The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-02-20
The Suns Family of Planets.


Prof. Richard A. Proctor in one of
his lectures on Astronomy" gives a
description of Jupiter, Saturn, and
Mars. Mars, he said, was situated under
more favorable conditions than Venus
or Mercury. Notes of the rotation of
the planet were taken in 1866, and it
was then found by the French astrono-
mers, by whom they were made, that
there were on it two spots, one of which
it was thought grew gradually small.
Time went on, and it began to be
noticed that the spots remained un-
changed, and that they belonged to the
surface Of the planet. A comparison
was made between the planet and our
earth, and next came the question, how
far we could regard the white spots
as SHOWS. Then came the wonderful
disclosures of the telescope, and il was
discovered by Prof. Huggins, of Eng
land, that there was vapor Of water in
Mars. These white spots were recog-
nized as polar SHOWS. The white mat
ter indicated the presence of clouds
then we knew there must be mountains,
irregularities of surface, rain falls, air
and water currents, wind, storm, and
rain, and everything corresponding
with what we find on our earth. This
was the Brewsterian notion, and cor
responded with our ideas as formed
from what we observe on this globe.
The surface of Mars was between a
third and fourth part of the earth, and
the volume about a seventh part, so that
an enormous number of living crea-
lures might exist there. The gravity
was in the ratio of six to sixteen: in
other words a pound weight on the
earth would weigh sixteen pounds on
Mars. If we lived there we should feel
more active, much stronger and much
lighter in fact all our powers would be
increased. All the objects about us
would be much lighter, and we should
be able to manipulate them much bet
ter than here. Mars was a smaller body
than the earth, and the moon was n
smaller body than Mars. If the gray
ity of our earth were reduced to that of
Mars, the air would be Immediately re-
leased, and It's density would be little
more than five-fifths of what it was at
present. The appearance presented by
the planet indicated the existence of
an immense amount of cold in it. He
thought it was shown as clearly as pos
sible that Mars was intended for the
forms of life that we know of. II
should be remembered that we rec1g-
nzed on our earth conditio under
which life ceased. Minute auimalcul@
and these creatures were car
ried mp by air currents. We also knew
that life passed away after certain
height was reached. Coxwell and
went up in balloon to an i'm
mense height, and when they had
reached seven miles, Glaisher, whose
pulse had risen to 100, tainted. Coxwell
went two miles higher, when he found he
was losing strength and was unable to
draw the valve, his only alternative be-
ing to pull the strings with his teeth.
Then they descended, and their strength
The curious part of that story was
that the pulse of either of them should
have been at seventy four or seventy
six before they assembled. We all knew
that people lived at n great altitude.
The inhabitants of Quito wero 5000
feet above the level of the sea, and yet
we heard that they danced the whole
night through. That fact was enough
TO show that they enjoyed good health.
The lecturer then proceeded to deal
with the giant planet, Jupiter" the
prince of the solar system as he
termed it, and observed that in connec-
ton with it, as with Mars, verifcation
was afforded of the truth of Goethe's |
remark, that Gin her monstrosities ma
5ure reveals her secrets" Jupiter, he !
said. was instinct with its inherent fires.
Ordinarily it had light green colored |
zone, like Saturn, but sometimes it pre-
lented a ruddy light. The light which
t received from its satellites was only |
sixteenth part of what we get from a
ull moon. With regard to the theory
hat the planets are inhabited, it seemed
20 him that an intermediate theory was
he more likely, and that was that only
small proportion of the planets were
inhabited. Although one dismissed as
Unlikely the conclusion that any planet
vas inhabited. yet one must reach an
'ther one, namely, that there were
Millions of inhabited worlds.
rod of granite and the rose,
Soul of the sparrow and the bee,
The mighty tide Of beng flows
Through countless channels, Lord, to Thee.
t leaps the life in grass and flowers,
Through every grade Of being runs,
Ia glory shines from prison towers,
And comes to us from stars and suns.