Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-10-23

4
man hastily descended the stairs of the tower
The house of Copernicus was in out
ward appearance, one of the most unpretend-
ing in Wernica. Il was composed of labo-
ratory, in which he prepared medicine for the
poor; little studio in which this man of ge-
MUS, skilled in art as well as science, painted
his own likeness or those of his friends, or
traced his recollections of Rome or Bologna ];
and lastly, of a small parlor on the ground
floor, which was open for all who came to him
for remedies, for money, or for food. Over
the door an oval aperture had been cut, through
which ray of the midday sun daily penetra-
ted, and, resting upon certain point in the
adjoining room, marked the hour of noon.
This was the astronomical gnomon of Copper
nicus and the only ornament the room con-
tanned were some verses written by his own
hand, and pasted up over the chimney-piece.
1t was in this parlor that the good canon
found room to tend invalids who mad come to
claim his assistance; dressed the wounds of
some, administered remedies to others, and on
all bestowed aims and other words of kindness
and consolation. Having completed his la
bors, he hastily swallowed draught of milk,
and was about to set out to Frauenberg, when
horseman, galloping up to the door, handed
him letter. He trem0led as he recognized
the handwriting of his friend Gysius, Bishop
: of Culm. MAY God have pity on u.s." wrote
this latter, "and avert the blow which now
threatens thee! Thy enemies and thy rivals
combined--those who accuse thee of folly,
and those who treat thee as a heretic-have
been so successful in exciting against thee
the minds of the people of Nuremberg, that
men curse thy name in the streets; and the
University, hearing that thy book was to ap-
pear, has declared its intention to break the
printing press of the publisher, and 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 perusal
: of this letter, he fell back voiceless and pow
: erless into the arms of his faithful servant
: and it was some moments before he rallied
When he again looked up, the horseman who
had been charged to escort him back asked
him how soon he would wish to set out
81 must set out directly" replied the old man
in resigned tone; " but not for Nuremberg
: or for Culm; the suffering worknen at Fruen
berg are expecting me; they may perhaps die
if do not 60 to their assistance. My enc
mics may perhaps destroy my work; they
: connot stop the stars in their courses
An hour later Copernicus was at Frauen
: berg. The machine which he had bestowed
upon the town, which was built on the sum
nit of a hill, conveyed thither the waters o
the river Bouda, situated at the distance o
half league in the valley below. The in
habitants instead of suffering like their faith
ers, from contiued drought, had now only t.
turn valve, and the plenteous stream flowed
i into their houses in rich abundance.
This machine had got out of order the pre-
ceding day, and the accident had happened
very inopportunely, because this was the fes
: tival of the patron saint ofFrauenberg. Bu
: at the first glance the canon saw where th
: the evil lay, and in few hours the waite
: flowed freely into the town. His first cares
: we need not say, had been directed to the un
! happy men who had received injuries willis
e working in the sluices he set their fracture,
limbs, and bound them up with his own hands
then commencing them to the care of an at
2 tendant, he promised to return and visit then
on the morrow. But blow was about to de
scend upon himself, which was destined t
crush him to the dust
y AS he crossed the square, whilst passin.
u through the town on his return he perceive
among a crowd company of strolling play
i ers acting upon temporary stage. The the
> atre represented an astronomical observatory
filled with all kinds of ridiculous instrument
In the midst stood an old man, whose dres
{ and bearing were in the exact imitation @
: those of Copernicus. The resemblance wa
. so striking that he directly recognised himself
and paused stupifed with astonishment-
" Behind the Merry Andre, whose business
was to hold up the great man TO public deris
ion, there stood parsonage whose horns an
Is cloyen foot designated Satan, and who cause
e the psuedo Copernicus to act and speak, a
d though he had been an automaton, by mean
3 of two strings fastened to his ears-whicl
e were no other than asses ears, of considera
II bic dimensions. ae-aa
The parody was composed ofseveral scenes
; In the first, the astronomer gave himself t
: Satan, burnt a copy of the Bible, and trample
= a crucifix under foot. In the second, he ex
= planned, by juggling with apples in guise ofpian
f. cts, whilst his head was transformed into