Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1843-04-07

NIilF'o ID Cfl'SDdl HOoioPy W Db lN' "l-
dable in just hat member which is most
harmless in nearly every other created
thing
From tho earliest times, indeed, these
stars that return, like travelled goDlle-
men from the grand tour, with some
new excremeniiious fashion, now in
the shape OF beard and now 10 that Of a
queue-have oeeu looked on, especial y
among the ladies', with an alarm lhat is
a little singC ar, when one considers the
gen'faI admiration and confidence with
whlcb other hairy outIandsh apparilions
are regarded
As far back as the limo Of Homer
stars that wore red wigs were viewed,
even among the long haired Creeks,
with much CONSERVATION. For. in the
lIIlad, we have the following very slrik
ing description Of this phenomenon:
cas- the red Comet from Saturnrus sent,
70 flight the nations win vast por-
tent,
With sweeping gIories glides along in
air,
And shakes the sparkles from its fiery
hair"
So. copying him, but with a grandeur
all his own, Milton brings IN the image
Of Comet to give an idea Of the looks
OF Satan when about to engage in fight
with Gabriel:
"On the other side,
Incensed with Indignation, Saran stood
UnIerriied, and like a Comet bIazed
That fires the length of Ophiuchus huge
In the arctic sky, and from bis horrid
hair
Shakes pestiIence and war"
Gray, too, has evidently the same
thing (though 10 not quite so starting a
form) in his eye, when he paints the aw.
luI figure oI his Welsh bard, standing
on high cliff above The army Of Ed
ward First, and pouring out, 10 the
bowling Of the storm, his prophetic
curses upon the lineage OF the coDqueror
Of his country:
Loose his beard and hoary hair
Streamed, like meteor, to the troubled
air"
Thus, besides the prophets, their
brethren Ohe poets) have always turn
ed the Comets 10 much account. The
notice which we have thus far quoted
as they refer 10 nolhing but the person
al appearance Of Comets, 90 very little
beyond what may be considered a very
magnificent hair dresser's conception o
sideriaI kind of a giant with a very
large Ramijiiee perriwig which has
caught fire by inadvertently running ii
too near the candle OF the Sun. But two
other poets have given US. in more as
tronomica kind Of way, touches at the
dsorderly manners aud habits Of these
sky arking, junketing planets, these
t0G5erS Of the heavens, who. without any
visible means of livelihood, wander from
parish 10 parish on high. staying no
where long enough to obtain a Se!}e-
ment.
Mr.. Thomas Campbell, who is perhaps
as good an astronomer as poet,- illus
trales the unknown pereg grrnatioOs Of the
soul by the still more devious voyages
Of Comets:
"Soul of the Just! companoniof the dead
Where is thy home, and whittier ar
thou fed?
Back to its heavenly source thy being
goes,
Swi(t,as the Comet wheels to whence i
rose,
Doomed on its airy course awhile to burr
And doomed, like these, TO travel, an
return.
From. planet. wheel'd to planet more re
mote,
1t visits realms beyond the reach O
thought;
Yet turning homeward, when its cours
is run,
Curbs the Cred yoke and mingles wit
the SUM-
But, Lord Byron, having himself
better acquaintance with froIics thai
Campbell has still better described tn
irregularities Of these celestial vega
bonds.
Tho angels all were singing out Of tune
And hoarse with having nothing else t
do,
Excepting to wind up the Sun & Moor
Or curb run away young star or two,
Or wild colt Of Comet, which too 500
Broke out Of bounds DER The elhereG
blue,
Splitting some planet with its playful
tail,
As boats are sometimes by wanlo
whale"