"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."