Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1870-07-01


to solids. If IL We're increased, solids
would melt and liquids turn to vapor.
10 only requires sufficient decrease or
increase OF heat TO condenso atmos-
pheric air TO q lRiuid, or to vaporise
granite. If from any cause your planet
were to fly off on the tangent of its
orbit AMI plunge into the lrigid depths
OF space, you might soe-though not
with your bodily eyes, a. such catns-
trophs would DO fatal to all animal lifo
on tho globe--you might SEQ all the
wator upon earth froz0n, then tho gases
become liquid, and finally sond. And
note, moreover, that If this excessive
lowering of temperature took place
suddenly, all living beings would at
once be frozen upon the spot, and the
globe would carry into space the strange
spectacle of all its living creatures fixed
and petriiied forever In tho various
positions In which tho catastrophe
overlook them.
There are worlds which exhibit this
singular spectacle. They are the
comets, whose inhabitants, frozen by
the rapid retreat of their orb from the
Sun, are vast population of statues.
Most of them are lying down, as this
immense lowering of Temperature takes
several days to accomplish. There
they are by millions, dead, or rather
tifurged In total unconsciousness, but
preserved from ell change hy the very
intensity of the cold. Three or four
thousand years later, when the comet
returns from its far aphelion and draws
nearer the sun, the rays of the latter
stream upon its surface, and the life
giving heat rapidly increases. When
the temperature has reached certain
point, these beings revive, of the same
age which they had at the moment
they foil asleep; they resume their oc-
equations where they had left them,
without the slightest consciousness
that they have been sleeping a dream
less sleep for many centuries. Some
have even finished a phrase interrupted
by the lcthargy which stole upon them
four thousand years before. This is
only an exhibition on large scale of
what you see upon earth i'm some of
your Infusory animalcules, that after
many months of desiccation and APP
parent death, revive upon the contact
of water.
But to return TO the planet in An
dromcllp The rose-colored semi-iuid
atmosphere which covers il entirely
like an shameless ocean, is the habitat
Never resting at the bottom of this
ocean, which none of them has ever
sounded, thcy,float perpetually in the
mobile element. From their birth to
their death they have not n moment of
repose; in fact their constant activity
is the condition. of their existence. If
they stop, they perish. In order to
resplre, that is, to cause the fluid Gle
ment to enter their organisms, they
are compelled unceasingly',to move
their tentacles and to keep their lungs
! Il use this word for want of II better
always expanded. The form of this
race would perhaps remind you of the
Sirens Of antiquity, but it is less elc-
giant, and more nearly resembles tho
organic structure of the soal.
DO you note the essential difference
| which separates this rnce from human
| kind, and perceive the consequence
that must follow? Upon earth you
respire without pcrceiving it, without
the necessity of any labor to obtain the
oxygen necessary to support your eX-
istence. Upon this other world this
respirable fluid is II nourishmentw which
can only DO obtaincd by labor, and at
| the cost of uninterrupted efforts.
| KoNIs.-I should infer therefore that
| Illc lnlllDlluIllS Vi llilS MOlih uAS ltti
| less advanced than our own.
| Undoubtedly But do not
| attribute too great n superiority To your
earth from the fact that you breathe
without knowing it. Assuredly il is
n marvellous thing to be furnished
with IL pneumatic apparatus opening
and closing every second to suit the
necessities of the organism and 1t is
wonderful how eXqulsitcly this auto
motto machine works. But man does
not live upon air alone: his organism
requires n solid complement; and this
complement does not spontaneously
offer itself to his lips. What IL tn,
result? Look at your earth. What 1
sad, what wretchod spcctacloI Wha
q world of misery and degradation
IAll these multitudes bent oyer theAoil
painfully digging or scratching IL 4
aain their broad all those hoad'
bowed down to matter Instead of being
lifted aloft In contemplation all these
efforts and these tolls dragging after
them weakness and disease all thei'
I traflics to amass a little gold vt the ex
pense of tho rest; the exploitation o
man by man fraud, robbery, treach
cry, murder, thrones, ambitions ant
wars In word, personal tatorest, al
ways selfish often sOrdid, and the dom
ination of matter over spirlt-thls Il
the picture of the Earth, condition
due to the law which rules your organ
isms.
..KoNIs.-There arc then spheres OF
which IL is possible TO live without
eating?
/ PHos.-Did you suppose that thi
gross operation was imposed as n Law
upon all the worlds in space? Happi
ly, upon most of thcm the spirit is no
subjected to this degradation.
Ii Is not so difficult rs at the hrs
J suggestion IL appears, to conceive IN
possibility of nutritious atmosphere
, The condition of animal life IL inces
I SAINT chemical change. With anima
life on earth this change Is oXgdation
The oxygen Is furnished ny respiration
2 and the substances 20 be oXydised ar
: obtained i'm the food. But imagine a
5 atmosphere containing not merel
4 oxygen but also the alimentary princi
D plcs in Il gaseous state, and you ca
conceive how tine process OF respiratio
Q may of itself suffice to sustain life.
5 But the inhabitants OF the planet I
Andromeda are far moro dogradingl
/ subjected TO the necessities OF muir
: ton than the inhabitants of you
j, earth. Compelled to gain what W
Y mary call their oxygen, by labor, inc
' are thus condemned 70 nncoasipg tot
y and, as they can absorb but sma
i quantity at n time, to unceaslng hun
ger. In this way they pass Their emu
"a lives, succnmbing at last to the ialigu,
n KoNIs.-It would be better never
V have lived ut all.
II Pnos.-You might apply the san
e remark TO the inhabitants of Garth
y How great the labor the eNertons, u
= suflellngs; and how few the numb
,. who achieve anything OF real M
r; eternal worth. How small the resu
i of all these vast aggrcgations OF enc
II gies. But this view Is but short-sigh
q ed. Know that all life forms part
IS the great plan, and all deatinies mu
u be accomplished.
y CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.
~ The approach of the census-talS
+ las prompted some journals TO hrl
q NsN n. IL. e