Of the plurality of worlds: an essay [by W. Whewell. With] A dialogue1855 |
Common terms and phrases
analogy animals appear argument assumption astronomers believe bodies brute clouds comet conceive condition conjecture crea creation creatures density difficulty discoveries distance Divine doctrine double stars doubt earth Essay evidence existence fact fixed stars geology globe God's grounds habitation Herschel human hypothesis inhabitants intellectual intelligent Jupiter kind knowledge laws less light and heat living luminous man's Mars mass material matter ment meteoric stones mind Moon moral motion nature nebulæ Nebular Hypothesis objects occupied opinion orbit organic perhaps period philosophical physical planetary planetary systems planetoids planets Plurality of Worlds present probably progress purpose question race reason regard regions Religion religious remark resemblance revolution revolving round satellites Saturn shew shewn Sirius solar system solid space species speculations sphere spiral strata suppose supposition surface telescope terrestrial things thought thousand tion truth universe Uranus vapour vast Zodiacal Light
Popular passages
Page 329 - Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold. There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st But in his motion like an angel sings, Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubims : Such harmony is in immortal souls ; But whilst this muddy vesture of decay Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.
Page 341 - Look then abroad through nature, to the range Of planets, suns, and adamantine spheres, Wheeling unshaken through the void immense; And speak, O man ! does this capacious scene With half that kindling majesty dilate Thy strong conception, as when Brutus rose Refulgent from the stroke of...
Page 347 - NATURE, we learn from the past history of our globe that she has advanced with slow and stately steps, guided by the archetypal light amidst the wreck of worlds, from the first embodiment of the vertebrate idea under its old ichthyic vestment, until it became arrayed in the glorious garb of the human form.
Page 347 - The recognition of an ideal exemplar for the vertebrated animals proves that the knowledge of such, a being as man must have existed before man appeared. For the divine mind which planned the archetype also foreknew all its modifications. The archetypal idea was manifested in the flesh under divers such modifications upon this planet long prior to the existence of those animal specics that actually exemplify it.
Page 384 - DOCTRINE of LIMITS, with its Applications: namely, Conic Sections ; the first Three Sections of Newton ; and the Differential Calculus.
Page 330 - Worlds roll in these distant regions ; and these worlds must be the mansions of life and intelligence. In yon gilded canopy of heaven we see the broad aspect of the universe, where each shining point presents us with a sun, and each sun with a system of worlds — where the Divinity reigns in all the grandeur of his attributes...
Page 341 - With half that kindling majesty dilate Thy strong conception, as when Brutus rose Refulgent from the stroke of Caesar's fate, Amid the crowd of patriots ; and his arm Aloft extending, like eternal Jove, When guilt brings down the thunder, call'd aloud On Tully's name, and shook his crimson steel, And bade the father of his country hail ? For lo ! the tyrant prostrate on the dust, And Rome again is free...
Page 40 - Ask for what end the heavenly bodies shine, Earth for whose use? Pride answers, "Tis for mine: For me kind Nature wakes her genial power, Suckles each herb, and spreads out every flower; Annual for me, the grape, the rose renew The juice nectareous, and the balmy dew; For me, the mine a thousand treasures brings; For me, health gushes from a thousand...
Page iii - Consider first, that great Or bright infers not excellence : the earth Though, in comparison of heaven, so small, Nor glistering, may of solid good contain More plenty than the sun that barren shines...
Page 360 - On such a subject, where the evidences are so imperfect, and our power of estimating analogies so small, far be it from us to speak positively and dogmatically. And if any one holds the opinion, on whatever evidence, that there are other spheres of the Divine Government than this earth, — other regions in which God has subjects and servants, — other beings who do his will, and who, it may be, are connected with the moral and religious interests of man ; — we do not breathe a syllable against...