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316 are we entitled, on the ground of God's character, to arrive at a necessary conclusion on this subject? No doubt, if we construct the Divine attributes so as to involve the conclusion, the inference must necessarily follow. We adapt the premises to the desired result, and the conclusion is inevitable. But have we certain ground for so constructing the premises, that habitableness of the planets follows as a necessary conclusion? Are we warranted so to define the nature of God, that He must people the orbs of heaven? It is because the weakness of the a priori argument is felt that we appeal to astronomy. And we have seen that astronomy does afford a probability, but only a probability, that some of the planets have a life epoch in their history.

Some sanguine minds may turn with disappointment from such a conclusion,—and think that no end is gained, because a certainty is not established. But how often in life is it, that we can attain to nothing more than probability? If we analyse our thoughts, and feelings, and aspirations, we shall fi.nd that they are brought into play more by probabilities than certainties. It might be thought much more satisfactory that the moon turned round her invisible side to us, and shewed us populous towns and cities, than that we should have the conviction of merely the probable existence of such scenes. A higher end may be served by the mere probability. Speculative thought may be more stirred, and more earnest