New-York tribune., 1842-02-04
FOR L liz i rl'IliNe.
INFLUENCE OF TIE MOON.

For The Tribune.
INFLUENCE OF TIE MOON
In common with thousands of your readers,
entertain tor the authority of DIR. LAnDSER, in
matter, OF physical science, the profoundcsl re-
spcct. He always states facts fairly, and his III
rrenccs and opinions appear, in fllc nain ortho-
dox aud sound But from errors of hasty Judge
=lnent and imperfect knowledge cvcnhis mul,isccnt
mind seems nowsc exempt One such woad
particularly point out, respecting matter of some
moment on which the Doctor has confidently
pronounced. This, indeed is contcssedly the fault
OF his class. They are prone to travel out of the
record, absorb the moral with the material, con-
found the laws of the physical with physics. Surely
no science is warranted il. denying whatever Il
canno, demonstrate, non in summnrilv dismissing
as false those common experiences which lis vola-
RES want patience to investigate protest against
50 unphosophica proceeding, and feel bound
/. vindicate in this instancc-briely ii | cana
professional opinion to which ii does great IN
justice.
On his ninth evening, the learned ccmrcris re-
ported as denying not only that the Moon has any
influence on the weather, but also drnving the
reality of certain influences vegetable and ami
nal life, which have been generally ascrbrd 10 1t
down from the earliest times. With regard TO the
meteorological influence of the Moon, readily
subscribe Ia that ncsaton; but dcinur 10 tho
Doctors denial of its physiological effects. The
Moon las influence on the Aninlal Kingdom.
To establish the reality of the influence contend
ed for, wc have the sufficient evidence not merely
OF opinions but of facts. The testimony of the
former Is not without force ! shall not insist
,a, opinions though existing where always,
mus, therefore be trric nor that this belief III lunar
Influence Is we'll founded because il universally OBJ
,lins. \ belief, drrp-roocd and widespread, may
indeed MOI be founded on observed fact; but all
e,ch beliefs are strongly entitled To c0ASidcra
nou if no, crcdcncc Into the grounds nt this be-
lct in particular we patient inquiry and
much more thorough aud respectful examination
rllsn il has vc, had from living astronomers: cspc-
ciallv as ills held by distinguished medical men,
not particularly remarkable for crcdnlity or isno-
rance 1t is true, there have been doubts rN-
pressed bv some Of the pluics>ion bu, Tor these
doubts a reason, other than their business, may
lirlv be assigned: rs, want OF observation cS-
pcricncc in those chimes where the phcnomcua
prevail,
Besides the dreaded importation of superstition,
HAT boyle of modern science ollcH .trsh,rn>
grown children INTO the denial in words of what
they confess III their actS-thc presence and lnih-
=cncc of the occult powers. Public opinion too,
rather savors original views and readily adopt
notions, however crude. that profess explain the
my>tcrou, " 10 cNplodccror Hence they who
would gam practice and the praise OF superior rca-
son, instead ot maintaining, would naturally dispute
this point 1t must have sustained itself, therefore,
by its agreement with the facts Bur You arc I'M
pa,icn, Tor the facts. OF these not hating al this
moment the necessary books. can give bu, the
hctc>, indications. 1t is certain tia, Moon beams
haze achri!c and trigorifc agency. So thinks NJ
Arago Plants uthc mooncht arc nipt whilc,hosc
in the shade are untrozcn. Meat corruptS sooner
in the CHI than III the Sun SAYS one Fish
hung up all night in the light the Moon when eaten
next dav has ioncd violent sickness and cNcru
cia,ins pains. Sharon Turner, writes That j, has
peculiar and unsaltary influence the animal!
frame appears TO have been actually experienced By
some Of our countrmen, Other nations declare the
same 9. Men on board ship, says Mr.. Mon,so-
n,e.v while living in the moonlight with their faces
exposed to its beams often have their muscles spas
medically distorted Others havc been injured
in their hi, as TO lose it for several months. Ac
cordins to Mr. Madden the Arabs think the moon
ligh, causes oprl,almia Some Missionaries mention
tina, he who sleeps in the moonlight is heavy when
he wakes and is deprived of his senses. So Plu-
Zlnrch, Every body knows that those who sleep
abroad under the Moon, arc not easily walked but