There hangs the only world in existence; it hangs in empty space.
It has no tendency to rise; none to fall; none to move at all in
any direction. It seethes and, flames, and holds itself together
by attractive power, and that is all the force with which we have
endowed it.

Leave it there alone, and withdraw millions of miles into space:
it looks smaller and smaller. We lose sight of those distinctive
spires of flame, those terrible movements. It only gives an even
effulgence, a steady unflickering light. Turn one quarter round.
Still we see our world, but it is at one side.

Now in front, in the utter darkness, suddenly create another world
of the same size, and at the same distance from you. There they
stand--two huge, lone bodies, in empty space. But we created them
dowered with attraction. Each instantly feels the drawing influence
of the other. They are mutually attractive, and begin to [Page 8]
move toward each other. They hasten along an undeviating straight
line. Their speed quickens at every mile. The attraction increases
every moment. They fly swift as thought. They dash their flaming,
seething foreheads together.

And now we have one world again. It is twice as large as before,
that is all the difference. There is no variety, neither any motion;
just simple flame, and nothing to be warmed thereby. Are our creative
powers exhausted by this effort?

[Illustration: Fig. 1.--Orbit A D, resulting from attraction, A
C, and projectile force, A B.]