a journey in other worlds-第37章

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M。　Canuin　venaticorum；　and　many　othersbegan　to　revolve　about
the　greatest　central　body　of　gas。　　As　the　separate　masses　cooled；
they　shrank；　and　their　surfaces　or　extreme　edges；　which　at　first
were　contiguous；　began　to　recede；　which　recession　is　still　going
on　with　some　rapidity　on　the　part　of　the　sun；　for　we　may　be　sure
its　diameter　diminishes　as　its　density　increases。　　According　to
either　theory；　as　I　see　it；　the　major　planets；　on　account　of
their　distance　from　the　central　mass；　have　had　longer　separate
existences　than　the　minor；　and　are　therefore　more　advanced　than
they　would　be　had　all　been　formed　at　the　same　time。
　　　
〃This　theory　explains　the　practical　uniformity　in　the　chemical
composition　of　all　members　of　this　system　by　assuming　that　they
were　all　once　a　part　of　the　same　body；　and　you　may　say　brothers
and　sisters　of　the　sun；　instead　of　its　offspring。　　It　also　makes
size　the　only　factor　determining　temperature　and　density；　but　of
course　modified　by　age；　since　otherwise　Jupiter　would　have　a　far
less　developed　crust　than　that　with　which　we　find　it。　　I　have
always　considered　the　period　from　the　molten　condition　to　that
with　a　crust　as　comparatively　short；　which　stands　to　reason；　for
radiation　has　then　no　check；　and　the　period　from　the　formation　of
the　crust；　which　acts　as　a　blanket；　to　the　death　of　a　planet；　as
very　long。　　I　have　not　found　this　view　clearly　set　forth　in　any
of　the　books　I　have　read；　but　it　seems　to　me　the　simplest　and
most　natural　explanation。　　Now；　granted　that　the　solar　system　was
once　a　nebula；　on　which　I　think　every　one　will　agreethe　same
forces　that　changed　it　into　a　system　of　sun　and　planets　must　be
at　work　on　fifty…one　M。　Canum　venaticorum；　Andromeda；　and　ninety…
nine　M。　Virginis；　and　must　inevitably　change　them　to　suns；　each
with　doubtless　a　system　of　planets。
　　　
〃If；　then；　the　condition　of　a　nebula　or　star　depends　simply　on
its　size；　it　is　reasonable　to　suppose　that　Andromeda；　Sirius；　and
all　the　vast　bodies　we　see；　were　created　at　the　same　time　as　our
system；　which　involves　the　necessity　of　one　general　and
simultaneous　creation　day。　　But　as　Sirius；　with　its　diameter　of
twelve　million　miles；　must　be　larger　than　some　of　the　nebulae
will　be　when　equally　condensed；　we　must　suppose　rather　that
nebulae　are　forming　and　coming　into　the　condition　of　bright　and
dead　stars；　much　as　apples　or　pears　on　a　fruit　tree　are
constantly　growing　and　developing；　so　that　the　Mosaic　description
of　the　creation　would　probably　apply　in　point　of　time　only　to　our
system；　or　perhaps　to　our　globe；　though　the　rest　will　doubtless
pass　through　precisely　the　same　stages。　　This；　I　think；　I　will
publish；　on　our　return；　as　the　Cortlandt　astronomical　doctrine；
as　the　most　rational　I　have　seen　devised；　and　one　that　I　think　we
may　safely　believe；　until；　perhaps；　through　increased　knowledge；
it　can　be　disproved。〃
　　　
After　they　crossed　a　line　of　hills　that　ran　at　right　angles　to
their　course　they　found　the　country　more　rolling。　　All　streams
and　water…courses　flowed　in　their　direction；　while　their　aneroid
showed　them　that　they　were　gradually　descending。　　When　they　were
moving　along　near　the　surface　of　the　ground；　a　delicious　and
refined　perfume　exhaled　by　the　blue　and　white　flowers；　that　had
been　growing　smaller　as　they　journeyed　northward；　frequently
reached　their　nostrils。　　To　Cortlandt　and　Bearwarden　it　was
merely　the　scent　of　a　flower；　but　to　Ayrault　it　recalled　mental
pictures　of　Sylvia　wearing　violets　and　lilies　that　he　had　given
her。　　He　knew　that　the　greatest　telescopes　on　earth　could　not
reveal　the　Callisto　moving　about　in　Jupiter's　sunshine；　as　even　a
point　of　light；　at　that　distance；　and；　notwithstanding
Cortlandt's　learning　and　Bearwarden's　joviality；　he　felt　at　times
extremely　lonely。
　　　
They　swept　along　steadily　for　fifty　hours；　having　bright　sunny
days　and　beautifully　moonlit　nights。　　They　passed　over　finely
rounded　hills　and　valleys　and　well…　watered　plains。　　As　they
approached　the　ocean　and　its　level　the　temperature　rose；　and
there　was　more　moisture　in　the　air。　　The　plants　and　flowers　also
increased　in　size；　again　resembling　somewhat　the　large　species
they　had　seen　near　the　equator。
　　　
〃This　would　be　the　place　to　live；〃　said　Bearwarden；　looking　at
iron　mountains；　silver；　copper；　and　lead　formations；　primeval
forests；　rich　prairies；　and　regions　evidently　underlaid　with　coal
and　petroleum；　not　to　mention　huge　beds　of　aluminum　clay；　and
other　natural　resources；　that　made　his　materialistic　mouth　water。　
〃It　would　be　joy　and　delight　to　develop　industries　here；　with　no
snow　avalanches　to　clog　your　railroads；　or　icy　blizzards　to
paralyze　work；　nor　weather　that　blights　you　with　sun…strokes　and
fevers。　　On　our　return　to　the　earth　we　must　organize　a　company　to
run　regular　interplanetary　lines。　　We　could　start　on　this　globe
all　that　is　best　on　our　own。　　Think　what　boundless　possibilities
may　be　before　the　human　race　on　this　planet；　which　on　account　of
its　vast　size　will　be　in　its　prime　when　our　insignificant　earth
is　cold　and　dead　and　no　longer　capable　of　supporting　life！　　Think
also　of　the　indescribable　blessing　to　the　congested　communities
of　Europe　and　America；　to　find　an　unlimited　outlet　here！　　Mars　is
already　past　its　prime；　and　Venus　scarcely　habitable；　but　in
Jupiter　we　have　a　new　promised　land；　compared　with　which　our
earth　is　a　pygmy；　or　but　little　more　than　microscopic。〃
　　　
〃I　see；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃that　the　possibilities　here　have　no
limit；　but　I　do　not　see　how　you　can　compare　it　to　the　promised
land；　since；　till　we　undertook　this　journey；　no　one　had　even
thought　of　Jupiter　as　a　habitable　place。〃
　　
　〃I　trace　the　Divine　promise；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃in　what　you
described　to　us　on　earth　as　man's　innate　longing　and　desire　to
rise；　and　in　the　fact　that　the　Almighty　has　given　the　race
unbounded　expansiveness　in　very　limited　space。　　This　would　look
to　me　as　the　return　of　man　to　the　garden　of　Eden　through
intellectual　development；　for　here　every　man　can　sit　under　his
own　vine　and　fig…tree。〃
　　　
〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃that　no　paradise　or　heaven
described　in　anything　but　the　Bible　compares　with　this。　
According　to　Virgil's　description；　the　joys　on　the　banks　of　his
river　Lethe　must　have　been　most　sad　and　dreary；　the　general
idleness　and　monotony　apparently　being　broken　only　by　wrestling
matches　between　the　children；　while　the　rest　strolled　about　with
laurel　wreaths　or　rested　in　the　shade。　　The　pilot　Palinurus；　who
had　been　drowned　by　falling　overboard　while　asleep；　but　who
before　that　had　presumably　done　his　duty；　did　not　seem　especially
happy；　while　the　harsh；　resentful　disposition　evidently　remained
unsoftened；　for　Dido　became　like　a　cliff　of　Marpesian　marble　when
AEneas　asked　to　be　forgiven；　though　he　had　doubtless　considered
himself　in　duty　bound　to　leave　her；　having　been　twice　commanded
to　do　so　by　Mercury；　the　messenger　of　Jove。　　She；　like　the　rest；
seems　to　have　had　no　occupation；　while　the　consciences　of　few
appear　to　have　been　sufficiently　clear　to　enable　them　to　enjoy
unbroken　rest。〃
　　　
〃The　idleness　in　the　spirit…land　of　all　profane　writers；〃　added
Bearwarden；　〃has　often　surprised　me　too。　　Though　I　have　always
recommended　a　certain　amount　of　recreation　for　my　staffin　fact；
more　than　I　have　generally　had　myselfan　excess　of　it　becomes　a
bore。　　I　think　that　all　real　progress　comes　through　thorough
work。　　Why　should　we　assume　that　progress　ceases　at　death？　　I
believe　in　the　verse　that　says；　'We　learn　here　on　earth　those
things　the　knowledge　of　which　is　perfected　in　heaven。'〃
　　　
〃According　to　that；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃you　will　some　day　be
setting　the　axis　of　heaven　right；　for　in　order　to　do　work　there
must　be　work　to　be　donea　necessary　corollary　to　which　is　that
heaven　is　still　imperfect。〃
　　　
〃No；〃　said　Bearwarden；　bristling　up　at　the　way　Cortlandt
sometimes　received　his　speeches；　〃it　means　simply　that　its
development；　though　perfect　so　far　as　it　goes；　may　not　be
finished；　and　that　we　may　be　the　means；　as　on　earth；　of　helping
it　along。〃
　　　
〃The　conditions　constituting　heaven；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃may　be　as
fixed　as　the　laws　of　Nature；　though　the　products　of　those
conditions　mi