New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-02-03

fundamental problem O. Astronomy. -Ale leading
characteristics q tie second Power did u0t long
escape the persistent sselcify Of NEWTON. he
discernei, almost on bic earliest glance. that il
must be power directed toward the ceuter Of the
sun: - that the c0ldron q each Planet seemed
= be this: Il s sustained IN - ataa cnurse by
the conflict and equilibrium a two iorces-one, the
result Of the i-st impulse or canss OF It's motion.
which would induce II 10 hy OF into space; and
another. restraining power IN uninterrupted &C
ton which Of nisif would cause the BODY TO pass
toward the center Of the Sun Animated by this
center seeking tendency on the one hsnf and the
centrifugal. 0r cen,ernylng tendency On the oiner,
the planet Jupiter tlr instance rolls bis unceasing
round in a path subject 20 no accident and, N as
i1- this Eo-s. Incapable OF cla -f- aul - D. -
the same central authority, merely changing IN
strength. along with the distance o. the body from
the Sun--WhiCh al CTS al the orba 90 cu- : stem
from Mercury ever bib within tue ar ray s. - the
remote and ilhlsptable Uranus; IT'S 90 echa nism
appears as simple - - Plan-theresu' 81 y Two
OF those primary ordinlnceG. That guide The phe-
nomcns Of Motion. Many pr0i1lad inqares-deep
er indeed than Man hiss the power 70 resolve-are
inevitably suggested by the scheme whose sim
p'icity has thus burst onus. What Tor instance. IS
this D0rsr which binds ell these orbs 70 the sun
center ATTEAcTIOs vITATioN-these are
the names We have bestowed upon Il bat what
mean they what the idea We are entitled y at
tach % them Oar positive knowledge. indeed
goes no farther than this-thatthe order OF the plan
etary motions can be expressed by certain Law
that the places each orb occupies saccessvely' n
the course Of its revolution admit Of being so joined
together or denoted In their totaity by the central
influence We have assumed. Is Grayilation, then
only a name for this successlOnl Or rather, IS II
MT the gppartion Of some primal Force or Power
which by the order Il bestogs on material events
maniiesis lis character and influence Ihts, At
least We kloS-iar as our ken At present extends
whether We follow those singular and majestic &C
tho forh'a friria and UIalrlule
stars or adventure still farther, even among those
awful sdyta where the miehter groups Of the otei-
lar Universe take on their forms aud significance
the influence Of this august Law ever meets our
gaze preserving through all that exists. its match
less order, and in silence celebrating those more
perfect developments, which will occupy the Dura
tons 10 come. lApplnusel
mentioned in my asst Lecture, that we lind this
Law acting In the most remote systems exactly as
it acts in our own. Yes this subtle Law difases
itself throughout all Space and curbs with its ire
sis.ibe might the wGyward tendency OF the most
majestic and far-of orb. lApplsusel
The account Of the mechanism of our System.
which nave Just presented. is very far from being
the correct or completed one. We shall had II
necessary, indeed for the sake Of distnctness, or
at least highly advantageous, 70 begin our invest.
cation by realizing even this imperfect view but
il conveys little conception Of the actual structure
Of Scheme. which is as complex as that represen
tation was simple; and which, 50 far from present
inc the orbit Of any planet the balance OF only
ff-O tendencies derives il from the equilibrium OF
symoathies alike multiplied and changeabe-sym-
pathes uniting by some invisible bond not the
planets with the sun merely. bat every atom OF
matter within our System with every other and
difusing throughout its entire domains unity so
perfect aud comprehensive, that It most resembles
the wondrous vitality Of some organized and sensl
tive framework. The principle Of that unity is as
/ follows The Attraction or Grayitation which by
drawing the planets toward the sun, restrains them
/ within q definite curyineal orbit, Is not, as we
/ have lust supposed, confined to the sun or exem-
plihed by bis action, alone. Speaking OF It in the
usual and believe, also ia the most correct man
/ ner, Is an energy or force erempiVed 6y erery
prrfic'e Of matter. So universal is this energy, and
50 unlimited It's sphere, that even this mote that
hold in nv hand sends forth an effective notice OF
its being. to the remotest orb among the profound
recesses Of space; nay, alter IT'S relative position
by r. quantity however ANAL. sid your act IS ielt
throughout the unfathomed INVERSE The amount
of influence 1t exerts Il Is true IS slight unmeAsur
able iniinitessimAl; bat nevertheless an influence
il does exert on the remotest Orb that wings It's
mvstic flight through Space. Before the vision OF
I harmony so unhroSen. Of mechanism so vast, 81
complex and yet go perfect. the thoughtful mind
cannot avoid being penetrated with awe Yes
this Fabric is indeed the offspring OF Omnscience
and under the care Of a government which protects
| alike the majestic aud the ieeble-xlthn whose
| august. whose perfect harmonies the fragile lily
issues from its stem, robcd as the most beauteous
queen and the eathered songster pOurs iOrth those
/ bursts of melody which are heard even amid the
solemn music OF the stars. Great aPplause)
There are two special points in the larSystem
rs we must now view II, 10 which would mere 80
licit particular attention.
The simplicity OF the conditions under which
each planet performs its motions has now vanished
utterly away Not oniyis il attracted by the sun
but-since Gravitation IS universally every O'hei
orb havng part among its arrangements Reference
more 10 the Diagram Of the Planetary system, and
observe the case-say Of the planet Jupiter. Ihs'
orb indeed still obeys the Influences formerly ad
verted TO- viz his own tendency 10 ny on INTO space
and that connterscting tendency In virtue Of "hicu
he would il unchecked, move toward the center
of the Sun: but beside, he IS pulled Dy an the
other Planets in most various directions and mol
only with various. but evervarying iorces mas
much as each is dragging him toward Itself Win Al
energy depending on its size and distance ana lha'
distance is-through those motions when are the
life of the system-always changing. II IS true IA
deed and will be readily manifest that oil ali THESE
powers whose Office il is to give the planet a curVi
linea instead OF its natural rectilinea pain tne
energy Of the Sun is by far the most important
for as have said, one element In the efficacy o.
the power exercised by any body over another. IL
the magnitude Of the DETECTING body and the San
! immensely transcends the aggregate OF an toe
Planets which indeed are rather his subordinate
attendants. The Suns action Their, stu defer"'iHe'
IN The main the patholJupiter and these other oros
and the action Of the neighboring planets only as
turbs this path or impresses on II certain cnange
able irregularities. For instance, il the sun alone
mad acted Jupiter would revolye around the central
lumnary 10 a perfectly tue, or accurate geome,ri
cal curve viz. the Ellipse and that EuIPse may
still as below, be deemed the normal or mean pair
of that Pl anet-his real one Vi
brating around IT, as in the fan
ciful curve inthe same diagram ~
"A curve which is not repro 7
dacedyear sfteryear, batwni Y
will pass through as many va I
riations as the course Of ages - II
can witness, IN the relative poi
sitions of the constituents OF our ~ u
multiplex scheme To deter Il
mine that normal elipse IN the III
case of anv Planet. might have
been no ariuous task but how different with these
deyiations from it-these ever-shiiting pertHrbd
fi0ast The fidelity with which he can trace an'
estimate directions and quantities so mutable snc
evanescsnt. is the highest attainment Of the AS
tronomer. an object indeed mos. worthy Of .hos'
tolls tina. have occupied him since the lifetime 0
NEwros Many a midnight has been consumes
in the arduous pursuit: and success in the NOS
difficult portions Of the enterprise has conferred OF
a distinction that will die