he blind, deaf parasites of a
world isolated from the rest of the universe. O Sacred Night! If on the
one hand it rests upon the heights of Truth beyond the day's illusions,
on the other its invisible urns pour down a silent and tranquil peace, a
penetrating calm, upon our souls that weary of Life's fever. It makes us
forget the struggles, perfidies, intrigues, the miseries of the hours of
toil and noisy activity, all the conventionalities of civilization. Its
domain is that of rest and dreams. We love it for its peace and calm
tranquillity. We love it because it is true. We love it because it
places us in communication with the other worlds, because it gives us
the presage of Life, Universal and Eternal, because it brings us Hope,
because it proclaims us citizens of Heaven.

CHAPTER II

THE CONSTELLATIONS

In Chapter I we saw the Earth hanging in space, like a globe isolated on
all sides, and surrounded at vast distances by a multitude of stars.

These fiery orbs are suns like that which illuminates ourselves. They
shine by their own light. We know this for a fact, because they are so
far off that they could neither be illuminated by the Sun, nor, still
more, reflect his rays back upon us: and because, on the other hand, we
have been able to measure and analyze their light. Many of these distant
suns are simple and isolated; others are double, triple, or multiple;
others appear to be the centers of systems analogous to that which
gravitates round our own Sun, and of which we form part. But these
celestial tribes are situated at such remote distances from us that it
is impossible to distinguish all the individuals of each particular
family. The most delicate observations have only revealed a few of them.
We must content ourselves here with admiring the principals,--the
sun-stars,--prodigious globes, flaming torches, scattered profusely
through the firmament.

How, then, is one to distinguish them? How can they be readily found and
named? There are so many of them!

Do not fear; it is quite a simple matter. In studying the surface of the
Earth we make use of geographical maps on which the continents and seas
of which it consists are drawn with the utmost care. Each country of our
planet is subdivided into states, each of which has its proper name. We
shall pursue the same plan in regard to the Heavens, and it will be all
the easier since the Great Book of the Firmament is constantly open to
our gaze. Our g