see why we may not hope some day to realize a means of communication with these distant bodies.  How inspiring is the thought that in some such way upon the basis of an absolutely perfect scientific deduction we might be brought into conversational alliance with these singular and orderly creations, and actually look upon their scenes and lives and history, and bring to ourselves in verbal pictures a presentation of their marvellous properties.”

I think it was on this occasion that my father expressed his thought upon some form of interplanetary telegraphy in a manner that left it in my own mind a very impressive and majestic idea.  He had read at some length the address of Sir William Armstrong before the British Association in 1863, when that distinguished observer speaks of the sympathy between forces operating in the sun, and magnetic forces in the earth and remarks the phenomenon seen by independent observers in September, 1859.  The passage, easily verified by the reader, was to this effect: 

“A sudden outburst of light, far exceeding the brightness of the sun’s surface was seen to take place, and sweep like a drifting cloud over a portion of the solar surface.  This was attended by magnetic disturbances of unusual intensity and with exhibitions of aurora of extraordinary brilliancy.  The identical instant at which the effusion of light was observed was recorded by an abrupt and strongly marked deflection in the self-registering instruments at Kew.”

My father then pausing and walking impetuously across the room declaimed, as it were, his views: 

“Here we are, a group of limited intelligent beings circumscribed by a boundless space, and placed upon a speck of matter which is whirled around the sun in an endless captivity, bound by this inexorable law of gravitation, like a stone in a sling.  About us in this ethereal ocean floats a host of similarly made orbs, perhaps, in thousands of cases, inhabited by beings throbbing with the same curiosity as our own to reach out beyond their sphere, and learn something of the nature of the animated universe which they may dimly suspect lies about them in the other stars.  Why must it not be part of this immeasurable design which brought us here, that we shall some day become part of a celestial symposium; that lines of communication, invisible but incessant, shall thread in labyrinths of invisible currents these dark abysses, and bring us in inspiring touch with the marvels and contents of the entire universe.”

He turned to me and gazing intently at my upturned face which I am sure reflected his own in its enthusiasm and delight, continued:  “You, my son, and I, will put this before us as a possible achievement and work incessantly for that end.  Prof.  Hertz has generated these magnetic waves; we will; and by means of some sort of a receiver endeavor to find out a clue to wireless telegraphy.”  These closing remarkable words were actually used by my father, and in view of the marvellous realization of Marconi’s hopes in that direction, as well as my own stupendous success in reaching the inhabitants of Mars, was a distinct prophecy.