stars. Nor does the resemblance stop here. For you have discovered that
one has an atmosphere, another is surrounded with clouds, while on the
surface of our own globe you see the polar snows increase in winter and
melt away in summer. Is it not probable that if you could get nearer to
these globes you would find still closer resemblances? And if they are
like the earth in so many ways, is it at all unlikely that they may, at
some period of their existence, be the abode of intelligent life? For what
other purpose were they made, Doctor?"

"They make very pretty objects for us to look at," replied my companion.

"Yes, those that can be seen," said Thorwald; "but is that all? Were those
great worlds, some of them hundreds of times larger than your own globe,
created merely to add a little variety to your sky, and to give you the
pleasant task of watching their movements under the pretty title of
morning and evening star?" "Speaking from the knowledge I had when I left
the earth," the doctor answered, "I can say I never heard that they were
put to any other use. No one ever came down to us from any of them to tell
us they were inhabited."

"And do you think," asked Thorwald, "that the myriads of stars were also
made simply to delight the eye of man?"

"How do I know that they were not?" the doctor asked in reply.

"Because of the absolute unreasonableness of the thought, if for no other
reason," answered Thorwald. "But now let me recall to your mind more of
the knowledge possessed by the inhabitants of the earth. I think I know
about what that knowledge is, from my acquaintance with the present state
of your development. Astronomy has been our master science, and I can