At last he came to the form of religion which he described as that which, though not including the greatest number, is certainly professed by all of the most highly civilized types of humanity. Into the doctor’s exposition of the Christian faith we need not enter. Suffice it to say that when he came to the explicit statement—delivered with evident marks of delight—that the Maker designed the greater part of the human race to live everlastingly in excruciating torture by fire, the whole of the assembly rose simultaneously to their feet and left the cathedral. They would hear no more. Every word of these extraordinary lectures was automatically taken down, and sent through the world as fast as delivered. The whole history of the earth contained therein fell like a thunderbolt on the Hesperians, who were quite unprepared for any such revelation of the Unknown. After this, the notes show that the doctor had many interviews and discussions with people from all parts, but no memoranda of them are to be found. Clearly, the result of his communications was an intensifying of the gloom which prevailed in Hesperos. The hopes of the people, which had been strongly excited by his arrival, were as suddenly changed to despondency. And no wonder; for, certainly, tidings of such a Maker as the Being depicted by their visitor, were not calculated to raise any enthusiastic delight. Doubts seem to have sprung up among some of the Hesperians as to the perfect accuracy of his statements, which, as one or two of the leading journals pretty plainly hinted, might possibly be coloured by prejudice. So incredible, indeed, did some parts of his lectures appear, that two enterprising persons, then in the juvenescent period of life, volunteered to attempt the passage to the earth, if Van Varken would entrust them with the secret of transference. They wished to examine the terrestrial phenomena, both religious and temporal, for themselves. Dr. Van Varken, who was much mortified at these suspicions as to his veracity, received them with some coolness. He made two objections to their proposal. First, he was under a pledge of secrecy to Mr. Homi, and, secondly, the attempt would be attended with extreme peril to themselves. For it was quite impossible to tell beforehand what region of the earth they might land in; and, if they chanced on an uncivilized nation, death by mortal lesion, and that beyond the salutary influence of the Hesperian pole, would be their nearly certain fate.