CONTRASTING OUR LITTLE ABODE IN SPACE AND TO WHICH ARE ADDED ESSAYS ON THE JEWISH SABBATH AND ASTROLOGY. By RICHD. A PROCTOR, SATURN AND ITS SYSTEM," "THE UNIVERSE,' THE EXPANSE "Nous n'avons point la mesure de cette machine immense; nous n'en pouvons "Freue dich, höchstes Geschöpf der Natur, du fühlest dich fähig, STOR LIBRA NEW YORK: GOETHE. D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, 549 AND 551 BROADWAY. 1876. NEW YORK PREFA CЕ. THIS work takes its name from the essays occupying the first seventy pages of the book; but the later essays, as shewing the nature of those parts of the universe which lie nearest to us, are properly included under the same title. Even those on Astrology and the Jewish Sabbath belong to the discussion of our place among infinities; for it was their ignorance of the earth's place among infinities, which led the ancients to regard the heavenly bodies as ruling, favourably or adversely, the fates of men and nations, and to dedicate the days in sets of seven to the seven planets of their astrological system. It will be seen, that my views respecting the interesting question of life in other worlds have changed considerably since I wrote the work bearing that title. I still consider that work a sound exposition of the theory of the plurality of worlds, though I consider that the weight of evidence favours my theory of the (relative) paucity of worlds. Sept. 27, 1875. RICHD. A. PROCTOR. |