New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-02-17


festeA in much higher degree than nov. Ga the
Msigits Islands Ne tnd plants which should cal
ultra trkpicaL They are much too large - grow
on the n arth low. These plants must have enjoyed
AZ irmeNse amount Of heat Snd lisht Whence
could thA derive these They could uot be de-
rived iroH The sun while the AXIS Of oar Earth re
ms.us at Vie same Inclination as now sni. Of
course. weNaye no reason 70 believe that Il has
ever been situated otherwise than al present
Consequently, We must infer thar our Earth did
possess 81 tne former epoch the power OF emit
rng a suticiekt smount Of heat sns Light 20 sustain
the growth Il these plants. The existence Of this
Illuminating PASer, although apparently m Us de-
biiiude. We distern also IN appearances among the
other orhs + ashes Ike our Aurora are SAID %
have been observed over the dark hemisphere Of
Venus and the ecure part OF the Moon IS believed
70 have been visited by smia ar phenomena but
the circumstance most remarkably corroborstve OF
the mysterious trAth to yhIch these indications
point IS the appearance OF par midnight, Luminary
during a total ECLIPSE.
When the Moon is totally echpsed. you are
aware that j. goes entirely idso the Earth shadow.
No light comes 10 IT, therefore,. from the sun There
msy be some stray rays but calculation shows ~
that they are not sufficient 10 cause any apparent
diminution OF the eclipse. Wal. then, IN what DO
siti0n ought the Moon % De, whan totally echpsed
She should disappear entreylshould be blotted
out from the sky. But on the c,utrary. instead OF
being blotted out, she is perfectly visible IN tue
sky, an immense bronze disc, andswith the aid OF
telescope sll her phases can be trsced. Now, this
could not be. unless the Moon were sending ont
light herself
From all these circumstances shere seems no
tenable conclusion save this that tne matter both
Of sun and planets is capable in .erisin clrcum.
stances. whose exact conditions aresnot known, Of
evolving the energy we term Lghe. and that the
sfm0s phere OF the san is at presef,. under Inh1-
ences favorable 10 the high manifestations OF
power which from the other orbs hss not wholly
departed And thus forever is brok eft down that
supposed distinction. which seemed a. place our
central luminary apart in space TO an fmmeasura
bic extent from the humble worlds THAI rolf around
him.
1t will naturally be expected that it bur theory
be true ifthe power 10 evolve light be Sub sct 10
change It may have lett its impress on thatisrthest
field OF its energy-the Wilderness OF tae Fixed
stars Now, startling though II at first sight must
appear on all sides there are here parks OF
change and OF the notifications OF lieft giving
power. The Stars have changed their coors.
They have been described by their colors Poets
used 10 call Sirius the Red Dog Star Vow II Is
the whitest star in the Heavens. The stars have
also altered their quantities have diminished
their magnitude without changing their piate.
Tycho. a Danish astronomer saw one night IN the
constellation Cassiopea, most orlllianI sFar
which he had not previously noticed He watched
il for a wear IL grew brighter aud brighter until
il became as light as Venus After year Il bs.
gan 10 wane. and continued waning and waning
exhibiting the appearance Of dying conhagrauon.
/ This is but a rapid instance OF that change "hieh
| is constantly going on among tue stars
Sir John Hersohel, az the Cape OF Good hope
witnessed similar phenomenon. He saw on
| looking at the Star Argus, /. was brighter than
| laid down IN the catalogues. II was originally
star between the second and third msgnltddes II
I went on increasing till II became not only star
of the first magnitude but the third star 10 bright
/ ness in the whole skies, after which II oegaa 10
/ wane Herschels theory was, that there are
What might be Gale cosmca al clouds floating about
] Ia space-that these clouds intervene between Us
/ aud the stars. tnus darkening them Thls theory
/ however is not generally received why II IS
asked, do not these clouds DIM other stars Espe
ciany. with respect to this Star OF Tycho, Cow
/ could a cloud have rested before It, from the De
ginning of time, and just went away Tor year ana
then returned again think we are bound 70 re
| ject this explanation. Il
| Deeper far deeper among Natures poten.les
must be the origin OF these astonishing dlspays'
| Doubtless they result from varied comminglings oil
/ the energies that produce light, and which, as We
have seen act far and And here as line rolls
on. these, like others. are ever weaving aheSlous
/ web. their product. Light, must, as ages course
sparkle variously In every portion OF their vast 10
main. And thus one other fanciiul tradition disaP
pears No more is Light inherent IN the sun than
/ Ia Tychos vanished Star and as with 1t and otner
orbs a time may come when through The concert OF
all the powers Of Nature, be may cease TO be re
quired to shine And II even now he IS only IN one
stage OF this majestic mutatlon--n AS the flanets
have rolled on and worked out their ates under his
/ beams he the Viviher has been changing and yet
must farther change-once more are we IN pres
/ euce of revolutions that seem llllmitaole-oi pro
gressions whose vista reaches TO the very Infinite
aud we are but as p0lnts amid accumuiatihg super.
| imposed immensties-tashes IRON the "heei OF
| the Burning Car-creatures we know not what
| On what a world is this Change rising above
change, cycle growing out Of cycle IN majestic pro
/ erosion each new one ever wldenlng-hke the
! circles that wreathe from spark OF hame elon-
eating AS they ascend. fnay to become lost IN the
/ emp, rean And II all that We see-ii from Earth
| Ia sun and from Sun 70 the Universal Star work
/ that wherein we the best behold images OF Eter-
nity. Immortality aud God-ii that is only state or
phase OF course OF Being rolling onward eyermore
what must be the Creator the Preserver, the
Guide Of all. He at whose bidding these phan'
/ tasms come from nothingness and again disappear,
/ whose Name-amld all livingstone IL EAlSI.
/ FNCE-I AM IN THAT / AN The All En-
/ composer: the All Sustainerl He enwraps, He
uphods all those gorgeous Heavens Yea an.
! assisted uncounseled. sustains he not unchanged
! and unchangeaby forevermore even the fabric
/ of His own Awful B eing Reyerentally before him
-humbly grateful that in the course OF this beneh-
cent Arrangement He has permitted such in.ims-
/ tons of his glory to reach us--let Us conclude Ia
\ the rant language of the Psalmist: How manifold.
on God are thy works, by wisdom Thou hast made
/ them all
Dr. NlcHoL here reached the conclusion OF his
I Course amid the general applause Of large and
highly attentive and intelligent assembly who
during the whole series of the Lectures had evinced
al intense interes, in the sublime Science SO ably
succnctly and felcitously treated.
Immediately after Or. ~ retired, the aidencs resolved
themselves into Committee Of the Whole for the purpose
Of expressing their the Lectures Rev Dr. WAN
wkisHr vas called 70 the chair and ws c. REOFELD APP
pointed Secretary. Upon motion CT Mr. Rentoa Com
u,ee Of Ave- consisting ct Messrs Richard irving James
:. Dspuys,er, aathsy Mory. ~ p. Hassock and Prot
Bush was appointed by the Chairman to draft resolutions
expressive Of The feelings ofthe audience in relation to Dr.
Nchol. Lectures The committee submitted the follow
Ing resolutions which unanimously ani enthusiast
/ eAly adopted BY the assembly.
| Hssoltsd That we tender 10 DR.. NicHoL our hearty
thanks for the clear and mssery exposition Of the great
| ruth, II Astronomy win which he has favored U.s.
| Res9lr-f That confidently recommend ine Lectures
NJ - SrcHoL 20 our O-ctzens In this and other cities
a vel Tor the profound learning which they Indicate As
Tor the peculiarly clear snt eloquent language II "en