember that tha each teach one of these stars is in as it were a luminous beacon and that the invisible objects must be incredibly more numerous than the beacons themselves prom from ibis his hypothesis the eminent scientist points out the vastness va of the universe compared with the extent of mans knowlt knowledge dge and conceptions wherein he cannot see or comp comprehend reheno a millionth part or of abe material heavens beavens arid and one ode lesson drawn to Is we the utter incompetency of man to pass upon the heights height the depths the progress pro grets or the he destiny of that thal util universe except by light from a source that embraces a more extended and intimate knowledge than can possibly be acquired within the limited COL coc fines of mortal existence on OB our globe |
