at the same time, form little vortices in imitation of the sun. Each
of them whilst turning round the sun, turns likewise on itself, and
carries in its motion a certain portion of the celestial matter,
which is ready to receive any impulse that would not prevent it from
following the general course: this is a vortex of any particular
planet, and it extends as far as the motion of this planet has any
influence. If a smaller planet comes within the vortex of a larger one,
it is irresistibly carried round that larger one, and altogether, the
large, and the small planet, and the vortex that encloses them, perform
their revolution round the sun. Thus at the commencement of creation we
obliged the moon to follow us because she came within the influence of
our vortex, and was by that mean subjugated to our will. Jupiter, the
planet we were speaking of, was more fortunate, or more powerful than
the earth. Four little planets were in his neighbourhood, and he became
master of them all; and we, who are a planet of some importance, would
probably have felt his power if we had been near him. He is a thousand
times larger than the earth;[38] and would easily have drawn us into
his vortex, and made us one of his moons; instead of this we have a
planet to attend on us: so true is it that the situation into which we
are thrown decides the fate of our lives.
[Footnote 38: We may even say thirteen hundred times.]
And how do we know, answered the Marchioness, that we shall always
remain where we are? I begin to tremble lest we should be foolish
enough to approach such an enterprizing planet as Jupiter, or that he
should come to us, for the sake of drawing us into his vortex; for
I can't help thinking, from your description of the agitated state
of this celestial fluid, that it must move the planets irregularly,
sometimes urging them nearer together, sometimes sending them to a
greater distance. We may as well expect to gain as to lose by such an
eccentric motion, said I; perhaps we may make a conquest of Mercury or
Mars, which are smaller planets, and incapable of resisting us. However
we have no occasion for either hope or fear; the planets will remain in
their places; and, like the former kings of China, they are forbidden
to aim at conquest. You have observed that when oil is mixed with
water, the oil swims at the top. Put any substance that is extremely
light on both these, and the oil will support it, so that it shall not
touch the water: but put a heavier body, of a certain weight, it will
pass through the oil, which is too weak to stop it, and keep falling
till it meets the water, which has sufficient force to bear it up.
Thus two liquors put together, being of unequal weight, will not mix,
but place themselves in different situations; and neither will one
rise, nor the other descend: pour on these other liquors which are of
a nature to remain separate, and the same effect is still produced. In
like manner the celestial matter which fills this grand vortex, is in
separate strata, encircling each other, and of unequal weight, like oil
and water, and some other liquors. Some planets likewise are heavier
than others,[39] each therefore stops in the layer which has the degree
of force necessary for supporting it, and keeping it in a state of
equilibrium; and you must be convinced that it can never go beyond this
stratum.
[Footnote 39: The Cartesians carried their illusion so far as to
believe that so solid a mass as a planet could be steadily supported by
the ætherial fluid, the most subtle of all fluids.]
I understand, replied the Marchioness, that the different degrees of
weight are sufficient to keep them in their proper ranks. I wish with
all my heart there was some such regulating power among us, that would
serve to fix people in the situation most suitable to them! You have
quite removed my uneasiness with regard to Jupiter. I am very glad he
will let us remain quietly with our little vortex, and single moon. I
feel very well contented with one attendant, and do not envy him his
four.
You would do wrong if you did, said I; he has no more than are
necessary. He is five times farther from the sun than we, that is,
a hundred and sixty-five[40] millions of leagues distant from it,
consequently his moons receive, and reflect, but a feeble light: the
number therefore compensates for the little effect produced by each:
were they not separately so inefficient, four moons would appear
unnecessary, as Jupiter turns on his axis in ten hours, and of course
the nights are very short. The satellite which is the nearest to
Jupiter, performs its circle round him in two-and-forty hours; the
next in three days and a half; the third, in seven; the fourth, in
seventeen; and by the inequality of their progress, they form a most
pleasing spectacle for this planet. At one time they rise all four
together; then, almost immediately separate; sometimes they are all
at the full, placed in a line, one above another; afterwards they are
seen at equal distances in the sky; then when two are rising the other
two will set. Above all I should like to see the perpetual variety of
eclipses among them, for there is not a day passes in which they do not
eclipse each other, or the sun.[41] Surely as eclipses are so familiar
to the inhabitants of that world, they must be considered a subject of
amusement, rather than terror, as they are here.
[Footnote 40: Calculating with more exactness, 179.]
[Footnote 41: Or; we may add, in which they are not eclipsed by the
shadow of Jupiter, which happens the most frequently.]
You will not fail, I suppose, said the Marchioness, to people these
four moons, though they are only little subaltern planets, intended
merely to give light to another during the night. Undoubtedly not, I
replied. These little planets are not unworthy of inhabitants because
they are unfortunate enough to be subjected to a larger planet.
I think, then, answered she, these satellites ought to be like colonies
to Jupiter; that their inhabitants should, if possible, receive from
him their laws and customs, and in return, render him some degree of
homage, and always consider the great planet with respect. Would it
not be needful, said I, for the moons occasionally to send deputies
to Jupiter, who should take an oath of fidelity to him? I must own
the little superiority we possess over the people in our moon makes
me doubt whether Jupiter has much influence over the inhabitants of
his satellites, and I think the only superiority he can aspire to is
that of impressing them with awe. For of what a terrific size he must
appear! To the planets nearest to him he looks sixteen hundred times
larger than our moon appears to us.[42] Truly if the Gauls in ancient
times were afraid the heavens would fall and crush them to death, the
inhabitants of this moon may with greater propriety apprehend the fall
of Jupiter. Perhaps, she replied, that is the subject of alarm to them
instead of the eclipses, which you assure me they see without fear;[43]
for as they are exempt from one folly, they must be subject to some
other. Undoubtedly, answered I. The inventor of a third system, which
I mentioned the other day, the celebrated Tycho Brahe, one of the
greatest astronomers that ever lived, felt none of the vulgar terror
at an eclipse; he was too much accustomed to study the nature of such
a phenomenon; but what do you think he was afraid of instead?--If when
he first went out of doors the first person he saw was an old woman; or
if a hare crossed the path he had taken, Tycho Brahe thought the day
would be unfortunate, and returning in haste to his apartment, he shut
himself up without venturing to engage in any occupation whatever.
[Footnote 42: Thirty-six times larger than we see the moon: and they
receive from him one thousand two hundred and ninety times more light.]
[Footnote 43: Their solar eclipses are of much longer duration than
ours.]
It would be unjust, said she, if such a man as he could not with
impunity overcome the fear of an eclipse, for the inhabitants of the
satellite we were speaking of, to be exempted from it on easier terms.
We will not spare them: they shall submit to the general doom; and if
they escape one error they shall be liable to another.
A difficulty has just occurred to me, continued she, you must remove it
if you can: if the earth is so small in comparison of Jupiter, are we
visible to the inhabitants of that planet? I am afraid we are unknown
to them.
Really I think so, answered I; the earth is certainly too small to be
distinguished by them.[44]
[Footnote 44: The earth at that distance must appear only three seconds
and a half in diameter, as the planet Herschel does to us; but our
nearness to the sun necessarily prevents them from seeing us at all.]
We can only hope that in Jupiter there may be some astronomers who,
after taking great pains to compose very excellent telescopes, and
availing themselves of the finest nights for making their observations,
may at length discover a very little planet which they had never seen
before. At first the learned give an account of it in their journal;
the rest of the people either hear nothing about it, or laugh at
it when they do; the philosophers are discouraged and resolve not
to mention it again, and but a few of the inhabitants who are more
reasonable than the others will admit the idea. By and by they examine
again; they see the little planet a second time; they are then assured
of its reality, and even begin to think it has a motion round the sun.
After observing it a thousand times, they find out that this revolution
is performed in a year: and at last, when the learned have been at
great pains to investigate the subject, the inhabitants of Jupiter know
that our world is in the universe. The curious eagerly look through
their telescopes, and with all their looking, can scarcely discern it.
Were it not disagreeable, said she, to know that from Jupiter we can
only be seen through telescopes, I should amuse myself with the idea
of all the glasses being pointed towards the earth as ours are towards
him, and the mutual curiosity with which the two planets examine each
other, and enquire, _What world is that? What sort of people inhabit
it?_
Your imagination is too rapid, I replied; when the astronomers
of Jupiter become acquainted with our earth, they do not become
acquainted with us: they will not suspect the possibility of its being
inhabited; if any one should venture to express such an idea, how they
would laugh at him! Perhaps they would even persecute any philosopher
who should maintain the opinion. After all I think the inhabitants of
Jupiter are too much occupied in making discoveries on their own globe,
to concern themselves about us. Jupiter is of such extent, that if
they are adepts in navigation their Christopher Columbus must be fully
employed. The inhabitants cannot know, even by reputation, a hundredth
part of the other inhabitants. In Mercury, on the contrary, they are
all neighbours, living familiarly together, and hardly considering the
tour of their world more than a pleasant walk. If we are not visible
to Jupiter, much less can Venus be so, who is at a still greater
distance;[45] and Mercury must be most out of its reach of all, being
the smallest, and the most distant. However, the inhabitants can see
Mars, their own four satellites, and Saturn with all his moons. Surely
then they have planets enough to perplex their astronomers; nature, in
kindness, has hid from them the rest.
[Footnote 45: Venus is not farther from Jupiter, but more concealed by
the rays of the sun.]
What! cried the Marchioness; do you consider it a kindness? Without
doubt, answered I. This great vortex contains sixteen planets; nature
to spare us the trouble of studying the motions of so many, let us see
but seven: is not that a favour? But not feeling the value of this
mark of consideration, we have, with great pains, discovered the other
nine, which had been concealed from us: our curiosity brings its own
punishment in the laborious study which astronomy now requires.
I see, she replied, by the number of planets you mention, that Saturn
must have five moons.[46] You are right, said I; and it is but just
that he should have so many, as he is thirty years in going round the
sun; and in some parts the nights last fifteen years, for the same
reason that on our globe, which turns in a year, there are nights,
beneath the poles of six months' duration. But Saturn, being at twice
the distance that Jupiter is from the sun, consequently ten times
farther than the earth; his five moons, faintly as they are illumined,
would not give sufficient light during his nights, he has therefore a
wonderful resource, the only one of the kind we have discovered in the
universe: 'tis a large circle or ring[47] which environs the planet,
and which, being sufficiently elevated to escape almost entirely the
shadow of Saturn, reflects the sun's light on the darkened parts, and
reflects it more strongly than all the five moons, because it is not so
high as the lowest of them.
[Footnote 46: He has seven, and Herschel six. In all there are
twenty-five planets, without reckoning ninety-one comets known in 1800.]
[Footnote 47: Its exterior diameter is sixty seven thousand seven
hundred leagues.]
Really, said the Marchioness, with an air of deep reflection and
astonishment, all this is managed with wonderful order; nature had
certainly in these instances a view to the wants of living beings;
this admirable disposition of light was not the effect of chance.
Only the planets which are distant from the sun have been provided
with moons--the Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn; for Venus did not require
any; nor Mercury who already has too much light; whose nights are
extremely short, and probably considered a greater blessing than even
the days. But stop--I think Mars, who is farther from the sun than
we, is without a moon. We cannot conceal the fact, I replied; he
has none; but he doubtless has resources for the night which we are
ignorant of. You have seen phosphorus; matters of that kind, whether
liquid or dry, receive and imbibe the light from the sun, which they
emit with some force when in the dark. Mars perhaps has high rocks of
phosphorus that absorb, in the day-time, light enough to irradiate the
night. You must own it would be an agreeable sight for the rocks to
light up as soon as the sun was set, and without art, produce the most
magnificent illuminations, that with all their radiance, would not have
the inconvenience of casting any heat. In America, you know, there are
birds which in the dark will afford light enough to read by: how can we
tell whether Mars has not a great number of such birds, who, as soon
as the night is come, disperse themselves on every side, and give an
artificial day?
I am not satisfied, answered she, either with your rocks or birds.
They would be pretty enough to be sure; but as nature has bestowed so
many moons on Saturn and Jupiter, it shews that moons are necessary.
I should have been very much pleased to find that all the worlds at
a great distance from the sun had some, if Mars had not formed a
disagreeable exception. Ah! replied I, if you were more deeply versed
in philosophy you must accustom yourself to see exceptions to the
best systems. We clearly see that some things are adapted in the most
perfect manner to their end; others we accommodate as well as we can,
or perhaps are obliged to content ourselves with knowing nothing about
them. Let us do so with respect to Mars, since our researches are
fruitless, and resolve to say no more about him.
We should be very much surprised, were we on Saturn, to see during
the night a great ring, extending over our heads in a semi-circular
form from one end of the horizon to the other; and by reflecting the
light of the sun, would have the effect of a moon at every part of
the circle. And are we not to have inhabitants in this great ring?
said she, laughing. Though I am disposed to place them wherever I
can, answered I, I confess I dare not tell you there are any there;
this ring appears too irregular a dwelling. As for the five moons,
we can't dispense with inhabitants for them. If the ring, however,
were what some suppose, only a circle of moons, following each other
very closely, with an equal motion, and the satellites, five of these
moons escaped out of the ring, what numbers of worlds would the
vortex of Saturn contain! Be that as it may, the people in Saturn are
uncomfortable enough, even with the help of their ring. It gives then
light, it is true; but what sort of light, at that immense distance
from the sun? The sun himself, which appears to them a hundred times
smaller[48] than to us, seems but a little pale star, emitting but a
feeble light or heat. And could they be transported to our coldest
countries, such as Greenland and Lapland, you would see them ready to
expire with the heat. If water were conveyed to their planet it would
no longer be water, but a polished stone, and spirits of wine which
never freeze here, would become hard as diamond.
[Footnote 48: Ten times less in diameter.]
Your description of Saturn petrifies me, said the Marchioness; though
just now you almost threw me into a fever in talking of Mercury. Two
worlds, answered I, which are at the different extremities of an
immense vortex, must be totally unlike.
Then, replied she, the people are very wise in Saturn, for you told me
they were all mad in Mercury. If they are not very wise, answered I,
they are at least, I suppose, very phlegmatic. Their features could not
accommodate themselves to a smile; they require a day's consideration
before they answer any question, and they would think Cato of Atica
unmanly and frivolous.
I am thinking, said she, that all the inhabitants of Saturn are slow;
all those of Mercury are quick; amongst us some belong to the former
class, some to the latter; may not that be in consequence of the
earth's being placed just in the middle situation and participating
of both extremes? The men of our world have no determined character;
some are like the inhabitants of Mercury; others resemble those of
Saturn, in short we are a compound of all the other planets. That's
a good idea, replied I; we form such a ludicrous assemblage that it
might easily be imagined we had been brought together from a variety of
worlds. We are therefore very well situated for studying character, for
this is an abstract of all the planets.
At any rate, rejoined the Marchioness, the situation of our world has
one great convenience; the heat is not oppressive as at Mercury or
Venus, nor the cold so benumbing as at Jupiter or Saturn. And we are in
a part of the earth that is not subject to the greatest degrees of heat
and cold experienced even on our own globe. If a certain philosopher
returned thanks to his Creator for having formed him a man, and not a
beast; a Greek and not a Barbarian; I think we ought to be grateful
for being born on the most temperate planet in the universe, and in
one of the most temperate parts of that planet. You ought likewise,
madam, said I, to be thankful for being young, and not old; young and
handsome, not young and ugly; a young and handsome French woman, not
a young and handsome Italian: there are many things to excite your
gratitude besides the temperature of your climate.
Ah! replied she, let us be grateful for every thing, even the vortex in
which we are placed. The happiness we enjoy is but little, we must not
lose any of it; it is well to cultivate an interest in the most common
things. If we are only alive to strong emotions our pleasures will be
few, seldom attainable, and dearly purchased. Promise me then, said
I, that when such animated pleasures are within your reach you will
think of the vortices and me, and not neglect us entirely. Very well,
said she: but will philosophy always afford me new enjoyments? For
to-morrow, at least, answered I: I have the fixed stars in reserve for
you, which surpass all that you have yet examined.
══════════════
_FIFTH EVENING._
══════════════
EVERY FIXED STAR IS A SUN, WHICH DIFFUSES LIGHT TO ITS SURROUNDING
WORLDS.
══════════════
The Marchioness was very impatient to know what the fixed stars
were. Are they inhabited, like the planets? said she, or are they
not peopled? What can we make of them? Perhaps you would find out
what they are, answered I, if you were to try. The fixed stars cannot
be at less distance from the earth, than twenty-seven thousand, six
hundred and sixty times[49] the earth's distance from the sun, which
is thirty-three millions of leagues: perhaps some astronomers would
tell you they are farther still. The space between the Sun and Saturn,
the most distant planet, is only three hundred and thirty millions of
leagues; that is but a trifle in comparison of the distance between the
sun, or earth, and the fixed stars, in fact, we don't take the trouble
to compute it. Their light, as you perceive, is brilliant: if they
received it from the sun, it must be very faint after travelling such
an immense journey, and by reflecting it to us it would be still more
weakened. It would be impossible for light, which had twice gone such
a long space, to appear so bright as that of the fixed stars. They are
therefore luminous in their nature, or in other words, they are so many
suns.
[Footnote 49: Or even two hundred thousand times.]
Do I mistake, cried the Marchioness, or do I see your drift? Are you
not going to say "the fixed stars are all suns: our sun is the centre
of a vortex which turns around him; why should not each fixed star
be also the centre of a vortex, turning round it? Our sun enlightens
planets; why should not every fixed star likewise enlighten planets?" I
need make no other answer, replied I, than Phœdrus made to Enone: _thou
hast named it_.
But, rejoined she, you are making the universe so unbounded that I feel
lost in it; I don't know where I am, not what I'm about. What! are
they all vortices heaped in confusion on one another? Is every fixed
star the centre of a vortex, as large perhaps as ours?[50] The amazing
space comprehending our sun and planets is but a little portion of
the universe? An equal space, occupied by each of these vortices? The
thought is fearful; overwhelming! For my part, said I, I think it very
pleasing. Were the sky only a blue arch to which the stars were fixed,
the universe would seem narrow and confined; there would not be room to
breathe: now that we attribute an infinitely greater extent and depth
to this blue firmament, by dividing it into thousands of vortices, I
seem to be more at liberty; to live in a freer air; and nature appears
with astonishingly encreased magnificence. Creation is boundless in
treasures; lavish in endowments. How grand the idea of this immense
number of vortices, the middle of each occupied by a sun, encompassed
with planets which turn around him! The inhabitants of one of these
numberless vortices, on every side behold the suns of surrounding
vortices, although the planets belonging to them are invisible, as the
light they receive from their suns cannot penetrate beyond their own
vortex.
[Footnote 50: That may be the case, but we have no proof that there are
planets turning round these stars.]