Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-01-29
MISSISSIPPI WEDNESDAY


that there is beyond the limits of this sys-
tenn an infnity of space, and can we sup
pose that omnipolenec and conscience is
here inert? We ought not 10 do so even
we're there no proof, other than the in
siinctive consciousness within ourselves. |
But the astronomer and philosopher has
not been satisfied with a mere instructive |
impression; he has found in this impression
only the motive which has impeled him
assldously to prosecute his search for ad-
ded proof. Let us with him, now look
beyond these limits, and we shall find that
the solar system is surrounded with ve-
ry large unoccupied space; we suppose it
to be unoccupied since we can detect the
presence of nothing therein, and we find it
to be an extent almost infinite compared
with the space occupied by our system
And how can we know this? Here we are
Indebted to the immortal mind~of Newton.
When he unfolded to US the laws of gra-
vitation and attraction, he exhibited to US
the nnerring principles by which we are
enabled TO carry our inquiries upon them
down TO the remotest particulars. 1t is
these laws which afford US the means of
knowing that this space is unoccupied.-
! Now, therefore, il there were in this space
any large mass of matter il would inevi-
table exercise a degree of attraction up
on the planet Herschel, and more or less
attract the earth and indeed all the other
planets in our system. THIS attraction
would modify at some time or other the
motion of the planets, and we should GER
tainly be able to detect the effect if we
could not discover the cause.
But we find no indication at any time
or under any circumstances, of any at
tractiye effect except exactly such as is
due to the several bodies constituting the
system. The motion of these bcE4ies is
familiar 10 the astronomer, and planets
and satellites are to him pulse upon
which he lays his finger, and is thereby
able 10 detect the slightest irregularity of
the system, with no less accuracy than the
physician in his vocation. And he is
able TO declare that the nearest of those
glittering orbs which spangle the firma-
ment lies at distance from the remotest
of our planets, which makes the solar sys-
TEN shrink into comparative insignifcance.
We never look into the skies upon a
clear night, but we see thousands and
thousands of bodies sparkling in the far
abyss, and where then can they be placedl
They must be indeed at prodigious dis
tances from us. But can we devise any
means 10 obtain some idea of these dis
tances-some of the most proximate?-
The method by which we ascertain the
distance of inaccessible objects upor
earth, though familiar to the mathemati
clan, will in fuflment of former pro
mise now explain. For example, if de
+; sire to find the distance of one of those
chandeliers, Indicating one in the room
lay down base line at the spot where
), stand; to facilitate the end, however, i
II must be understood that the base line mus
bear some reasonable proportion to the dis
lance of the object. Thus, an inch o
two al this spot would be rather dispro
portionate means of measuring even tn
distance of the chandelier. But havin,
taken base line of few yards, | tax
G, the bearing of the object from each extre
nifty of the line with an instrument for tn
purpose, which presents me with the dill
+: ference of the bearing at each extremity
the two lines converging on the burner c
!. the lamp. | then ascertain the distanc
Al of the object by simple sum in the sin
no. gle rule of three, which shows me hoy
or many times longer would be line draw
from the centre Of the base line to tn
converging point, than the base line itsel
Now when it was first proposed 10 mea
+: sure the distance of the fixed stars, tn
question presented itself-where shall W
find base line? 1t occurred to some on
- that the diameter of the earth's surfac
Nv would furnish the means. This ACCORD
ingly afforded a base line of 5000 mile
is. but it was found utterly insufficient; n
paraIIex could be observed. Somethin
must be done, however; that insatiab
thirst for knowledge which animates ii
astronomer, and every scientific inquire
he could not be thus appeased. At lengt
of another theory presented itself. Nov
n. said the astronomer, the globe of the ear
ar moves round the sun in an orbit of 200
Sc 100000 of miles diameter; therefore
Dv we take the bearing of the object of tt
nd lst Of January, when the earth is at on
no extreme of the circle of its orbit, ar
of then take the bearing of the same obje
r. again, on the Ist of July, when the ear
vo is at the opposite extreme of its orbit, ar
i necessarily 2O0,OO0,O00 from the pos
GO ton it occupied at the time of taking Il
M first observation, we obtain variatic
nd equivalent to the end. But the result
ed this suggestion in practice was the mo
he unexpected and astounding that was CIV