The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-04-26
PRESS.
Middlebury, April 26, le4S.
PROFESSOR EsPY's CIRCULAR.

| INIT ESOOh EOF y OIRCOLAR.
We give below the Circular of Prof. Es-
i-pv, inviting the transmission to himself, al
Washington, of observations respecting The
weather, &c. Blu; we preface i, BY a re.
mark or two of our own. Ii has been gen
orally noticed BY rejecting men, as mos,
auspicious Circumstance, that disposition
has become manifest. al the seat Of govern.
ment Of the United States, TO foster certain
branches Of knowledge and science which
have hitherto been neglected, notwithsiand-
ing their connection, direct or Indirect, with
not only some of the grand and fundamental
interests, bu; with almos; every interest of
the Union. This favorable disposition has
been manifested, for example (although ,his
is Of character different from those which
We have principally in view by the valua-
Die labors of the Hon. III. L. Ellsworth; the
results Of which are too well known TO need
specifying here. An example more 10 our
present purpose exists in the recent under
takings 10 the department of Astronomical
Science,-the perfection of which is well
known 10 be intimately connected with the
safety ofnavigation and the prosperous con-
duct of voyages.
An example Of the same. equally noiicea.
bic and suspicious, is found in the measures
lately adopted for the determination Of the
great problem of the reather,-a problem
in which every man has an interest who has
any thing at stake on the Earth's surface,
by land or BY sea. Every man knows how
indispensable is knowledge of the sea.
sons,-how invaluable are even those gener-
al aud uncertain limitations which we now
gather, from the winds and skies, of approa.
ching changes Of temperature, Of drought
and moisture. What then would be the val
ne TO US Especially TO our farmers) of SCI
ence which should give the means Of look
ing much farther into the future, with a new
clearness Of perception respecting what
winds, rains, suns. &C., we are abous 10
experience But a science like this can
only he established by extended and varied
observations. How plain, then is 1t, that
measures for the encouragement the collec-
lion and the comparison Of observations on
The weather are eminently worthy OF the
National EIecu;ive,-indeed tina, nothing
of civil nature. can more contribute to
the glory Of an Observation-Disclosures
IS nothing is more truly connected with The
welfare of people.
Il is with reference TO the prosecution Of
this practical branch Of knowledge that Pro-
fessor Espy's services have been secured
at Washington. The selection is as happy
as the labors are important. Such branch
es can only be prosecuted. with full success,
by men ofiniellectual enterprise aud skill
of assiduiiy and devotedness to science,
for its own elevation and practical value
One Of the first fruits, it NAV be hoped, will
be a knowledge of the facts, respecting
siorms,-on which subjec, Mr.. Espy, it is
well known, has already prepared theory,
which has commanded attention and drawn
out able discussion on the part of eminent
philosophers.
These things are mentioned 10 draw al
lention to the objects of Professor Espy's
circular. These objects are The more de-
serving of attention. in the way Of comph-
ance with the request Of the circular, that
the work of observation is made easy,-as
the circular itself will show,-by the mode
which he has adopted. How many per-
sons of sound acquisitions and active minds
would find the making of these observations
a recreation and amusement, prosec uied, al
the same time, with the feeling that their a.
musement, in this case. was promoting a
valuable science. We delay no longer TO
give Prof. Espy's circular,-we may, how
ever. be allowed to remark, that there is no;
probably a newspaper in Vermont that
would not promote the satisfaction Of It's
readers, as well as the extension of useful
information and ideas. by giving it a place
in their pages.