Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1806-07-18

DC eetAOisneu On Solo f0nnuAu0nS, pos
sessed ofthe means Of instruction, and
conducted by able professors.
Hthese few ideas, hastily thrown ..
gether, are favourably received by your
readers, the subject shall be continued
~ ssssssssssssss : It.
A writer in the Norwich True Re-
publican, after announcing the approach
ofthe Solar Eclipse, which occurred on
Monday the 10th ultimo, makes the SUBJ
sequens reflections - i
" The years 1905 and 1906 seem to
Be replete with extraordinary events in
the physical world. The congress Of
planets in our System, last October, was
. phenomenon that has not happened for
many years, and from the anomalous
motions Of the planets, Il 10 presumed
(tor We have not made any calculations
on the subject) that the same phenome.
non will not Jake place again for many
ages to come. That Disturbances are
caused in the planets motions when they
are congfegated in the same quarter Of
heheavens by their mutual and approx.
mate attractions, 10 demonstrable fact
and an Acknowledged principle in astro.
nouhiral science. But what particular
CONSCIOUSNESS follow frgm such relative
affections, Is not u present within the.
province Of human Intellect to determine.
One thing however appears to be GER
tain-that our atmosphere has undergone
great and important changes within The
last tive yeafs. The extraordinary VIZ
10 the seasons that have occur.
red in this short period appear to be with
out q parallel in meteorological history,
and strongly urges the intervention Of
some new physical agency which has
caused q variation in the former osdina-
~ course Of atmospherical phenomena.
Bot our short stay here, and the want of
authentic observations made by others in
former ages, precludes Us from forming
any correct opinion Of those changes, and
even renders all conjecture on ! subject
Of sueh magnitude hazardous. Il 10 per-
haps in this respect only, that we have
reason to regret the shortness of human
life. , ..',: 800 F. 2,,1.ss4 H
"rrhe Phenomena Of E clipses furnish
strong philosophical argument in favor
ofthe non-eternity of the world. How.
ever sceptiealwe may be with respect to
The imposing evidence of certain human
dogmas, there i something Of divinity
ia the force Of mathematical truth that
cannot be denied. II is Justly stiIed the
perfection of our reason. The time Of
nnsssencemenso rsnd visible selipse
can be determined by observation, be-
yond . possibility Of being mistaken.
Therefore, if the motion Of the planets
in their orbits remained the same, the
principles on which are founded the cal
rulations of their various aspects, which
give them q degree Of exactness, sur
passing the acuteDess Of our senses, for
any however remote period. But 10 IS
found thar the calculations Of ancient Z.
cipses do not agree with the obseryati.
ons of them. This is caused by 4 small
but Constant decrease of the year, and 4
gradual contraction Of the moon's orbit;
that -, nice observers have discovered
hat the year i not quite so long q. for
nely, and the same thing 10 observed
with respect to the Lunar period. II i
also well known that the planets do not
move IN spare void of resistance, but in
regions Of light and ether, which are ma
terial substances that form Q resisting
medium. that constantly tends 70 lessen
lie proiectile force Of planets and the OBJ
iquity oftheir orbits, whilst the power
# gravity, instsad Of being weakened.
. Increased BY the diminution Of The
,roieetile force. - zs; =z-ss5 -
Hence il 10 manifest, That ifthe mo.
ions Of the planets in their orbits are 10
g wholly regulated BY the physicalc com.
ination Of csntripetal and centrifugal
oIees which q present preserves the &c.
,uiarity and harmony Of the uniyerse,
hose planets must in time fall to the cen.
re Of their attractions, unless the AL.
mighty Archifeef che $1,000 a.. i