human
Sir, replied Ardan's antagonist,
gpt
Bring them forward then, sir, as many as you please.
human
You know, said the stranger,
gpt
In point of fact, replied Ardan,
human
These volcanoes, however, were at one time in a state of activity?
gpt
True! but, as they furnished themselves the oxygen necessary for combustion, the mere fact of their eruption does not prove the presence of an atmosphere.
human
Proceed again, then; and let us set aside this class of arguments in order to come to direct observations. In 1715 the astronomers Louville and Halley, watching the eclipse of the 3rd May, remarked some very extraordinary scintillations. These jets of light, rapid in nature, and of frequent recurrence, they attributed to thunderstorms generated in the lunar atmosphere.
gpt
In 1715, replied the unknown,
human
On again, then, replied Ardan;
gpt
Herschel, in 1787, observed a great number of luminous points on the moon's surface, did he not?
human
Yes! but without offering any solution of them. Herschel himself never inferred from them the necessity of a lunar atmosphere. And I may add that Bœer and Moedler, the two great authorities upon the moon, are quite agreed as to the entire absence of air on its surface.
gpt
Let us proceed, replied Ardan, with perfect coolness,
human
But is this established as a fact?
gpt
Absolutely certain!