The weekly union record., 1865-01-28
Our Neighbors in the Stars.

Many writers have gone into the question OF
the probable stature, strength and con6guration
of our fellow beings 10 other spheres. Christian
Wolf long ago fixed the height Of inhabitants
of Jupiter at forty feet eight inches. The
Fourierists have more recently imagined kind
of celestial hierarchy, in which the successive
groups rise one above another, 10 analogy with
those OF the lower universe, into what NJ
Renaud has termed biuivers, trinivers quatrin
ivers, etc. The planets themselves have souls
aud die out as ours will do, 10 give place 10
newer forms of planetary lie. Swedeuborg
everybody knows, grew so familiar with the
inhabitants of the several planets 10 which be
was in The habit of spending his leisure moments
of spiritual ecstacy, that he has left Us little to
find out touching The moral and other charac
teristics of our brethren iu those abodes. The
feelings with which We, 10 turn, inspire those
remote relations of ours-the lively warmth of
Venus. the dignifed calm OF Jupiter, the sar
donic GOODNESS OF Saturn-are not less matters
of fact and verscity. Science, thus interpreted
points TO a place for our souls among those
radiant spheres. Transported among new con-
ditions of existence, they may contract or put
forth powers akin TO those of the happier
beings whose lot has been already cast there
And, as to what that lot may be, il makes the
mouth water to listen to NJ Flummarion lee
turing Us. In an atmosphere no longer com
posed Of oxygen and azote, What ills of climate
may not be spared those fortunate denizeDs
The whole pulmonary apparatus is doubtless
modified, and with it the whole system of or
ganic functions. Instead of the gross and
clumsy plan of keeping up the bodily growth
and warmth by food, liquid and solid-the
degrading expedlent OF borrowing for that end
the debris of other beings, and, worst of all.
that of killing and devouring those endowed
with life-there may be system OF "nourishing
atmospheres," and capable of assimilation by
organs OF corresponding ETHEREAL texture. In
the general repeal of laws which belong to
mans inferior state, that of labor" may come
in for the earliest abolition, and with it 60 all
those vulgar cares, appetites and ambitions to
which so much of the misery and ennui of ter
restrial life are due. Vice will never have
arisen. The origin CT evil will offer 10 point
for philosophers to wrangle over; for evil itself
will never have stepped in. Another claw"
abrogated, or rather never set in force, will be
that of death" War and violence, excess
and decay being unknown in those happy
regions, the idea of dying will be out of the
question Peace and right will reign undis
turbed. The very faculties of the intellect will
partake of the purity and the elevation of the
moral nature. The tedious and cumbrous
processes of experiment and observation will be
replaced by direct and transcendental vision
of truth. 1t seems as if the limit of logic itself
will be struck of as fetters from the spirit The
old problems insoluble here will seem perfectly
contemplate. The circle will have been
squared there long ago, and philosophers
stones will be picked up by the roadside. The
elixir of life, indeed, will be unknown, because,
as We have seen, it will be superfuous. Art
and science will enter upon new phases. NJ
meration will proceed by such novel and un-
precedented processes, that we trembe to pro-
nounce what two and two may be expected to
make in NJ. Flammaron developed universe.
Saturday Rerietr.