The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-04-21

The London Examiner. noticing Mr.. HoDfs
recent publication, the Poetry Of Science"
chances al some Of the recent marvels Of fact
which have taken the place, in the popular mind,
Of the ancient narveIsin the imaginations Of
men:
.Scisnce," il says, '.has gone down INTO
the mines and coal pits, and before tie safe
iy-lamp the Gnomes and Genii Of those
dark regions have disappeared. hut IN
their stead the process by which metals are
engendered in the course Of ages; the growth
Of plants which, hundreds Of fathoms under
ground, and in black darkness, have still
sense Of the suns presence in the sky, and
derived some portion Of the subtle essence
Of their life from bis influence; the histories
Of mighty forests and great tracts CT land
carried down into the sea, by the same pro-
cess which is active in the Mississippi and
such great rivers at this hour; are made IA
miliar to us. Sirens. mermaids. shining
cities glittering at the bottom Of the quiet
seas, and in deep lakes. exist no longer; but,
in their place, science, their destroyer, shows
US whole coasts OF coral reef constructed by
the labors Of minute creatures; points to our
own chalk cliffs and limestone rocks, as
made OF the dust Of myriads OF generations
ofin6nitesimal beings that have passed away;
reduces the very element Of water into its
constituent airs, and re-creates il as her
pleasure. Cayerns in rocks, chokec with
rich treasures, shut up from all but the en-
chantsd hand, science has blown to atoms,
as she can rend and rive the rocks Them
selves; but in those rocks she has found,
and read aloud, the great stone book which
is the history Of the earth, even when dark
ness sat upon the face Of the deep. Along
their craggy sides. she has traced the foot
prints OF birds and beasts, whose shapes
were never seen by man. From within
them she has brought the bones, and placed
together the skeletons OF monsters that would
have crushed the noted dragons Of the fables
at blow. The stars that stud the frlna-
ment by night are watched no more from
lonely towers by enthusiasts or impostors,
believing. or feigning to believe, those great
worlds to be charged with the small destines
OF individual men down here; but two as
tronomers. far apart. each looking from bis
solitary study up into the sky. observe. in a
known star, trembling which forewarns
them Of the coming Of some unknown body
through the realms Of space, whose attrac-
tion at certain period its mighty journey,
causes that disturbance. In due time il
comes, and passes out ofthe disturbing path,
the old star shines at peace again; and the
new one, ever more associated with the
honored names of lie Veuier and Adams,
is called Neptunel The astrologer has "a
lded out OF the castle turretreom, (Which
overlooks railroad now,) and forebodes
no longer that because the light Of yonder
planet is diminishing, my lord will shortly
die; but the professor Of an exact science
has arisen in his stead, to prore that a ray
of light must occupy period Of ak years
in travelling to the earth from the nearest OF
the fixed stars and that If one of the remote
fixed stars were ''blotted out OF heaven" to-
day, several generations Of the mortal in
habitants ofthis earth must perish out Of
limo, before the fact Of its CELEBRATION could
De known to man.