myriad types of existence and infinite stages of development. Physically
speaking, one cannot imagine the countless variety of ways in which
flesh and bone may congregate around the human brain to make a sentient
and intelligent creature.

Confined as we are to our little dark world, we know by sight of only
one way in which the brain conveys its messages and serves its ends,
namely, through a body of one hundred pounds or more of flesh and bone,
formed erect, and capable of rendering service upon a moment's notice.
Therefore some of us are conceited enough to believe that we are the
most perfect and beautiful beings of the universe, the highest
expression of creative art, and that all other creatures in a million
orbs take a secondary place.

True enough, we occupy an honored position in the scale of creation, but
while the people of many worlds are beneath us, yet there are many more
planets whereon human genius has surpassed us, and we must be modest
enough to take our rightful place in the drama of the worlds.

"How many planets, how many suns, how many milky ways are there?" you
ask in one breath. Speaking alone of our own universe, of which the
Milky Way is the backbone, I estimate that if we multiply the number of
stars by forty-nine, we shall have the approximate number of worlds that
are large enough to be classed with the family of inhabited planets.

In our immediate universe there are at least one hundred million stars,
a number of which have over five hundred worlds revolving around them;
others have only six or ten. The average, as above stated, is estimated
at forty-nine. Then, also, far out in the depths of space, there are
nebulous spots visible only through the most searching lenses. These are