A silvery haze veils the distant landscape, partly revealing, partly obscuring its exquisite beauty, and in all directions the land is abloom with many-hued flowers, each exhaling a fragrance all its own. Nature adorned as a queen demands her rightful measure of homage, and thus we salute thee, thou beauteous expression of the Infinite Good.
The ceaseless activities of nature accomplish manifold wonders, and in the peculiar looking animals under the shade of yonder great trees we observe one that may surprise you. Madame, we will draw nearer them. At times I forget that your vision is not as far reaching as our own. You will allow me to assist you. Do you now see them clearly? Yes? Then for a little we will pause here. Your amazement does not at all surprise us, for indeed those creatures are strangely formed, colored and clothed. We desire that you shall attempt a description of that one standing apart from the others.
Medium—But where shall I begin? With its head? Certainly that is its strongest, strangest feature, and it is formed very like the head of a giraffe, but its enormous horns, curved spirally, extend upward, and its ears are small and drooping. No one on Earth ever will believe me when I say that its large, gentle eyes are placed, one in the front, the other in the back of its head, yet truly they are there. Its neck is very like that of a horse, but rather longer, and its shoulders are much higher than its haunches. It is covered with short, reddish brown hair, perhaps I should say wool, for it is rough and crinkled, and on the end of its tail, which nearly touches the ground, is a great tuft of long, crinkled hair. Its mane is short, thick and upright, and both mane and tail are of a lighter tint of brown than is its body. At its shoulders it is the height of an ordinary horse, but its long neck and its great horns extending upward adds to its apparent height. I cannot imagine a more grotesque looking animal. I wonder what purpose it may serve?
George Brooks—I should say, to illustrate that when nature sets about it she can turn out enigmas difficult of solution. Another reason for the existence of such queer-looking animals may be that nature intends them as a background on which to exhibit the good looking ones, for grazing near yonder clump of shrubbery is an exceptionally handsome animal.
De L'Ester—George, you may not be either a philosopher or scientist, but certainly you are original.
Madame, will you also attempt a description of this animal?
Medium—I shall do my best, and where I fail you will prompt me. This animal reminds me of a horse, but it is larger than any horse I ever have seen. Its head is well proportioned to the size of its body and is as delicately formed as the head of a deer. Its ears are erect, pointed, rather small and set closely to its head. Its eyes are large, gentle and beautiful. Its neck is rather short, but symmetrical, and fringed with a long, silken mane. Its legs are well proportioned and its hoofs are daintily formed and semi-transparent. Its tail, almost sweeping the ground, is covered with long hair the color of its mane, which is a very dark brown, and its body is clothed with hair of a lighter shade of brown, rather, I should say, with shades of brown and white arranged in spots, like those of a leopard. I think it a very handsome animal. Is my description at all accurate?
De L'Ester—Quite so; and this animal is a Lûma̤, and the other is a Vetson. As I already have intimated on this Planet there are in its animal kingdom forms bearing striking resemblances to some existing on Earth, but owing to Planetary conditions they are of a larger type than their kindred of our Planet. You are to remember that all life germs are homogeneous, their varying expressions being the result of varying conditions. Thus throughout the myriad life expressions of different Planets there are endless strong resemblances. Why not? The conditions of the several Planets of our Solar System are not so utterly dissimilar as some of your learned persons declare them to be. And mark what I shall say: On Earth's physical plane there are at this time re-embodied ones whose inherent qualities will within the next half-century enable them to give to Earth's peoples undreamed of facts concerning other Worlds. Facts which will necessitate a readjustment of accepted scientific conclusions. Yes, necessarily, resemblances between the fauna and flora of Mars and Earth are closer than between those of any other two Planets of our Solar System. I say necessarily, for the reason that like produces like, and the conditions of Mars and Earth, being more nearly similar than are the corresponding conditions of any of their Planetary kindred, it follows that their productions must keep pace with conditions.
Another question? Certainly, but I must make a brief reply. Throughout the animal and vegetable kingdoms of all inhabited Planets structural divergences ever have marked the lines of evolution, the human animal alone excepted. True, the human animal evolves through all the gradations of animal existence, but unlike other animals, he diverges neither to the right nor to the left. His specific, inherent energy impelling him ever onward, ever upward and straight ahead. Man is the culmination not only of forces but of qualities which set him apart from all other physical existences. He is the apex of intelligent direction, the final, expression of God in form, not only on Mars and Earth, but in the human everywhere.
We will now proceed, observing as we move onward whatever may be instructive or interesting. Embowered in yonder grove of magnificent trees is a stately dwelling. We will approach it more nearly, we even may enter it, for I doubt not, madame, we might find in it much that to you would be new and of interest. From its dimensions and imposing style we may conclude that it is the home of persons of wealth and distinction. For a little we will pause under the shade of these great trees, which impart a sense of restfulness.