The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1838-03-02
From the Presbyterian.
FACTS FOR THE CURIOUS,

star called by the Ancients Hesperus, Ion
Vesper) evening star, there was an asionish
ing change Of color, magnitude, figure, and
motion; the like never was before or since
and it is said by Adrastus Cyzlcenus aud
Dion Neopolites, two famous astronomers to
have happened in the reign of Ogyges.
This made sad disturbance IN the rules
of tue Asirologians (if any were then) when
they burst affirm that there never was and
never would be any such change as this Of
Venus was. So says Augustine, de Civitate
Del. Lib 81, Chap. 6.
A remarkable statement this, yet, when
we read Of the lost plead, oflhe disappear.
aRce Of old stars, and the appearance G!
new ones, dcnoting changes an ;he starry
world after great intervals and when we
read Of the suns standing still in Joshua 5
day-nnd going backward IN Hezekah's /;
may not all these Phenomena belong TO one
class Some, OF one system, and some, of
other systems, 10 the Universe--aIl control.
led by Omnipotence, subject to such laws
as He fixes, but such, too, as, when il plea.
ses Him, he alters; for he does as he will
among the armies of heaven, as well as
with the inhabitants of this lower world.
The Load Stone.
Piiny, in his last book, 4th chap. de-
scribes the diamond, that neither fire, stone,
nor steel can dent it''-but the wonders OF
the load stone struck the Ancients still
more. SAYS one OF them, Z" / beheld the
stone draw up an iron ring, and then as If
II had given lis own power 10 the ring, the
ring drew up another, and made it hang
ias, BY il as II hung by the stone. so did a
third by that, and fourth by the third, and
SO on, until there was hung as it were, a
c.ain Of rings only by touch Of one another;
without any In'erhnkng." In all they
made five sorts Of them" the fiheopian,
the Macedonian, he Bno;ian, the Alcxan
drlaa, and the AudroIlilau. This last,
saws Ludov. Wives much like SILVER aud
does not draw iron" There Is n stone
(salih PIiuy,) called Theamedes, Just oppo.
site nature from the load stone expelling all
iron from il. In ludia, they say, there are
rocks Of The i.Id stone, that draw The ships
to them, if they have any iron IA them, so
that such az sell that way are obliged TO
JON heir SHIPS together with pins Of wood. "
-Ludoy. Wv.
Ii modern discovery has confirmed this
statement It is certainly we'd worthy OF
record.
As5cstos or Amiaahus
F" 4 kind ct flax, that vii never be con.
sumed" tPnuy At PARIS We saw nap
Of II thrown INTO the midst OF the IRE, ard
taken out again after while more white
aud clean than al the soap 10 Europe would
have made It. Ludoy Wives.
This material IS found in our own coun.
try. as on the rail road between Baltimore
aud York, where large qualities like thick
iabrics OF cotton or FAX thread are found,
and some of the finest is like the hoary
locks Of age, for whteness and substance.
The Eiysiaa Fields of Antiquity.
"1'he namc is derived from Geek wo5d
meaning dissolution Of the soul from the
body--(it may rather mean state Of re.
lease or Iberly.) Plato places then. in the
armament, full of all delights that can be
imagined. Others place them IN the hol.
low sphere Of the moon whore the air is
pure aud unds,urbed. OF this opinion,
Lucan seemed to be. Homer says, that
the Etysian fields are in the iarthest parts
Of Spain, whence the Favonian winds blow"
Ludov. Wives.
Thus the wisest of the Ancienis could no,
tell any thing, respecting the state Of bliss
beyond The grave. With them it was all
conjecture, all fable, all dream. Blu,
Christ Jesus, cur blessed Lord our prophet,
has LAID open the celestial fields to eur view
brought life and immortality to hight,
and trod before US the path conducting
there. NJ.