The possibility of dark stars, therefore, does not invalidate the general conclusions at which our survey of the subject points. The universe, so far as we can see it, is a bounded whole. It is surrounded by an immense girdle of stars, which, to our vision, appears as the Milky Way. While we cannot set exact limits to its distance, we may yet confidently say that it is bounded. It has uniformities running through its vast extent. Could we fly out to distances equal to that of the Milky Way, we should find comparatively few stars beyond the limits of that girdle. It is true that we cannot set any definite limit and say that beyond this nothing exists. What we can say is that the region containing the visible stars has some approximation to a boundary. We may fairly anticipate that each successive generation of astronomers, through coming centuries, will obtain a little more light on the subject—will he enabled to make more definite the boundaries of our system of stars, and to draw more and more probable conclusions as to the existence or non-existence of any object outside of it. The wise investigator of today will leave to them the task of putting the problem into a more positive shape.
The Price
IF thou shouldst love me, all my life were spent,
Dearest, in loving thee; thy kiss would seal
My lips, and silence would their message steal:
For, to a woman's soul, less eloquent
Ambition is than Love. Too full content
To live in thee, no longer I should feel
My pulses throb an answer to the appeal
Of Fame: and so my loving would prevent
My larger living: therefore, dear, to-night
Stretching to God weak arms that yearn for thee,
With lips that tremble for thy kiss, I pray
That He will lead thee from me to the light
Of other love; that, while thou passest, He
Will give me strength to turn my face away.
Dearest, I turned my face, but still my eyes
Held the clear vision of thy passing slow:
I stopped my hearing to thy voice, but lo,
Still my heart heard thy pleadings and thy sighs.
Methought that little arms in tender wise
Clung to my neck—ah, to have held them so!—
Then loosed their clasp: and, soft, there seemed to grow,
Then lingering die, as music lingering dies
Afar, the sound of little pattering feet
That paused—and passed. With a great cry:—"Then this,
This were the price!"—I turned to thee. Oh, fast
Enfold me, for my life is full complete
If I do naught but love! That loving is
The larger living, now I know at last.
