difficulty suggested by the apparent uselessness of the Jovian satellites in the scheme of creation. When, instead of considering their small power of supplying Jupiter with light, we consider the power which, owing to his great size and proximity, he must possess of illuminating them with reflected light, and warming them with his native heat, we find a harmony and beauty in the Jovian. system which before had been wanting; nor, when we consider the office which the Sun subserves towards the members of his family, need we reject this view on account of the supposition

That bodies bright and greater should not serve

The less not bright.

Even the most ardent advocate of the theory of life in other worlds should at least not complain when he finds for one imagined world four others substituted.

SATURN AND ITS SYSTEM.

THE planet Saturn is perhaps the most interesting of all the orbs in the heavens. Independently even of his ring-system, which gives him so singularly beautiful an aspect in the telescope, he holds a remarkable position as the centre round which circle as many dependent orbs as those which constitute the primary members of the Sun's family. There is something startling in the thought that in those remote depths, ten times farther away from the great centre of the system than we ourselves are placed, a system at once so beautiful and so elaborate should be pursuing its wide orbit. A universe is there, reduced by vastness of distance to a mere speck of dull light a 'miracle of design' which has existed for ages, during which none on this earth recognized that aught distinguished the planet from its fellows, save characteristics of inferiority.

I propose to give a brief sketch of some of the most interesting facts which have been ascertained respecting this wonderful planet. I may remark, in passing, that although I have on several occasions discussed matters connected with the subject of the planet's condition, this

its system in a general way since the time when I wrote the work bearing that name.

It is not wonderful, when we consider the dull aspect and slow motions of Saturn, that the ancients should have associated with this planet ideas of gloom and of malign influences. The alchemist assigned the metal lead, heavy and poisonous, to the most distant and most slowly moving planet known to them. The astrologer regarded Saturn as the most fatal of all the planets. Chaucer thus presents, in the address of Saturn to Venus, the characteristics of Saturn's influence:*

'My dere doughter Venus, quod Saturne,
My cours that hath so wide for to turne,
Hath more power than wot any man.
Min is the drenching in the see so wan,
Min is the prison in the derke cote,

Min is the strangel and hanging by the throte,

The murmure and the cherles rebelling,
The groyning, and the prive empoysoning.
I do vengeaunce and pleine correction,
While I dwell in the sign of the leon.
Min is the ruine of the high halles,
The falling of the toures and of the walles
Upon the minour or the carpenter:
I slew Sampson in shaking the piler.
Min ben also the maladies colde,

The derk tresons, and the castes olde:
My loking is the fader of pestilence.'

Travelling at a distance from the Sun varying from 823 millions to 921 millions of miles, or from nine to ten

* The word Saturnine sufficiently indicates the character ascribed to the planet's influence on the fates of men and nations.

I

times the Earth's, Saturn accomplishes a complete revolution around the Sun in rather less than thirty years. As the Earth goes once round the Sun while Saturn is traversing but about the thirtieth part of his orbit, it follows that year after year he is seen to advance but by a small distance along his track on the heavens. The Earth comes between Saturn and the Sun, and then Saturn is visible at night, and therefore favourably; then the Earth makes a complete circuit, and has to advance but a little way further before she is again between Saturn and the Sun. In fact, year after year, the return of Saturn to the midnight sky occurs about twelve days later, so that if in one year he is well seen in the summer, he will be well seen the summer after, and so on for several successive summers, before the year comes when he is well seen in autumn. Then for several more years (about seven) he is well seen in the autumn months. Next, for about seven years, he is well seen in the winter months. And lastly, for about seven successive years, he is well seen in the spring months. In 1873, he was actually at his nearest to the Earth, and highest above the horizon, at midnight on July 21st. In 1874, he held such a position on August 3rd. This year on August 16th; and so on. For ordinary observation, however, Saturn is as well placed as he can be about two months after opposition; for it is only the astronomer who is willing to wait until midnight for his observations of any celestial body.

Two hundred and sixty-two years have passed since

he had already discovered the moons of Jupiter. It must have been with singular interest that he prepared for his first telescopic view of the planet. Yet he could scarcely have expected what actually awaited him. There, in the small field of view of his telescope, was what appeared like a triple planet. Not a planet accompanied by two moons such as those which attend on Jupiter: these moons, seen in Galileo's telescopes, were the merest points of light, and scarcely to be distinguished from stars What Galileo now saw was, however, very different. There seemed to be a central orb, and half overlapping it two others, somewhat smaller indeed, but still presenting considerable discs.* "When I observe Saturn," says Galileo, writing to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, "he seems to be triformed; with a glass magnifying more than thirty. times, the central body seems the largest; the two others situated one on the east and one on the west, seem to touch the central body. They are like two supporters, who help old Saturn on his way, and always remain at his side. With a glass of lower magnifying power, the planet appears elongated and of the form of an olive."

In December 1610, and again during the winter of 1611-12, these two attendant orbs seemed to grow smaller and smaller, though retaining their position unchanged.

In the winter of 1612-1613, Galileo again examined Saturn, hoping to learn something more about these remark

* What Galileo thought he saw may be represented by setting two shillings with a space an inch or so wide between them, and midway over that space a half-crown.