the universe. The philosophers of Venus, if she be inhabited, and can boast of philosophers, -are, I do not question, much more intent on finding out whether our world is inhabited than in attending to the business of their own proper planet. Meantime, is it not pleasant to think that our philosophers and their readers have so much leisure time on their hands that they can afford to look after the possible citizens of other worlds, and such expansive benevolence as to wish them all imaginable felicity? It is a question, I remember, in Martinus Scriblerus, whether "a possible angel be not more worthy of the divine regards than an actually existent fly?" From the keen interest with which a philosopher can sometimes speculate on this question of the "Plurality of Worlds," and the oblivion in which, meantime, he may leave the affairs of this, one might certainly imagine that, in his estimate, a possible inhabitant of Venus is more worthy of attention than an actual inhabitant of Earth.

"These discussions are all very well," I can hear some Utilitarian growling out; "but it would be better if your philosophers would spend their time in promoting the welfare of those they know exist and can benefit, and not gad about the universe in search of imaginary ladies and gentlemen of inaccessible worlds."

Yet, with due submission to our Utilitarian, I certainly think the Essay on the " Plurality of Worlds" may subserve a very useful purpose; and if it had been a little differently constructed, I think it would have read us lessons entirely unexceptionable,as it even now teaches us many valuable ones. I thought before I dipped into it (judging from report merely), that it was an ironical argument, designed, not seriously to call in question the probability of a "Plurality of Worlds,”—a conclusion which so many analogies favour, and which will, I suppose, be always adopted by nine-tenths of mankind, but to show philosophers how little they really know about the matter, and how little reason there was for the confidence and dogmatism with which cosmologists have often chattered about such subjects. I say there was ample ground for reading the world such a lesson; for really the conceit of modern science had been getting on at such a rate with

its "fire mists," its "condensations" of "subtle fluid matter," and its theories of "nebula" consolidating into stars, that thousands began to think it was the easiest thing in the world to make a world; nay, that they could even see them a-making. I almost fancy some of our wise cosmogonists would hardly have blushed to head a chapter in a similar way with one in Knickerbocker's "History of New York,". Showing how that the creation of a world is by no means so difficult a matter as has been sometimes imagined."

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On reading the book, however, though I think it does convey some such reproofs very forcibly, I find many passages which look as if the author seriously designed, not merely to challenge proofs of ingenious and plausible hypotheses, or rebuke the confidence with which they have been maintained, but to show that there is really a preponderance of argument in favour of the hypothesis that other worlds are not inhabited. On the other hand, his opponent, the Reviewer, seems to me to speak as much too dogmatically on the other side; he lays much more stress on some Scripture phrases than they will bear; nor does he sufficiently remember, when he gives his scientific conjectures of what is certainly possible enough, or even probable enough, that the question which the author of the "Plurality" constantly urges, is not what may be, but what is; not what may possibly be true, but what is known about the matter. "of

That is assuredly little enough. We know but little even our next-door neighbour"—the moon; and what we do know seems to have pretty well convinced astronomers that she is not inhabited; we at the same time know that our earth certainly is. These are the only two worlds of whose condition, relatively to this subject, we are entitled to speak with any measure of confidence; so that the data seem lamentably meagre for a sweeping generalisation either way. The problem, in fact, seems to be much like this;-Given one world which is certainly inhabited, and one other which most probably is not; to discover whether other worlds are inhabited or not. This sounds to me about as promising as this;-Given one river which has fish, and another which

has none; to discover whether other rivers, of which nothing is known, have fish or not; a hopeful problem for à priori speculation !

Yet, after all, though we know nothing about the matter, I suppose all the books in the world will not prevent men from being of a very confident persuasion, arguing from general analogy, - that the worlds above us are not all empty solitudes; but, like our own, either already, or destined to be, the abodes of life.

Nevertheless, to show how little we know of the matter, the hypothesis of the author of the "Plurality" or that of his opponent may be absolutely true; and, again, both may be partially true. It may be that every one of the worlds around us is in the predicament in which the author of the "Plurality" so ingeniously argues this world must have been millions of years before life appeared in it. Even if designed to be the abodes of life, they may be only building, not built; not yet tenantable the scaffolding all still about them; the carpenter, upholsterer, and painter, not yet admitted; or, if I may change the figure, the "crust" of these worlds may still be a-baking, or rather cooling, if that be the approved scientific mode in which the crust of worlds is made. Our world may be the only one thoroughly fitted up. On the other hand, for aught we know, this may be the last that was finished; while they all may have rejoiced in the completion of the process myriads of ages ago! Even the moon herself, on that side of which we know nothing, may be a paradise, and full of happy inhabitants; and the side which alone we see, may be the rocky foundations of her other glorious hemisphere- an "Arabia Petræa" bordering an "Arabia Felix." There may be in other worlds no life as yet; there may be only forms of animal life inferior to man; there may be rationality conjoined with the most diverse organisation from ours, intelligence essentially like ours, but indefinitely superior, or indefinitely inferior to it; there may be beings with only one sense or two, and there may be others like Voltaire's Little Man of Saturn, or like " Micromegas himself, with fifty senses, and a knowledge of" three hundred

essential properties of matter; there may be rational creatures in each of the various planets, adapted by special organisation to their physical conditions of light and heat and local position in the universe, affording, amidst essential unity of plan conjoined with endless modifications in execution, proofs of the inexhaustible fertility of the Divine invention, the "manifold wisdom of God;" and there may be, to prove that "manifold wisdom" yet more conspicuously, not only rationality like ours, but even a physical organisation like ours too, in planets most dissimilarly situated in reference to the sun, and most dissimilarly constituted in themselves; and this by means of a modification of their secondary laws; of a special physical apparatus, which, for aught we know, may make Mercury as cool, and Saturn as warm, as the earth. So that, on the one hand, while the planets are differently placed relatively to the centre of the system, they may have inhabitants organised very differently from ourselves, yet exquisitely adapted to them; or they may have inhabitants like ourselves, in virtue of distinct adaptation of their own local laws to such inhabitants; or, which again is very possible, both these suppositions may be true in different portions of the universe, and thus conjointly illustrate the infinitude of the Divine resources. Here is a "plentiful assortment" of conjectures, any one of which may be true; nay, all of them at the very same time, in different regions of space! But as to what is known, demonstrable- how much is it?

"The

The folks of other worlds, supposing those worlds to be inhabited, what would they say if they knew that we are writing books and waging strenuous controversies as to their possible existence? I fancy they would be inclined to say of us, inhabitants of that little world can have very little to do, since they can find time for the active pursuit of such visionary speculations?" But what would they say if they found that, in these and in many other equally conjectural inquiries, philosophers could not refrain from vehement objurgation and mutual reproaches?-sometimes even lost their temper, and charged each other with absurdity and stupidity?—nay, with grave tendencies

to " Atheism," if others did not "dream the same dream as they? Methinks our planetary friends would say, that the "Know Thyself," which was said so long ago to have "descended from heaven," still remains there; and that, whatever else our philosophers have succeeded in fetching from other worlds, they had at least left that behind them.

Ever yours, &c.,

R. E. H. G.

My dear Friend,

LETTER LXXXVIII.

To the Same.

On recollecting what I wrote the other day, I half repent of some of the sentiments I expressed. I laughed a little at the busy idleness which sends us all roaming into other worlds when we have so much to do in this, and so little time to do it in, and perhaps it does look rather whimsical; yet, in calmly computing not only the pleasure but the benefit of the hours I have spent with my two authors, I am by no means sure that they have not been wisely spent. If they have not given me knowledge, I am not sure that they have not given me what is better. How elevating is even speculation,-if we be at all sober and modest,— on such a theme! What can so teach us humility, our insignificance and weakness, as such a little tour through the universe! How does even that ignorance, in which we are at last compelled to acquiesce, instruct us yet more profoundly than our limited knowledge! How ennobling are those thoughts that "wander through infinity,”—at least raising us above this world if they cannot reveal to us the condition of other worlds!

And even if ever so unprofitable, yet how inevitable, is the curiosity which impels man to such speculations! Who can resist them? Who can look up to the glittering lights which

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