The state herald., 1896-06-12

To ours as the stature OF Jupiter him
self Is when placed side by side with
the little earth.
Not only IL there something far
more satisfactory to the Imagination in
conceiying of gigantic inhabitants
dwelling upon so stupendous a world.
rather than In thinking of them as mere
plgmles, but In thus considering them
as giants amid gigantic surroundings.
we do less violence to the general order
OF nature.
Let me, as u kind OF apology for thus
venturing into the fields Of Imagination
that lie glittering Just beyond the farth-
est ou,posts OF science. quote what one
of the founders Of modern science has
said about the possible inhabitants of
another great world. only less in size
than Jupiter. and which now also
adorns our evening skies, Saturn
These are the words OF Sir Humphrey
Dayy, In the chapter called THE Wis
lon" In his beautiful Consolation In
Travel. or the Last Days Of Philoso-
pher." Conducted by a guiding Genius
he Is hoyering above the planet Saturn
II saw moving on the surface below
me immense masses. the forms OF which
find II impossible to describe They
had systems for locomotion similar to
those Of the morse or sea-horse, but !
saw with grea, surprise that they moved
from place TO place by six extremely
thin mcbrancs. which they used as
wings. Their colors were varied and
beautiful, but principally azure and
rose color.
II say numerous conyolutlons OF
tubes more analogous To the trunk OF an
elephant than to anything else | can
imagine. occupying what supposed to
be the upper parts Of the body, and my
feeling Of nstonIshmont almost became
one OF disgust from the peculiar char
acter OF the organs Of these singular be-
ings, and II was with a species OF ter
ror that I saw one OF them mounting
upward. apparently flying towards
those Opaque clouds which ! have be-
fore mentioned. i know what your feel.
inEr are said the Genius. You want
analogles and all the elements Of knowl-
edge to comprehend the scene before
you. hut those beings who
appear TO you almost na imperfect In
their functions nH the zoophytcs OF the
polar sea have sphere Of sonslblllty
and intellectual enjoyment far superior
to that OF the inhabitants OF ySar earth.
Each Of those tubes which appear like
tho trunk OF nm elephant h mn organ Of
peculiar motion or sensation, They
have many modes Of perception OF
which you are wholly Ignorant and nj
the same time their sphere OF vision IN
Infinitely more extended than yours
and their organs OF touch far more per-
feet and exquisite, Their
sources OF pleasure are OF the highest
intellectual nature Az rnn.
not describe 10 you the organs Of these
wonderful beings, 10 neither can show
you their modes Of life. hut m their
highest pleasures depend upon intel
lcctual pursuits. 80 you may conclude
that these modes Of life bear the strict.
est analogy to that which ON the earth
you would call exalted virtue.
II were to Hhow you tho different parts
Of the surface Of this planet you would
sec marvellous results Of the powers
possessed by those highly intellectual
beings and of the wonderful manner In
which they have applied and modified
mnticr."
Inspired by the enthusiasm OF Sir
Humphrey may VIZ not Imagine that
tho inhabitants Of Jupiter might sur
pass even those Of Saturn on their IN
telicctnal side, shedding spiritual H.
Illumination among their aerial man.
uions. which would be- the greatest OF