MAN'S PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE
"SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Referring to "Man's Place in the Universe" (Spectator, March 7th), if there were an interstellar atmosphere corre- sponding to the terrestrial atmosphere, then the interstellar spaces might glow with diffused light, but, as this is highly improbable, space will be dark, except to those bodies which • lie in " line of fire " to the rectilinear waves of light, hence space will not shine with incandescent light. Aa to the infinitely small, consider the series- • 4_ + . 1 0.1 TWo (1,000)2 ,(1,000)1+ .(1,000)4 (L + 1
000r
And as to the infinitely great, consider the series-
1,000 (1,000)2 + (1,000)' + (Low)' + (1,000)' +... (1,000)2ft
As we can represent on paper both kinds of infinity, surely space may be infinite, and all that it contains may be an infinite series of cosmical permutations and combinations, which is much easier to conceive than a finite universe, which must have a boundary, a limit, and an end.—I am, Sir, &c.,
G. RAYLEIGH VICA.RS.
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