Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-02-10

this process, the universe would soon grow O.
verstocked with planets, or comets eggs, and
their chickens. Yet it requires but SUI
perfcial view of the operations Of nature to
get over the objection. The comet is an unna-
turaI mother, and devours her own offspring.
Her great flights through empty space require
uncommon exertions-this occasions hunger,
and her hunger must be allayed by eating her
own eggs and chickens; for she can find no.
thing else, save male, (suu) and him she dare
not attack, and could not swallow, even if she
conquered. I lremble for the fate of our poor
world, on which creep and draw my susten-
anee; fear it will be swallowed on the next
visitation Of certain comet
How Insignificant does man appear on this
great scale of nature-a louise, creeping on the
shell of an egg, LAID by bird of passage. And
defy all the philosophers ofthe present age, 10
prove that man is not a louise, nor the world an
animal Capt Symmes has gone far in eradi-
eating antiquated opinions; yet he has not gone
far enough-let him give life, animation and
circulation Of fluids, to his "hollow concentric
sphere" and he will be consisten,-thc arcana
of nature will then be laid open to our view,
and we may theorise without danger Of incon
sistency.
This very moment feel the animal on which
stand, breathe for the north wind blows hor-
ribly over these dreary mountains, on which
write-this must be from the emission of gas,
at the polar opening.
But enough for the present; if leisure per-
mils will pursue the subject, and give addi-
| tional reasons to prove the correctness of my
hypothesis In this hope to be assisted by
the zootomists of your town and district, who
must have better opportunities of information
OH this subject than denizen Of the Allegheny
| mountains. COSMOGRAPHlST.
Hampshire County, va. Jan. 90.
Messrs. Printers-Itis fact, not generally
known, nor easily accounted for, that man, no
matter what may be his weight, can lay on his
back, and car be blowed up by four others.
merely with the assistance Of one finger each.
The way it is done is this the man lays on his
back, on the floor or bench-four others stand
by him; two at the shoulders and two at the,
hams-each puts finger under the man who
is down, and all five make long inspiration:
at the commencement Of the expiration, which
must be simultaneous, the four who are stand
ing raise their fingers, and the man of 500
weight is as easily elevated as an infant of
lbs. In fact, BY this process, all weights seem
10 be alike. and could rock Of 100 tons be
made to breathe arti6cially, it might, in all pro-
liability, be elevated in this manner, by four
men, with more ease than 500 horse power
applied 10 the pulley, lever, or any other me-
chanical apparatus.
Strange as this raising of man, by this
means may appear, it is nevertheless true.
have seen it frequently tried, and never saw it
fail when properly managed. / have often seen
the divining rod tried, and often seen il fail yet
this latter, some years since, has been thought
worthy of much newspaper disquisiton, and
considerable sound argument; but still the solv-
ing of the problem could not be of as much be-
nefit to mankind as the one have proposed
By means Of the secret spring Of this mystery,
rocks and mountains might be removed-and
it might be made extremely beneficial in intern
Improvements.
Do not call this piece OF credulous super
stition-for have reason to believe that many
arts, which we call "cabalistic," are lost, mere
ly from the scepticism Of modern philosophers,
but which, nevertheless, had philosophy for its
basis, and might have been accounted for by
natural reason, had we, in the place of rejecting,
investigated their properties. Unfortunately,
most philosophers affect to despise what they
cannot understand.
Egypt and other countries shew vestiges OF
arts which are lost. Had proper care have been
taken, we nigh, still have possessed the art OF
making the Tyrian die, the floating brick, the
Grecian FIRE, SC SC. The huge obelisks, sc
on the Nile and other places, mus, have been
raised by something more potent than any me-
chanical power we at present possess. The
arts of witchcraft, conjura,ion, representation,
palmestry, the Interpretation Of dreams, Sc
SC. which once existed, bu which now are lost,
=