The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-10-26

| AsfRoNoMy.-Nr. HHtcttsonS IertHYfs--There
is subject which presents to the human mind \
more sublime field than astronomy. II carries
the mind away from this earth, its turmoils, its
pains and sorrows and watts it through the infn
ltrdc of space, 10 contemplate rs 1t sweeps along
the wash dimensions of other worlds. to compute
their gravity, aud define their orbits ~. in ii
lent majesty. they roll on through the regions o
, space describing their annual circles around oui
bright aud beautiful SUM- the great and common
cru;re of them all And it does not stop here
With the AID If the tr-sccing power Of the tre
cope the astronomer looks through this solar sys
/ TEN, and unfol,ls to the human eve myrads aud
/ myriads Of stars-yast suns, blazing with diamond
| brightness floating Us il were, ON the very hor
borders Of iniuIty-at distance from Us which
would require over u million of wears for light To
| traverse with a velocity ct twelve millions OF
miles H minute. Let the mind for moment soar
! away into the deep buc regions of the heavens
and there look upon those bright, sparkling orbs
in their true llght--as vast globes hundreds and
millions Of times larger than this earth, aud mark
! the accuracy of their motion rs they day after
| day reyoye on their axi. or age after age keep
repeating their great annual revolutions, and then
think Of the infinite wisdom Of Him who created
them all; who sees them all at a single glance
governs them with the touch of His finger and,
who could wipe them from existence with mere
brush of Ills mantle Now look at this world,
with all h,r continent. ,,,upt,;us l,L,- ,,l
oceans, aui what do we behold mere speck--
one Of the very least s,nrlcts that lume This uni
verse, sending out few luril rays which it Dor
rows from another star close by And what l.
man--InSiguiicant man. MID Ill this vast creation Z
Bat were this universe all that attracts the eve
Of the astronomer rs ho gazgs through his tce
scope into iuhnity there might be some hopes Of
HI, being able finally 10 unruycl its last wonder;
it i, however mere spetk within his researches.
Since the construction of Lord Roses ,elcsc opr
pthe largest in the world) lie ricrccs through the
utmost limits Of this vast cluster Of stars and be
gins an entirely new investigation. Beyond the
confines of our own universe he sweeps on through
space millions upo; millions ofmiles till looking
behind, he sees the stars that now adurn our lea.
yens, sinking down into dim ncbula;. while, still
onward all Is blank Is there rothing hid in the
dark, unfathomable realms There are some dim
hazy spots, luming up in the distance The tele-
scope is brought bear upon them and, 10 there
burst IN view tens OF thousands of ,uns and stars
Here is another universe burs, upon US; and there
is not only one they arc scattered Nv hundreds
and thousands through space. Let any one look
ou, at night and count the stars. How close they
appear TO be- one to the other and how numerous
their host etthere are more of these mighty uni.
verses scattered through space han there are stars
IN our system. There is one IN the constellation
OF Hercules, which TO all former telescopes, pre-
sented the appearance Of milky spot, but when
Lord Rose fixed his mighty instrument upon it,
it revealed to his view a thousand beautiful stars,
occupying so small poin, in space that it would
seem you might almost grasp them in your hand
Yet they are so far separated thet light would
require ten thousand years TO cross from one ex-
tremity Of this cluster to the other. and about
VI Yeas W COulc lINNl ILSEe 10 lNlS
world. Such are the researches of the modern as.
tronomer; such is the triumph Of science--of hu.
man intellect, that he now, instead of searching
after solitary stars in the blue vaults of heaven,
penctrates dcepintO the ETHEREAL rcalmns III search
Of entire systems and univcrses
These are some Of the sublime features Of this
great science Mr. Hutchison in his lectures had
barely time to touch this part OF his subject. His
timc was mostly taken up by explanations and
historical facts connected with ancient and mo
dern astronomical discoveries His stay with US
being limited to two evenings, and having adyer-
tsed that he would give experiments in electro
magnetism, DC, he, Of course could not enlarge on
either oftlen. He i, however, well informed in
all the sciences and rst-ra,e astronomer. lie
intends reiurningto this place in few weeks when
he will deliver 4 regular course of lectures on as
uonomy, exclusively, il class can be got up.
On Thursday afternoon Mr. Ii. lectured in the
court room to the schools Of our town We were
unable to attend, but hear his remarks spoken Of
in the highest terms.