hemisphere from the Cape of Good Hope, in applying his observations
to the whole extent of the Milky Way, estimated the number of suns
comprised in that immense nebulæ at 18 millions. I have just told you
the length of the Milky Way. A ray of light emitted from a star at one
of its extremities, and reaching the other, would take 15,000 years
to accomplish the transit. So that, when we are looking through the
telescope at one of the suns of this nebula, we receive the impression
of a ray of light emitted from that star 7000 or 8000 years ago,
_i.e._, long before the dawn of the historic ages.[28] The measurement
of the Milky Way enables us therefore to measure the extent of other
nebulæ, still more distant from us. There are, as I have already said,
masses of diffused light in the midst of nebulæ which telescopic
analysis has resolved into stars, which are probably much more distant
nebulæ. The real distance of these luminous masses can be fixed. If it
were asked, to what distance the Milky Way should be removed in order
to offer us the aspect of an ordinary nebula, Arago would answer that
according to his researches, the Milky Way ought to be removed to a
distance equal to 334 times its length. According to this the Milky
Way would be seen from the earth at an angle of 10°, and its light
would take 5,010,000 years to travel that distance. Thus, light would
take _more than five millions of years_ to travel from one of the
telescopic nebulæ to our earth. Such are the intervals which exist in
the universe, and which our instruments can appreciate. It seems to me
that we are now on the borders of the Infinite.
_Theophilus._ We are indeed.
_The Author._ When we know that those terrible distances, which appal
the imagination, are only the results of observations made by our
telescopes, and capable of any amount of extension; when we reflect
that the innumerable worlds thus revealed to us continue farther and
farther, that ever new agglomerations of suns, planetary earths and
their satellites add themselves to those which we can measure, without
limit and without end, that the imagination cannot err in following
them to the uttermost limits of its powers; then, my dear Theophilus,
we comprehend that the universe is truly infinite. And if you consider
that these endless ranks of solar systems have all their following of
planets and satellites, filled with living beings, plants, animals,
men, and superhuman creatures, that flaming comets traverse the orbit
of each world at intervals and plunge into the burning furnace of its
sun; that these milliards of suns are endlessly various, and that all
the complicated motions of these different systems are accomplished
with perfect order, without any mutual disturbance, you will find that
the universe is not only the infinite in extent, but, also in order,
harmony, equilibrium of motion, and laws!
_Theophilus._ The mind loses itself in such thoughts; for the idea of
the infinite is not made for our feeble intelligence. Let us go no
farther, or our reason will fail us.
_The Author._ Nevertheless, I must pursue my long argument to the
end. I must add that in the midst of this boundless space, above this
immense cortége of stars, which are the dwelling places of living
creatures and sentient souls, there exists the Supreme Author, the
Sovereign Ordainer, from Whom, as their sacred source, all that our
eyes behold, our souls feel, and our intelligence admires, is derived.
He, whom I bless with all the gratitude of my heart--God!
_Theophilus._ Thus, then, you have reached the true object of your
discourse. This journey through space is undertaken to prove that God,
being infinite in moral perfections, may be placed in that infinitude
in extent, called the universe. It only remains now to say in what
precise spot you place the sojourn of the Divinity, for I do not see
how there can be a centre to the Infinite, seeing it has neither
beginning nor end.
_The Author._ I am about to explain myself on this point. The absolute
fixity of the sun and the stars was an astronomical principle, which,
in the time of Newton, appeared to be indubitable. But science never
stands still. Observations made in the present century have proved that
the fixity, the immobility of the sun is only relative. The truth is
that the sun, and with him the entire system of planets, asteroïds,
satellites, and comets, which he carries, in his train, change their
places, very slightly no doubt, but still appreciably. Our sun appears
to advance slowly, with all the planetary family, towards that part of
the sky in which the constellation of _Hercules_ is situated, at the
rate of 62,000,000 of leagues each year, or two leagues each second,
describing an orbit which comprehends millions of centuries. That which
is the case with our sun is equally the case with the other suns, that
is to say, the stars. This general motion of translation must be common
to all the stellar systems, and it is indubitable that the countless
millions of solar systems suspended in infinite space, are moving more
or less quickly towards an unknown point in the sky. Now, there is
nothing to forbid the supposition that all these circles or ellipses
traced by myriads of solar systems, have a common centre of attraction,
towards which our system and all the others gravitate. Thus, all these
celestial bodies, without exception, all this ant-hill of worlds which
we have enumerated, may be turning round one point, one centre of
attraction. What forbids us to believe that God dwells at this centre
of attraction for all the worlds which fill infinite space?
_Theophilus._ Now I understand your thought, and I am struck by its
grandeur. This God, placed at the mathematical centre of the worlds
which compose the universe, this infinite intelligence, throned in the
centre of the infinite universe, and presiding over the movements of
all the innumerable phalanxes of heavenly bodies which our imagination
can conceive, responds to the idea which we form of God, if we venture
to face the awful personality of His Omnipotence. You have done well
to develop this theory in your work. It will be in harmony with the
kind of religious spirit which animates it, and which is, besides, the
expression of the desires, and the aspirations of the men of our time.
In the present day a deep and profound need of belief in Providence
makes itself felt. Men want to render homage to God, in whom they feel
there is truth, peace, and safety for the present and in the future.
But the established religions leave many minds in cruel uncertainty. In
"The Day after Death" you have endeavoured to lay the foundations of
_the religion of science and of nature_. These principles respond, as
I believe, to the prevalent wishes of mankind. They satisfy the mind
and the heart, sentiment and reason; they console and strengthen; in
short, they consecrate the idea of God, without laying aside either the
universe or nature.
_The Author._ So be it!
THE END.
BILLING AND SONS, LTD., PRINTERS, GUILDFORD
FOOTNOTES:
[23] Arago. "_Astronomie Populaire_," Vol. I., pp. 372-376.
[24] Arago. "_Astronomie Populaire_," Vol. I., pp. 376-380.
[25] Flammarion. "_Pluralité des Mondes habités_," page 195.
[26] See the Author's work: "_The Earth before the Deluge_," pp.
402-440.
[27] Flammarion. "_Pluralité des Mondes Habités_," page 203.
[28] Flammarion. "_Pluralité des Mondes Habités_," page 203.
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Transcriber's Note.
Variable spelling and hyphenation have been retained. Minor punctuation
inconsistencies have been silently repaired.
Corrections.
The first line indicates the original, the second the correction.
p. 84:
we maintain that heat tranforms
we maintain that heat transforms
p. 110:
The fall of these asteriods
The fall of these asteroids
p. 112:
it has been calculated that a dimunition
it has been calculated that a diminution
p. 121:
authoritative duductions of modern science.
authoritative deductions of modern science.
p. 125:
itself by the phemonena of dreams.
itself by the phenomena of dreams.
p. 150:
and the plant resumes it appearance of placid health
and the plant resumes its appearance of placid health
p. 159:
that they reciprocately nourish
that they reciprocally nourish
p. 187:
whose formidable shapes, and collossal dimensions
whose formidable shapes, and colossal dimensions
p. 198:
the gigantic mososaurus
the gigantic mosasaurus
p. 205:
and in one latitute of our globe
and in one latitude of our globe
p. 215:
they have not cuitivated their faculties
they have not cultivated their faculties
p. 288:
that He is infinite in his moral perfections, and in His intellectual
power
that He is infinite in His moral perfections, and in His intellectual
power
End of Project Gutenberg's The Day After Death (New Edition), by Louis Figuier