Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-01-22

generally do, and invariably carry them
selves behind, while in fact they are some
times seen to change their directions in a
few hours. We must then be content to
remain at present in Ignorance of the
character of these bodies.
Another most remarkable cJaracterI
peculiar to comets is their exceeding light
ness, it having been demonstrated that in
no instance do they ever exert any attrac-
ton. A comet was observed in the 18th
century to enter the immediate orbit of
Jupiter, but without in the slightest degree
affecting the motion of the planet; the on
ly effect observed was upon the comet,
which was thrown from its orbit, and at
its next periodical return, was seen in a
new orbit. Ia ITO, however, it again
encountered the planet and rushed into
the midst of his moons; in fact 1t must
have touched the moons Of Jupiter, but
evidently with no injurious effect. OF the
supposed influences of comets, the world
invariable hears an infinite deal of sage
speculation. No comet ever appears con-
splcuous in the heavens but some peculiar
influence is ascrIbed to it; thus if it oc-
ours at the time of great floods, the comet
is responsible for it; if at season of I'M
usual drought, the comet is the cause; if
in winter of excessive cold, who is TO
blame but the comet? and should it appear
at time when we are melting with heat,
still the comet is the hapless cause. So
whether 1t is wet or dry, hot or cold, the
unoffending comet which happened to
manifest itself at the time, is held uncon-
ditionally responsible for it. Yet is there
nothing in reason or the laws of nature to
justify such an inference. But there is
another mode in which the question can
be examined. Arrago has enjoyed access
to tables Of meteorological observation in
Europe, from which he has been enabled
to ascertain that the variations of the wea-
Their have in no case apparently influenced
by comets; that in fact weather has pre-
vailed, as cold and as hot, as wet and as
dry, at seasons which have been unmark-
ed by the appearance of a comet, as those
in which the most brilliant of these bodies
have blazed through our system within
view of the inhabitants of the earth. But
the influence of the comet has not been
limited to the weather, in the opinions of
that portion of mankind who have specu-
lated on the subject. Scarcely any man.
Hesitation of disease of a virulent or cpl
demic character in any part Of the globe,
has occurred, but ii has been readily at
tributed to any unfortunate comet that
CHANGED 10 be within the range of vision.
Indeed some Il or Is years ago physi
clan of London of some eminence, named
Foster, published a treatise, in which he
labored, and certainly with considerable
Ingenuity, TO prove that all the diseases
which the inhabitants of our planet were
heir TO, had each and severally emanated
from its own particular comet. This was
not so difficult task as it might at first
appear, for Arrago has shown by obser-
vation that upon an average, two new
comets are discovered every year. There
fore, if disease happened TO make its
appearance in January, it was only neces-
sary to find comet within few months
either before or after that period, to find a
cause for the disease; so that in fact this
ingenious gentleman was sometimes most
lperplexed TO find disease for the comet.
At the lime of the great plague in Lon
don, a comet was discovered as the immc-
date cause, but we have no explanation
of the remarkable fact that while this ma
Ilignant body visited that city with Its
wrath, it left the village of Hammersmith,
in the suburbs, entirely unscathed. One
year he searched annals of human misery
to find disease for particularly brilliant
comet in vain; but after long search, he
ascertained that during that year par
ticularly fatal epidemic had prevailed a.
mong the cats of Westphalia, and Of
i course this comet was at once set down
as exclusively hostile to WesfphaIian cats
4 Il has been mentioned by an eminent
philosopher, Vision, that the Deluge wa:
J caused.by a comet His theory was a;
follows: A diagram was here exhibited K
| illustrate the subiect.1 He supposed The
! earth to have been, prior to the deluge
Il covered with q solid crust beneath which
there existed an ocean of subterranear
i water; and that the close proxiority of I
comet raised tide not only in the water.
on The exterior Of the earth, but also il
the subterranean ocean. He contend
Il that rain could not have fallen in suffi
!. cient quantities to have produced adeIuge
4 but with the aqueous matter Of The tail o
j the comet, and the waters under the eartI
breaking through, il was sufficient Il
submerge the whole land. In support 0
this theory Wiston quotes scripture, an.
81 says we have the proof IN the words tia
sstile windows Of heaven were opened
and the fountains Of thesgreat deep wer,
81 broken up. He then asserts that a pre-
clpitation of tlle aqueous matter Of til
tail Of the comet took place, and the worl