In reference to the nebula in the Sword’s-handle of Orion, which contains matter sufficient to form two thousand and two hundred trillions of suns like our own; if this matter is of any density—or if not, even—it would seemingly cool almost instantly in an element 300° below zero. In truth how could it have become heated unless composed of some combustible element, like hydrogen, that would spring of itself into a mass of flame with an energy,—if there is conservation of energy,—that would exist for ever, and might repeat its work over and over again as do the oceans of our earth? There is no evidence, as far as we have ascertained, that this nebula rotates; nor can we believe that its luminosity is caused by swift revolution when our own sun, less than one million of miles in diameter, rotates but once in twenty-five days and is now moving swifter, according to the laws of mechanics appertaining to spherical, vaporous bodies, than ever before. Even scientists and philosophers cannot tell us of the formation of a grass-seed, from which springs life identical with its kind; neither can they detect with the best microscope any difference between the varied forms of matter in the first stages of inception, nor feel sure whether there will be developed therefrom a tree, a dog, an elephant, or a man. For two hundred years _spontaneous combustion_ has been discussed, some finding from an infusion of hay that life appeared; but when the idea was supposed to have been proved it was discovered that life was in _air_, and with the life-germs taken from it no spontaneous generation would arise. Later it was found that bacteriae would exist in great heat, and from that fact _biogenesis_ was thought proved; for life only could come from life. We remember also that for years the famous Bodes Law was considered fully established, until upon the discovery of planet Neptune it was found to be so far out of position that the law was no longer applicable to the distribution of the planets of the solar system. Remembering all these changes after science considered the theories well established, we believe there are things to-day about nebulae, even, that conflict with the hypothesis under consideration; as, for instance the irregular shape they often assume, and the fact that many have already been resolved into stars with the aid of sufficiently powerful instruments. [Illustration: Decoration] CHAPTER IX. LIMITATIONS.