The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-10-15
From the Boston Bulletin.

Oh the pt6SiueuIlal question, lHS ueAt suu-
ject of excitement, and one which will not
probably he confined to the United States
is that of the comet which is to approach the
orbit of our planet in the year 1882. Con-
corning this extraordinary body, and of the
consequences to be apprehended from its
approximation to our globe, some Of the Ger
man philosophers have already begun to
speculate. Whether for the purpose of
wantonly arousing the terrors of an ignor-
ant populace, or through motives still more
dishonorable, we pretend not to decide
but, actuated by some singular sort of fancy
these sage journalists have ventured to pre-
dict the total destruction of the earth, by
its enevtable collision with the excentric-
wanderer aforesaid. Others have seized
upon the terrible prophecy, and in all the
fecundity of imaginations overloaded with
horrors and hypochondria, expatated on the
awful catastrophe, as though it were per-
fectly consistent with the order of nature,
and actually consonant with the demonstra-
tons of astronomical science.
That the comet will appear as foretold,
is as certain as the occurrence of any other
phenomenon, the future exhibition of which
may be inferred from what has passed. That
its path will approach very near from 1900
to $4,000 leagues) to that of the earth, is
ssG r a r Bgt aaqt thtf emns s W n ef
draw nearer than within about 100000
leagues of each other-for while one is
travelling towards the orbit of the other, the
latter will have receded far enough to be
entirely out of the way of mischief, even
should their several tracks lntersect each
othef: and in case they should happen at
the same moment (which cannot be) to ar
rive at those points in their respective or
bits nearest to each other. the disturbance
reasonably to be apprehended would neces-
sarily be momentary, and altogether too
slight to become an object of previous alarm.
In all ages of the world there have exist
ed individuals who seem to have delighted
in the agitation of the fears of mankind.
The present prediction is by no means an
original one. The superstitions of past
generations have often been inhamed by
similar foreshowings; and the approach of
a comet, especially, has always afforded
to croakers and fanatics a most eligible
chance for the display of their frightful as
trology. We have a long catalogue of
these forebodings and attempted decisions
at hand, which we might quote by way of IL
lustration; but for the present will cite only
the following, for which history furnishes
indubitable vouchers
In the year 176l, two men at Cologne
having reported that they had just arrived
from Damascus, were visited by the Jesuts
of the former place, with whom they con-
versed in the Hebrew, Chaldaic, Greek and
Latin languages. They came, as they af-
frmed, by order Of Heaven, to call men to
repentance; and stated themselves to be
prophets, and only 700 years of age. They
predicted among other things, the destruc-
ton of Constantinople in 1906; the inunda-
ton of all England in 1769; an earth
quake throughout the globe in 1770; the
fall Of the sun, moon, and stars in I771; the
confagration of the whole earth in I772-
and finally, the general Judgment in 1873.
We believe they proceeded no further in
their predictions.
Winston, the mathematician, predicted,
not the destruction of the earth, but the
actual advance of the millennium at a period
which he CHANGED nevertheless to survive
During its fancied approach however, he
endeavored to lease an estate for thirty
years to friend. elbow can you, Nj.
Whiston," said his friend, "thus endeavor
to impose upon me, when you know, that, in
less than halfthat time all mems property will
be in common, and no mans estate worth
sixpencew
John Stoferus, a learned man, who -four
ished in the 10th century in Suabia, pre-
dicted a terrible deluge in 1924. which
alaImed all Europe. He was seconded by
the astrologers of the day, and all sorts of
expedients were contrived in order to evade
the menanced calamity. People who dwelt
near the sea shore sold their estates at
great loss; inspectors were sent to survey
grounds In the provinces to which men
and beast might resort to escape the inunda-
ton; and books were published pointing
out the most feasible methods of avoiding
the catastrophe. The panic ragged violent
ly in France, insomuch that some persons
grew distracted-some built high arches as
a means of deliverance-and NJ. Auriol, a
magistrate of Toulouse, actually erected
four high pillars with boat upon the
summit. But the obstinate continuance of
dry weather chagrined the prophets amaz-
ingly. Nevertheless Stoferus persisted in
his prediction, the fulflment of which he
merely postponed to the year 1856.
In the same century, a Lutheran divine
foretold the end of the world" which was
to happen in 1888. On the day appointed,
while he was preaching, sudden tempest
arose, during the raging of which his hear
eTs remained perfectly quiet, having all faith
in the prophecy. But, as the storms sub
sided, quite disappointed in their expecta-
tons, they tore the preacher from his desk,
and gave him an unmercifal fagellation for
his mistake.
Countless soothsayers of this description
nave at different periods endeavored to dis
turb the peace Of the world by foretelling
its sudden ruin. Among them one George
Bell, a religious enthusiast, about half
century since pretended to foresee the end
of the world; but having retracted before
the time arrived, people allowed their fears
to subside. Lord Napier, the ingen-
ious inventor of the logaritbms, suffered