, 1845-01-04
testations of his goodness.-Jour. Of
Commerce.
TEMPORARY AND PERrop,cAL STAR


-Anoug the extraordinary phenom-
ina which the heavens from time to
time present, there are mons more in
%scrutable. none which surround even
astronomers with more wonder and
p~erplexity, than the appearance OF
Temporary Stars. Indeed, the views
which such appearances open to The
mind. of the economy of the universe,
are most extraordinary.-Frnm time
10 time, phenomena like this have
been exhibited; a star maks lis ap.
pearance in a point of the heavens
where none has ever been seen be-
fore. and of a magnitude and splen-
dor far superior 10 those Of the other
stars by which il is surrounded. II
continues visible for some time. gra-
dually declines in splendor. finally
disappers. and is eve seen again.
In the year 1889. there was an ap.
pearance of this kind but in 1879
there was one much more remarka-
bic. A star appered so suddenly,
TINT in haitian hour from lis first be-
coming visible. it had reached a size
equal 10 that Of u star Of the first
magnitude. An astronomer of that
day was observing the same portion
Of the heavens and saw nothing re-
Misunderstanding which was not
perfectly familiar. He retired 10 his
dwelling. and shortly some peasants
ran in and astonished him by saving
that a s,ar had b!azed out and sud.
denly assumed the splendor of n star
/ of the first magnitude. He went out
and found 1t was 80. 1t exceeded
Jupiter in splendor, and was for a
long tine SO bright that il could be
seen in the day. in the immediate PIE
sence OF the sun. 1t continued thus
for about two years. when II dIsap-
peared. and has never since been
visible. There are several instances
not quite so remarkable as this. which
have occurred in n similar way.
What purpose these stars suhserve
IN heavens high canopy--whethPr
they are suns called into being by
the Maker of the Universe, and per.
mitred for a time 70 exist. until they
shall have fulfilled the purposes of his
wisdom, is only n matter of conjec-
ture. The fact OF their appearance is
unqu--tionah'e; the witnesses have
been scientific men, and their num-
Der IS so great as to preclude all
doubt. Beyond this. we are entirely
ignorant. What | have told you,
science tells you; and no more. The
facts are all before YOU.
The appearance Of periodical stars
is also very extraordinary. They
are subject to great variation in their
apparent splendur--beina al first Of.
small magnitude: gradually. after the
lapse Of time, increasing in spIendor
10 that of n star, sometimes of the
first. and at others Of the second
magnitude, then they define in size,
and soon become invisible. Blu, by
watching The spot where they we're
first seen, after the lapse of time, they
will be seen TO re-nppear IN bright
ness, then decline and disappear for
another period. Their recurrence
is observed to be periodical. When
n phenomena OF this kind is observed
10 occur at regular intervals, OF
course n variety of theories Will be
suggested to account for it; n as
troaon,ers accordingly have devised
several hyphotheses whereby 10 e1-
plain it. One OF the most plausible
is that described from the e%xistance of
spots upon the suns surface: and it
may easily be conceived that n
side Of a distant sun should be entire
~ covered with spots. so that when
that side is presented towards US, no
light proceeds from it: whereas,
when the other hemisphere, which
may be unohserved. is towards the
earth. the iull spendor OF the star is
apparent. J.: is observable that there
are periodical stars which never be.
come quite extisguished-varying
from the second to the sixth magni-
tude. at regular periods.-lf we sup
pose, then. that the surface of distant
suns is covered with permanent
spots, there will be no difficulty in
imagining that, as the body turns up
on itsaxis, its appearance to US would
be precisely that presented by the
periodical stars.
Robespierre said in the National
Assembly OF France, whilst harangu-
ing against the vile practice Of dueli-
ing: "What can be greqter in human
nature, than TO see a mar render
himself superior to INSULT"