Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-11-26
ia 6SCeisIEIA NsiaesjS.
THE MErEORS.

THE MErEoRS
me phenomenon was visible as far North as Por's.
mouth anu Concord IN N. Hampslre.-The Portsmouth,
journal slate. that the showing STARS continued 10 I,ll
from O'Clock il day break "Iiunlrcds w,rv s.rn -,
e 'e 'hS'' descending to the earth in every direc-
"o" aud with gva, velocity; although most OF them took
nothcriy or westerly They we're seen 10 bnr,
us "spre ''ey reached the EARTH and produced mos,
pr"nu'u hg, 80 vivid 10 ensbe persons TO count e
bricks oil The buildings near by. Frequen ~. Ter The
STARS seeued 10 burst luminous rays would remain ior
some seconds, aud the atmosphere Tor several y,,i
eAnioi'eu an appearance siniiar TO the aurora bo.
'iS,-hs' In one SPOT, aud then again in another
according to the direction and number of s,ars."1
Inc CONCORD statesman" describes the scene AZ sin,
gularly beauIiiul "The courses of MANY merors ,,
observed 10 be from the horizon toward the zenith -Nnd in
every other direction. Some very large and ex-
cecu'ngy ofi'iiah,-ahd one OF unusual
continued its course, as informant judged, Tor the
space OF two minutes. rejecting strong a light as
10 reer ms shallow as Clearly peiceptle when cast
oy an obstruction OF the rays Of the iuIl moon" The
" oncord Patriot says, that Imagination can picture
nothing 10 exceed it, These lumi, Gus suh.ances ,,
"cfess as he rs themselves, living in every
possible direction, through clear, uncouled st,'
leaving long, luminous trans behind in a. dire
Nn u's'an shower oil h'e, whose particles were Hing
spars " 'o'he earth Frequently one larger and more
luminous than the rest ould shoot across The be,v.ns
producing a h'si like vivid lightning"
Professor Omstead, of Yale COLLEGE cIoses his r,
upon The recent phenomenon in the armament by the ol
lowing request = ~ ~ W.
"As the cause Of calling Stars" ia mt u,J...,.., /.
meeoolosss it is desirable collect all the facts a,,sn
ing ls phenomenon, stated with much pre cison "a
sueScflDer, therefore, be
Gu o any particulars which were observed by Others
spectng The time when first the no.i,on
OF the idddnf point above mentioned, whether propres
sve or stationary, aud OF any other facts relative TO The
meeors." " VIC
"eiay before our readers the following
'" Neson coun'y-Snd as the last phenomenon which
Usr'Shu speaks OIL may appear singular aud very re
a'Kaoe we mink II due 10 him subioin the follon inc
Extract from Commune of the ineIlp en-, Ioam
Baldwin Esq to the Editors of the "Noriolk Herald" de-
sciptve oil the appearances at that place:
The II ii;
our OF Tue ordinary course OF Nature except in extent and
sp'endor The cause of such appearances is still vo
ed n ooscur'y; but, have time opportuntv In on
ter upon any philosophical Investigations The resnI q,
some inquiries made by philosophers, and that the mos,
Pr1oao'e - hal these rneteors produced by ex
haauohs from The earth, and that matter thus raised
under peculiar circumstances is aggregated into i,
masses or Jumps till they fall, and from some chs"
mica or atmospheric Influences ignite in Their ,,;
burst, and tall in scattered fragments The u,aiar;
posed TO he muciidginous substance like jeII and ~,
ny years ago was told by gentleman who the
Tall OF one near him, which he saw and examined and
found il 10 be OF this character. ~
., some ignorant aud weak minded people inclined
I" oeheVe snch phenomena sign of a iorerun-
her oil portenious something, which they can nei,hsr Az
count Tor, nor understand; when in fact thew are tho Tor
some lorerunning operation of Nature which
Invisible ana from our present state of in
comprehensive, like the Aurora Boreas SC But ever
umid or doubling mind assured that they are ali
a fair business Transaction OF the elements a,ound |
above which asionisIes and puzzles the .;,n,,. and
cites investigation in every nqusve and curious mind
70 THE EDITORS OF THE ENQUIRER
In conformity with the request contained in your nsne
OF The 10th, hasten TO contribute INV mite towards H.,
gr"uhcaion OF the curious in relation the splendid
Tuesday last. " ~ ''o'"'"s oi
at about an hour before day. aroused from sound
sleep by my man Richard, w. no. by tile hive 10 son, Iii
oil philosopher, and with whom have lived man nS
Doy ever since was born who having upset a chair or
two that stood in his way, and ceved lumbe,;n ,u ~
tue bargain caused no little alarm the fany-more
peciay when he exclaimed from his PROSTATE condon
III voice OF unwonted terror Master! asfert ifs ali
he efH fall.
ejaculation, replied with little agitation a. nosS;tI
"Ireckon not, Dick-yOu hare been frightened az ne
fe0r -" Hefophor nidSfer!-no, indeed / ten vou au
Me Stars are falling from The shy-do, pray come and
After this hurried, and rather astounding eolloo,,v ..
over, repaired TO the yard, aud in sober earnssi Vas
not satisfied Tor time, that Dick was not rob, al
was lost IN mule ason hment. At length imbb;nq n ,
tie courage from despair, Dick broke silence" Muster
Uhdt IS ~ told him " that such appearances ,,ers
nor unusual an some parts Of The oord-fhat suppos:
ca mem TO De uapo,trs or calculations from, The tarfh
10 some kind Of substance, and cDLecfing ;3 bo ~
Pode hFe balls " fire. but Without heat" "IHen MAST,
, M,e un Il" sa$s Is ss Me 5 tod him there
Immediately returned into the house to communicate The
glad udng, and rouse The genial fres-reportine mon
my authority that il nothing hut an rrbL;1; ~
metaphors, that ,oouM burn nObodv'-and ,I,ns , ~
his terrified inmates OF the kitchen to state of ranouiIi,
and by similar illustration eDdeavored TO compose the
househo'd-So much by way OF prelude and all tfuc.
When | first took my station the most remarkable If
the phenomena which struck me- was large ignen"sL ~
I'D appearance aOout Tie size OF the its full and
elevated few degrees only above The horizon in pos
ton little North OF Eas-Ths went oil in the d,rec
ton OF North, but nclning to the earth; LEAVING ,r
Of considerable diameter and length at first of brilliant
hanc, hen soening into blueish white, growing naer
and paer, until it disappeared after the lapse of Several
minutes My attention was then drawn 10 the general
aspect oil be heavens, aid this beggars all description
the pure eertdeon pauir' appeared a canonv of uy
ing ireland whatever idea had heretofore cne,,sn
Ell oil the magnificent and sublime sunk into emn,,
pdgeany ami noihiDgnessM yriads of those skurocE
es,' not made with hands, and which would suaer J,
comparison Win any phenomenon, celestial or
winch ever saw read, or heard o-seemed 10 he no
ing ner UIign' sen'llIdons from pole TO pole, as il in
mockery OF the mghiiest works OF inan-atd s,in
The glory oil Cod Such was the Tapd nj ,n,
brilliant corruscaons, some larger some smaller (houah
none equal ia magnitude TO thai first Inc ntoued ,,, H.
Heavens were as completely dned a. ordinary moon,
light, and so continued until chased away bv tho RAYS NJ
Tie sng sun In other respects AMI to the general
serenity Of the atmosphere, its unusual cearess
out the preceding night and liural briancv nj tic
stars, DO not perceive any striking difference between
the accounts already published, and what occurred t ~
own observation IL did not appear TO me, that there was
as much uniformity IN the course Of those bodies as oer
have described am confident they were some VIII,
eccentric and tat their trains frequently crossed each
more appeared TO take norbcfy direction tli.n othcr
wise; which took 10 be the course OF the wind thonn
scarcely percepdblenor did perceive tina, those az
limitations abOunded in quarter sf te Usavau.
,hdn anoierand had fair view Of more than an onr;
duration. 800
One more circumstance that have not seen ,odcod
elsewhere, and am done. Whilst occupying INV posifion|
proach Of small meteor and heard or eoneefed J6eayd
something not unlike large drop Of wafer fall ON lie
IooI OF The coop; aud repairing ither which inme
uae'y dd, distinctly saw, with the aid Of candle sub