ce even this slight motion.

The director of this new observatory has already distinguished himself
in the delicate and difficult work of investigating this motion, and I
am glad to know that he is continuing the work here with one of the
finest instruments ever used for the purpose, a splendid product of
American mechanical genius. I can assure you that astronomers the world
over will look with the greatest interest for Professor Doolittle's
success in the arduous task he has undertaken.

There is one question connected with these studies of the universe on
which I have not touched, and which is, nevertheless, of transcendent
interest. What sort of life, spiritual and intellectual, exists in
distant worlds? We cannot for a moment suppose that our little planet
is the only one throughout the whole universe on which may be found the
fruits of civilization, family affection, friendship, the desire to
penetrate the mysteries of creation. And yet this question is not
to-day a problem of astronomy, nor can we see any prospect that it ever
will be, for the simple reason that science affords us no hope of an
answer to any question that we may send through the fathomless abyss.
When the spectroscope was in its infancy it was suggested that possibly
some difference might be found in the rays reflected from living
matter, especially from vegetation, that might enable us to distinguish
them from rays reflected by matter not endowed with life. But this hope
has not been realized, nor does it seem possible to realize it. The
astronomer cannot afford to waste his energies on hopeless speculation
about matters of which he cannot learn anything, and he therefore
leaves this question of the plurality of worlds to others who are as
competent to discuss it as he is. All he can tell the world is:

He who through vast immensity can pierce,
See worlds on worlds compose one universe;
Observe how system into system runs,
What other planets circle other suns,
What varied being peoples every star,
May tell why Heaven has made us as we are.

XVIII

ASPECTS OF AMERICAN ASTRONOMY

[Footnote: Address delivered at the University of Chicago, October 22,
1897, in connection with the dedication of the Yerkes Observatory.
Printed in the Astro physical Journal. November, 1897.]

The University of Chicago yesterday accepted one of the most munificent
gifts ever made for the promotion of any single science, and