New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1841-11-25
DR.. Lardncr's Second Lecture.

DR.. Lardner'S Second Lecture.
No rejecting man, .ad Or. LARpSER in com
menciug his Lecture last evening, caa behold OBJ
ircts like those with which the armament is filled
without having the question pressed upon hi,
mind-Are these splendid globes the habtations
Of creatures bearing any analogy in their forms,
characters and purposes to ourselves-ot beings
endowed with faculties to discern the phenomena
OF nature, and through them the attributes of the
Greater, and to pursue their Investigations so as
to rise the same perfection power, wisdom and
goodness which may attain.
This question obviously does not admit OF n
short and positive demonstration Like many Of
the common questions of fact before courts of
justice. the proof consists in great body of cir
cumstaniial evidence, which requires 20 be atten-
lively considered and closely analysed to see if all
the rays converge and harmonic with each other
Fortunately, Science has in this case supplied us
with large body of this evidence. To resolve
this question it will be accessory first to consider
what are the physical arrangements which render
| the Earth so admirably adapted TO us. Three cir
cutnstances uafolded by this consideration.
|. These arrangements are not TIE result OF any
of the common physical properties of matter which
We might easily suppose to remain unchanged and
still these provisions might not exist. , They all
strongly manifest design. We cannot consider
them without seeing the design of an intelligent
Creator, which only supplies our physical
necessities, but ministers TO our pleasures: they
indicate species of tender and fatherly care be-
rrangements-thcse unnecessary arrangements
| physically speaking) in all the planets.
But let US first turn our attention to the Earth ;
let US examine our own house, see what conyen-
fences it possesses, and how they are furnished,
and afterwards we will inspect the other dwellings.
! The earth is suited 10 in various ways. In the
first place. it is surrounded by an atmosphere of the
quantity and quality demanded by our necessities.
| This feature is so obvious that | shall spend no
time upon it.
Secondly, weare supplied with the vcissitudes OF
dav and night. | must not be answered that these
nrsceed from the rotation of the earth upon its
axis and therefore, evince no design for TINS ro-
tation as shall be able 10 show, is wholly unne-
cessary: the Earth might pursue It's revolution
about the sun and not rcvolve around Its axis, or
it might revolve around its axis and still not give
u. these agreeable vicsstudes Nor is the mere
| taCt tldL we nave lIlII uIt uiut'u "
certain REGULAR intervals: the length OF the Days
and Nights has direct relation 10 our organic
physical constitution. We're the Days one ham
dred hours instead of twenty in length, should
be obliged to form for ourselves artificial periods
of repose. Nor is this the result of any mechani.
cal necessity for Ike Earth might have turned up
on its axis so as to give Us days Of any length
Again VIC have the grateful vcissitude OF the
sons: these arise from no mechanical necessity !;
the Earth might have gone on its way ana these Vi
cissitudes never have taken place. Farther, we
are created with a certain amount ofbody strength.
All nature has certain degree of cohesive
force. II the stones which form house were
overloaded, they must crush the building; ii our
bodies were loaded with Certain weight, We must
fall. On the other hand, were we greatly lighter
than We are, the air would blow from the
face OF the Earth.
But /, NAV be asked-What has this to do with
the physical provisions of this world Every
thing for the same power which gives stability to
Us gives stability to all structures the same attrac-
ton is cxered BY the mass of tie Earth upon all
bodies on It's surface. If that were doubled.
all bodies on its surface would double their weight.
Bat if subjec; only to mechanical laws, the Earth
might have been more dense than il is; and, as
suppose no one present Is gross materialist
as 10 believe that the creatures on the Earth grew
out of its density, il follows that its density must
have been taken into consideration when II was
created.
In order to develope fully the views wish to
lay before you, it will be necessary to know the
diameter of the Earth its weight, and indeed every
circumstance connected with it. And in the fs.t
place shall show how these are ascertained. For
convenient reference shall exhibit tables contaia
ing necessary statistics; and | beg you not TO be
frishtened at the formidable array Of figures, for
YOU shall receive them in homeopathic doses-a
small quantity at time.
l. The manner in which the Earths diameter
is ascertained Is easily made intslligibIe. Suppose
an observer at any place the Earth surface, say
New York, look directly upward in starry night;
ne will fad some star directly above HMM MS
zenith Let the name, position, &c. of this star
be carefully noted. Suppose another observer at
some distance frcn the first. say at New Orleans,
al the same moment TO pursue similar process and
10 note The ne finds in MS zenith. By quad
rant it is easy measure the arc of the heavens
iseluded between these Suppose il be one
degree: thea measure by chains, &c the exact
distance between the two places Of observation, and
suppose i, be 69t miles as we all know there are