The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-10-08

town in order TO relieve their distress
in moment the current ofpopuar feel
ing was turned, their ingraiitude was
quickly changed to remorse-the crowd
dispersed the actors, and crowded anx-
lousl round the astronomer. lie had
only strength left to call for litter, and
was conveyed back to Wernica in dy-
ing state. He fingered still for five days
days of trial and of anxiety-during
which the lamp Of genius and of faith
still shed its halo around the dying man.
On the day succeeding his visit to
Frauenberg, letter from the Rheticus
confirmed the sinister prediction Of the
Bishop Of Culm: thrice had the stu
dents OF the university made an attempt
10 invade the printing office whence the
truth was about to issue forth. Even
this very morning. wrote his friend, "a
set OF madmcn tried to set fire to it.
have assembled all our friends within the
building, and we never quit our posts
either day or night, guarding the en-
trance, and keeping watch over the work
men the printers perform their work
with one hand, whilst they hold piss
lol in the other. If we eau stand our
ground for two days, thy book is saved :;
for let only ten copies be struck off, and
nothing will any longer be able to de-
siroy it. But lfeither to-day or tomorrow
our enemies should succeed in gaining
the upper hand" Rheticus left the SEN
tence unfinished, but Copcrnicus sup
piled the want-he knew how much de.
pended upon this moment.
On the third day another messenger
made his appearance, and he, too, was
the bearer of evil tidings A compos-
i'or, gained over by our enemies, has
delivered into their hands the manuscript
of the book, and it has been buried in
the public square. Happily the i'm,
preston was complete, and we are now
putting it into press. But popular tu-
mutt might ye, ruin all p
Such was the state of suspense in
which the great Copernicus passed the
closing days Of his existence Life was
ebblng fast, and the torpor Of death had
already begun to steal over his faculties,
when borscman galloped up to the door
in breathless haste, and. sprinong from
his horse, hastened into the house of the
dying astronomer A volume, whose
leaves were still damp, was treasured in
his bosom it was the chcEdG GNcre of
Copernicus; his messenger was the bode
of victory.
The spark Of life, so ucarly exhausted,
seemed to be re.kindled for a moment
in the breast Of the dying man he raised
himself in his bed, grasped the book
with his feeble hand, and glanced at its
contents with his dim, expiring eye. A
smile lighted up his features; the book
fell from his grasp; and claspng his
hands together, he exclaimed, Lord,
let thy servant now depart in peace p
Hardly had he uttered these words, be-
fore his spirit fled from earth to return
to the God who gave it. 1t was the
morning of the 23d May-day had not
yet ned-heavcn was still lighted up
with stars-ihe earth was fragrant with
howers--al nature seemed to sympa~
thize with the great revealer Of her laws
and soon the sun, rising above the
horizon, Shed his earliest and purest ray
upon the still, cold brow of The departed
and seemed in his turn to say, The
king of creation gives thee kiss Of peace,
for thou hast been the first TO replace
him on his throne.
Persecution followed Coperuicus even
in the grave. The court of Rome re-
piled to his dedication by condemnng
his book but the book was the instru-
ment Of its own revenge by ehllghten-
ING the court of Rome herself, which al
last recognized, although too late, the
faith and the genius Of the astronomer
Of Wernica. Prussia, with the ingrati'
tude of a conqneror, has converted the
observatory Of Copernicus into prison
and is now allowing his dwelling house
to crumble into ruins But Poland hi:
native land, has collected some of hei
last ObOIeS, to raise a monument TO hi
memory at Cracow, and to erect a statue
of him in Warsaw. This statue is from
the hand Of the great sculptor, Thor
walsden.
An EpToR's REToRr. At a late fes
livaI, pretty Miss waited upon an edi