Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1850-10-16
For the Le,risburg Chronicle.
DR.. Morroh,s Lectrues.

science OF the stars, has been one Of
SURPRISING interest, and it is but seldom
that the good people Of our place are ia.
vored with such rich intellectual treat
or one which they seemed to relish as we'll
Although entirely removed from the sphere
of the practical, yet the great truths, and
speculations of Astronomical science, when
once clearly presented never fail to ava
ken attention by their grandeur and nov.
city. Under their influence, the mind in
the intensity and rapidity of its concep.
tions breaking away from its moorings to
earth, sweeps out in the ocean universe OF
God and speeds its way from world to
world. No one possessing the least imag-
ination, can for any length Of time give
himself up to the contemplation Of the stu
pendous mechanism Of the heavens without
becoming wrapt in wonder and amazcment;
language itself fails to depict, adequately
the glorious scenes which break in upon his
astonished vision
Gifted with rich exubcrancy of thought
and expression. combined with the power
of clear and condensed mathematical
statement, the eloquent lecturer never fai-
led to please and interest. Grasping the
main points of his subject with Il vigor
and boldness which showed him to be per-
fcctly at home; on every part Of it, he
made them pass so wildly before the mind,
that one scarcely needed the aid of his
beautiful diagrams to render them visible.
That he had succeeded in exciting a deep
and growing interest in his subject on the
part Of his numerous and intelligent audi
encc was evident from the fxedncs' Cfa:ten-
ton ana breathlcss stiffness which prevail
led. Anxiety seemed to he depicted up
on every countcnancc lest some important
thought might he lost and the enchanting
spell broken. Even in the more difficult
trains of thought, amounting in many in
stances, to complete mathematical demon
stra'ion, the hearcr WAS enabled to follow
him with comparative ease, and the DR.
would frequently, by some happy illustra-
ton, throw food of light over what ap-
pcared dark and incxplicable before. The
case and facility with which he grappled
with that most difficult problem of Physical
Astronomy--thc Procession Of the Equi-
noycs, was to us both a matter Of surprise
and delight, showing by the simple illus
tration of wheel floating upon a smooth
surface of water, how the attracting power
If the sun and moon acting obliquely up
On the accumulated matter within the tro-
pics served to sway the axis Of the earth
slowly from its original position.
But it was when the speaker expatiated
upon the beauty, stability, and vastness of
Jehovah's Empire that the audience most
felt his power. Out of the apparent CON
fusion and irregularity of the nocturnal
sky, order and harmony arose; in the
midst of the varied changes and perturba-
tions of our own ''island cluster" which
appear to mark its decay and final dissolu-
ton. a series of checks and balances OBJ
tains, 10y which all these fluctuations are
seen to return upon themselves, and thus
is its pcrmanency secured In the mighty
periods required for the completion of these
results, time dwindlcs to . point, and
eternity closes around us.
While one may we'll stand amazed at
the achievements Of the human intellect
by which such vast fields for investigation
have been opened up, yet We could not
suppress the thought that man with all
his boasted attainments, is still but enter
inc the vestibulc of that magnificent
temple, which the Divine Architect ] as
reared for the contemplation of his lntelll-
creatures In splendid peroration at the
close Of the last lecture, the DR.. while de-
scanting upon the immensity Of creation,
recited with striking effect the Dream of
the German poet, of his fancid fight with
his angel guide through the regions of in
tinty.
We could wish that space would permit
us 70 follow the Dr. more minutely through
the line of his investigations, and recall
few of the many bright things with which
he was constantly startling and delighting
his hearers. Every enc appeared pleased
and benefited at peace with himself and
the crest of mankind in the pleasing re-
Election that he had spent his time and
money proftably. We wish the DR.. abun
dant success in his arduous and philan-
thropic labor5, and sincerely hope that
these lectures may tend to create a taste
in the minds of our citizens ec.lerally but
especially among the yoacns of our town,
for the acquisition of useful scientific
knowledge, ii such should prove the hap
py result we shall have no occasion to re
crct the brief visit of DIR. Moron.
Pi;tsburg, O,:t. l4-By the official re-
turns from Clarion county, We learn that