"The heaven that rolls around cries aloud to you while it displays its eternal harmony, and yet your eyes are fixed upon the earth alone."

DANTE.

 

"This truth within thy mind rehearse,

That in a boúndless universe

Is boundless better, boundless worse.

"Think you this mould of hopes and fears

Could find no statelier than his peers

In yonder hundred million spheres?"

TENNYSON.

 

A TRIP TO VENUS.

 

CHAPTER I.

A MESSAGE FROM MARS.

 

While I was glancing at the Times newspaper in a morning train for London my eyes fell on the following item:—

A STRANGE LIGHT ON MARS.—On Monday afternoon, Dr. Krueger, who is in charge of the central bureau at Kiel, telegraphed to his correspondents:—

     "Projection lumineuse dans région australe du terminateur de Mars observée par Javelle 28 courant, 16 heures.—Perrotin."

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