We go on with more observations by astronomers, recognizing that it is
the very thing that has given them life, sustained them, held them
together, that has crushed all but the quasi-gleam of independent life
out of them. Were they not systematized, they could not be at all,
except sporadically and without sustenance. They are systematized: they
must not vary from the conditions of the system: they must not break
away for themselves.
The two great commandments:
Thou shalt not break Continuity;
Thou shalt try.
We go on with these disregarded data, some of which, many of which, are
of the highest degree of acceptability. It is the System that pulls back
its variations, as this earth is pulling back the Matterhorn. It is the
System that nourishes and rewards, and also freezes out life with the
chill of disregard. We do note that, before excommunication is
pronounced, orthodox journals do liberally enough record unassimilable
observations.
All things merge away into everything else.
That is Continuity.
So the System merges away and evades us when we try to focus against it.
We have complained a great deal. At least we are not so dull as to have
the delusion that we know just exactly what it is that we are
complaining about. We speak seemingly definitely enough of "the System,"
but we're building upon observations by members of that very system. Or
what we are doing--gathering up the loose heresies of the orthodox. Of
course "the System" fringes and ravels away, having no real outline. A
Swift will antagonize "the System," and a Lockyer will call him back;
but, then, a Lockyer will vary with a "meteoric hypothesis," and a Swift
will, in turn, represent "the System." This state is to us typical of
all intermediatist phenomena; or that not conceivably is anything
really anything, if its parts are likely to be their own opposites at
any time. We speak of astronomers--as if there were real
astronomers--but who have lost their identity in a System--as if it were
a real System--but behind that System is plainly a rapport, or loss of
identity in the Spirit of an Era.
Bodies that have looked like dark bodies, and lights that may have been
sunlight reflected from inter-planetary--objects, masses,
constructions--
Lights that have been seen upon--or near?--the moon:
In _Philosophical Transactions_, 82-27, is Herschel's report upon many
luminous points, which he saw upon--or near?--the moon, during an
eclipse. Why they should be luminous, whereas the moon itself was dark,
would get us into a lot of trouble--except that later we shall, or we
sha'n't, accept that many times have luminous objects been seen close to
this earth--at night.
But numerousness is a new factor, or new disturbance, to our
explorations--