Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-11-09

he streets; the priests eXcommunicate tnee
from their pulpits; and the university,
hearing that thy book was about TO appear,
has declared its intention 10 break the print
ing presses of the publisher, aud to destroy
the work to which thy life has been devoted.
Come and lay the storm; but come quickly,
or thou wilt be too late"
Before Copernicus had finished the peru
sal of this letter, he fell back voiceless and
powerless into the arms of his faithful ser
want, and il was some moments before he
rallied When he again looked up, the
horscman, who had been charged TO escort
him back, usked him how soon he would
wish to set out.
81 must set out directly" replied the old
man in a resigned tone "but not for Nur-
emberg or for Culm; the suffering work
men at Frauenberg are expecting me- they
may perhaps die IL do not go to their as
sistance. My enemies may perhaps destroy
my work-they cannot stop the stars in their
coursel"
An hour later Copernicus was at Frauen-
berg. The machine which he had bestowed
upon this town, which was built on the sum
nit of hill, conveyed thither the waters of
Bouda, situated at the distance of half
league in the valley below. The inhabitants,
instead of suffering, like their fathers, from
continued drought had now only TO turn a
valve, and the plenteous stream flowed into
their houses in rich abundance.
This machine had got out of order the
preceding day, and the accident had hap
pened very inopportunely, because this was
the festival of the patron saint of Frauen-
berg. But at the first glance the canon saw
where the evil lay, and in a few hours the
water again flowed freely into the town.
His first cares, we need not say had been d.
rected to the unhappy men who received in
uries whilst working in the suices: he set
heir fractured limbs, and bound them up
with his own hands; then commenting |
hem to the care of an attendant, he promis-
I'd TO return and visit them ON the morrow
But blow was about 10 descend upon him
'elf which was destined TO crush him TO the |
lust.
As he crossed the square, whilst passing |
through the town OH his return home, he |
perceived amidst the crowd company of
troling players acting upon temporary |
stage. The theatre represented an astro-
nomical observatory, filled with all sorts of
ridiculous instruments--in the midst stood |
nm old man, whose dress and bearing were
in exact imitation of those of Copernicus.-
directly recognised himself and paused, stu
pifed with astonshment. Behind the mer-
ry-Andrew, whose business il was thus to
hold up the great man to public derision
there stood parsonage whose horns and
cloven foot designated him as representa-
ton of Satan, and who caused the pseudo
Copernicus TO act and speak, as though he
had been an automaton, by means of two
strings fastened TO his ears-whicb were no
other than asses ears, of considerable di-
mensions. The parody was composed of
several scenes. IN the first, the astronomer
gave himself to Satan, burnt copy of the
Bible, and tramped a crucifix under foot:
in the second, he explained his system, by
juggling with apples in guise Of planets,
whilst his head was transformed into like
ness of the sun by means Of torches of re-
sin: in the third, he became charlatan, n
vender of pomatum and quack medicines
he spoke dog-Latin to the passers by; sold
them water, which he had drawn from his
own well, at an exorbitant price; and be-
came intoxicated himself with excellent
wine, in such copious draughts of which did
he indulge, that he finally disappeared under
the table, in the fourth and closing act he
was again dragged forth to view as one ac-
cursed of God aud man; and the devil,
dragging him down to the internal regions
amidst cloud of sulphurous smoke, declar-
ed his intention of Furnishing him for having
caused the earth to turn on its axis by con-
demning him TO remain with his head down
wards, throughout eternity.
When Copernicus thus beheld the treas
red discoveries of his whole life held up TO
the deris;on of an ignorant multitude, his
enlightened faith branded as impiety, und
his selfdenying benevolonce ridiculed rs
the quackery of cllarlatan, his noble spirit
was at first utterly overwhelmed, and the
most fearful doubts of himself, of mankind,
and even of Providence itself, rushed upon
his mind. At first he hoped that the Frau
enbergians, the children of his adoption, to
whose comfort and happiness he had de-
voted himself for fifty years, would cut short
the disgraceful scene. But alas he saw his
defamers welcomed with applause by those
on whom he had conferred SO many benefits.
The trial was too much for his failing
strength; and worn out by the emotions and
fatigue of the proceeding night, and by the
labors OF the morning, he sunk exhausted TO
the ground. Then, for the first time, did
the ungratefnl multitude recognise their
bcneiactor: the name of Copernicus flew
from lip TO lip-they heard that he had come
that very morning to the town in order TO
relieve their dstress--in moment the cur
rent of popular feeling was turned, their in
gratitude was quickly changed TO Iemorse-
the crowd dispersed the actors, and crowd
ed anxousy round the astronomer. lie had
only strength left to call for a litter and was
conveyed back to Wernica in diving state.
lie fingered, however, still for five days
days Of trial and anxiey--during which the
lamp Of genius and of faith still shed its
halo round the dying man, On the day
succeeding his visit TO Frauenberg, letter
from Rheticus confirmed the sinister predi-
cations Of the bishop of Culm, thrice had
the students of the university made an at
tempt TO invade the printing-office whence
the truth was about to issue forth. Even
this. very morning. wrote his friend, a set of
madmen tried TO set fire to it. have as
'embled all our friends within the building.
md we never quit our posts either day or
night, guarding the entrance, aud keeping
watch over the workmen-the printers per-
orm their work with one hand, whilst they