The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-05-04

HS''V"Vn'Js
r.. "'''"..'' or ST: LOUIS
The subject which shall claim our atten-
ton is the scieIDe Of the stars. From the
earliest ages, these bright and beautiful
orbs, which fill the heavens, have fixed the
fastened the gaze--excited the
curiosity of every contempla,ive mind.
From the Chaldcan shepherd, who, while
he watched his ilocks by night was wrap.
ped ia the contemplation Of the bright cus-
iers that rose and silently pursued their
solemn course through heaven, and quietly
sunk beneath the horizon--frorn that early
day, through all ages, down to the modern
Astronomer. who, with his mighty instru.
men,s, peneirates the utmcs, bounds Of Gre.
syon these objects have been regarded with
peculiar interest and delight. The science
of astronomy, is not science which had
IFS origin in necessity it springs from the
curiosity OF men-a curio'ity that lead,
him upwards through the works of creation,
to creations God; a science which has
been increasing, developing, and expanding
through all time, until il has become the
exponent ofthe highest powers Of the intel.
leCt, and sweeping within its range the
whole wide creation of God. 1t has given
the mind its greatest problem, in the reso.
luton of which il has summoned TO aid the
most powerful exhibitions Of ANALYSIS; aud
to its prosecution the highest that have
sraccd the earth, have given their vast
powers and their unremitting efforts.
know the difficulty Of the position
here occupy know that have but little
room TO discuss one Of the most profound
and difficult and extended subjects. II
therefore ! should pass from point to point
with rapidiiy--if should, as il were, toucl
but here and there you will understand the
circumstances by which | am surrounded
and forgive the hurried manner in which
may be obliged TO pass over many impor
tant points of my subject
In looking ont upon thdl Nasens, we fine
the stars scattered proius.!y-we find then
sending down TO us their light, some witt
0olIisvsiiy than others. some bu
barely vffoIe TO the eye. We see them
forming beautiful combinations and cluster
here and there, through the heavens; tu, t.
the unpractised eye, that -rSasaisssS,,iA est
things, there is no system. All seems 4
be confusion and chaos. How is it tina
mind ont OF this chaos has brought order
simplicity, and beauty? has selected thos,
which are linked together by the might,
tie, which binds them in one grand system
and with one irresistible bond, to the Crea
Sun itself? ] would answer for the solution
of this great problem that the mind Ina
brought 10 its aid the most wonderful in
vention that man has ever created. 1t ha
armed itself with the telescope, an instru
ment which possesses extraordinary powe
of causing objects which are far SUNK il
space, TO stand before the eye, and there
rest, subject to the scrutinizinc gaze Of man
and not only this, il has the power of mark
ing and measuring, with accuracy, the nos
/ intinitesmal motions Of the most disan
orbs-oi tracing ont their career in the hea
venS and Of measuring the vast periods il
which they accomplish their revolutions.
| Although the Telescope has enabled ma
tomake these mighty conguestsinih he realm
/ of space, they are not sufficient TO sa,isf
his intellect. lie goes backward. He lie
gins with train Of reasoning, which is ba
Sed upon the solid rock Of truth. He rise
lays one stone upon another, until, from ,h
summit Of a mathematical pyramid, raise
I by HI, own powers, he looks out upon III
vast works Of God, and all lies clear, an
bright, and beautiful before him. We hav
in this course but two points to illustrate
the FIRST is the character and power Of III
telescope; the seconds the charter and pow
er of the mental machinery. My first lee
turc will be devoted to the first topic.
In 1910, the world was astoumded by III
Vi 4 n
ccedcd in constructing an instrumeu, whic
not only assisted the sight, but also made
new sight. He had constructed an instrI
mcnt which had the power. no, only revea
ing the characteristics Of objects invisible
the naked eye, but ahsou;eiy o. cvoking OF
jcctS from space, which were supposed
have no existence. Copernicus had revei
led TO the world the true system Of the In
verse, bat he had been compelled TO VEL
to the influence of the iron age in which h
lived; and the mighty discoveries he CAV
to the world. were not received. But, he
GaIileo,urncd his telescope 10 the heavens
when lie found the moons surface covere
with inequalities when he found itSragcc
mountains i.incing their shadows far aero.
its surface when he found it rising and Sc
ting, he demonstrated a fact which shoe
the faith Of the old astronomers. They ha
believed these mighty globes above us ,
be mere spheres, smooth on their surface
the abodcs Of the gods, and circulating &
bout their great centre, the Earth. An,
when Copernicus demonstrated thatthe su
was the centre, it seemed as if the mind {
man wonlh not permit this astonishing re,
citation TO have a Judgement wirhinit. Ther
was pride which resisted the idea that OF
own Earth was uot the grand centre of tn
Universe
But, when Calico turned his telcscor
upon Jupiter, he found three bright stars &C
cupying close position to the planet, whic
struck his attention, in consequence ofthe
beauty and brightness. On the tUllowiu
night, he again cazes upon these beautiir
objects, aud finds thatth-y have shiitcd, the
places. What could this mean? Wer
they not fixed stars2 lie watched for the
appearance the next night, when lol n
these stars have disappeared, and there
now occupying their places new STA
which was not there before. The convi,
ton flashed upon his mind that these s,al
were four moons revolving round this p,a,
ct, guided by its attraction. Here was
grand discovery. Here was at once reeves