The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-04-14

FOR Tue ALEXANDRIA HERALD.
SCIPIO'S DREAM. Concluded J

exclaimed, show long will the earth On.
gross your regards know you not that
you are in heaven ! The universe is
connected by nine spheres, or rather
globes: The farthest is the Great Goo
himselfi including and regulating the
whole system. Within his orbit are the
| stars, and subjected to it, moving 1fnin
an opposite course, are seven spheres, of
which the first is on earth, called Saturn
Next is Jupiter, planet propisious and
useful to man; next Mars, whose light
IS red and terrible; then, about the
| middle region, the Sun, the cfief and
ruling luminary, the inspiring ard tens
Pering principle of all things, and by
which the universe is lighted andinfovm-
ed. Venus and Mercury follow him as
attendants, and in the lowest spAere re-
wolves the moon, irradiated by tae sun.
Below, all is precarious and mortal, sx-
cept the souls of men, given to hem by
the Gods. All above the moon rs ever.
lasting. Tbs Earth, the ninth sphere.
is motionless, and towards it every thing
gravitates."
AS soon as my astonishment a, this
spectacle had in some degree subsidized,
l asked what raVishing melody filled my
ear. "The revolutions of the spheres"
said Africanus, "emitting sounds proper
toned 10 their mutual distances, and
| mingliDg the grave with the acute, pro-
| duce this heavenly concert. To such
stupendous motions silence is impossible,
| and nature has ordained TO them sounds
vary ing according TO their situation and
velocity. Those of the highest sphere
whose course, Is more rapid, are sharp
and shrills while those of this moon, the
lowest and the least vehement in its pro-
gress, are grave. The earth is ststiona.
ry in the middle of the syste IN, but seven
| distinct sounds proceed from tho other
| eight, of which Mercury and Venus, be-
ing equal in their momentum, are exact
ly consoDous. The number seven, in.
deed, is cardinal and mystick. Learned
men initiating this celestial harmony in
their vocal and instrumental musick,
thus open for themselves return hither,
as do ali others who on earth diligently,
and with transeendent abilities, prosecute
divine studies. BY these yerwhelming
sounds, the ear OF man is SO oppressed,
that none Of your senses is more obtuse
than that of hearing ;-as the mighty
! noise attending the fall of the cataracts
Of the Nile, is said to have entirely deaf
ened the nation inbabiting their vicinity.
The human ear is as unsusceptib!e Of the
sounds emitted by the spheres, as the
human eye is unable to gaze directly at
the SUM-" Here struck with admiration
| again looked down on the earth.
"Scipio," continued Africanus, sI
perceive you contemplating the abode OF
man. lfit seems to you small, as it real.
Iy is. despise all human things, and turn
your thoughts to heaven. What glory
can you expect from men? Rou observe
the Inhabited parts of the earth are few
and Narrow THAT even these are inter-
rupted by deserts comparatively vast -
.ha, not only are men so disjoiDed that
universal intercourse among them is i'm
practicable, but that one portion of them
10 sidewise; another backward and the
third opposite to the part of the earth in
(which you dwell. To these you Ger.
tainly cannot hope that your fame will
be transmitted. That same earth you
see is encircled by zones of which, two,
trsSsigswaseas are concealed by per.
petual frost, and the middle which is the
largest, is scorched by solar heat. Two
only are habitable. The southern o.
them is possessed by Antipodes arc
strangers to your race and with the
countries ofihe northern, how slight and
partial is your communion Your whole
| earth. narrnyy at the noles. a little eniarp.