The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-09-25

dust.
As he crossed the square whilst passing
through the town on his return home, he per-
ceiyed among n crowd company of strOlling
players acting upon temporary stage. The
theatre represented an astronomical observa-
tory filled with all kinds of ridiculous instru-
ments--in the midst stood an old man, whose
dress and bearing were in the exact imitation
of those of Copernicus. The resemblance was
80 striking that he directly recognised himself
and paused. stupefed with astonishment Be
hind the Merry Andrew. whose business il was
to hold up the great man to public derision,
there stood Il parsonage whose horns and clo-
ven foot designated Satan and who caused the
pSuedo COpernicus to act and speak, rs though
he had been an automaton, by means OF two
strings fastened 10 his ears which Were no
other than asses ears, of considerable dimen-
siOns
The parody was composed of several scenes
In the first the astronomer gave himself to
Satan. burnt copy of the Bible and trampled
"a crucifx under foot. In the second he explain
ed, by Juggling with apples in guise Of planets
whilst his head was transformed into Likeness
OF the sun by means Of torches of TOsin. In the
third. he became charlatan. vender of pc
matum and quack medicine-he spoke dog
Latin to the paSsers by: sold them water,
which he had drawn from his own well. at an
exorbitant price and became intoxicated him
| self with excellent wine. in such cOplouS
draughts of which he did indulge, that he
finally disappeared under the table. In the
| fourth and closing act, he was again dragged
| forth to view rs one accuTsed by God and man
and the Devil. dragging him down 10 the infer
nal regions amidst IA cloud of sulphurous smoke,
declaring his intention to punish him for having
caused the earth 10 turn on its axis by con-
demning him to remain with his head down
wards throughout eternity
When Copernicus thus beheld the treasured
discoveries of his whole life held up TO the de-
risOn of an ignorant multitude, his enlightened
faith branded as impiety, and his salfdenying
bcnevolence ridcued rs the quackery of
charlatan, 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 FTauenberganS the children of his
adoption to whose comfort and happiness he
had devoted himself for fifty years would cut
short the disgraceful scene But alas he saw
his defaRlers weleoRsd with applause by those
on whom he ha6 coASoIled ~ y -, ''s,achas
The trial was too much for his failing strength;
and worn out by the emotion and fatigue of
the preceding night, and by the labors OF the
morning, he sunk. exhausted 10 the ground
Then, for the first time did the wgrateful null
titude recognise their benefactOr; the name of
Copernicus flew from lip to ip-they heard
that he had come that very morning TO the
town TO relieve their distreSs-in n moment the
current Unpopular feeling was turned, the crowd
dispersed the actors and crowded anxiously
around the astronomer. He had only strength
left to call for IL litter and was conveyed back
TO Wernica in dying state. He fingered, how
ever, still for five days-days of trial and anxi-
ety-during which the lamp of genius and faith
still shed it's halo around the dying man.
On the day succeeding his visit TO Frauen-
berg a letter from Rheticus confirmed the sim
ister predictions of the Bishop of Culm. Thrice
had the students of the University made an Mt.
tempt to invade the printing-offce whence the
truth was about to issue forth. 9" Even this
very morning. wrote his friend, "a set of
madmen tried to set fire to it, | have assem-
bled all of our friends within the building and
we never quit our posts, either day or night,
guarding the entrance, and keeping watch over
the workmen The printers perform their work
with one hand, whilst they hold pistol in the
the book is saved for. let only ten copies be
struck off, and nothing will any longer be able
to destroy it, But if.either to-day or tomorrow
our enemies should succeed in gaining the upper |
hand '-Rheticrs left the sentence unfinished |
how much depended upon this momest On |
the third day another messenger made his ap- |
pearance, and he, too was the bearer Of evil !
u A cd hy
enemies, has delivered into their hands the
manuscript of the book and it has been burnt
in the public square. Happily the impression
was complete, and we are now putting it into
press. But a popular tumult might yet ruin
all"
Such was the state of suspense in which the
great Coperncus passed the closing days of his
existence! Life WAS ebbng fast, and the tOrpor
Of death had already begun to steal over his
faculties when n horseman gall0ped up to the
door in breathless haste, and springing from his
horse, hastened into the house of the dying as
tronomer A volume, whose leaves were still
damp was treasured in his bosom it was the
chet-dGuUre of Copernicus thiS messenger was
the bode Of victory
The spark of life 80 nearly exhausted, seemed
to be rekindled for moment in the breast of
the dying man he raised himself in his dying
bed, graspcd the book with his feeble hand,
glancing at its contents with his dim, expiring
eye. A smile lighted up his features the book
fell from his grasp, and clasping his hands to-
gether, he exclaimed, Lord, let thy servant
depart in peace" Hardly had he uttered
these words, before his spirit fled from earth, to
return to the God who gave it, 1t was the
morning of the ODD May--heaven was still
lighted with stars-the earth was fragrant with
flowers-all nature seemed to sympathize with
the great revealer of her laws-and soon the
sun, rising above the horizon, shed its earliest
and purest ray upon the still, cold brow of the
departed, and seemed in his turn TO say, "The
King of Creation gives the kiss of peace for
thou hast been the first to replace him on his
throneN
Persecution followed Copernicus even in the
grave. The court of Rome replied to his dedi-
cation by condemning his book but the book
was the instrument of his own revenge by en-.
tightening the court of Rome herself, which at
last recognised, although too late, the faith and
the genius of the astronomer of Wcrnica Prus-
sin, with the ingratitude of cOnqueror, has
converted the observatory Of Copernicus into
prison, and is now allowing his dwelling house
TO crumble into ruins But Poland, his native
land, has collected some of her last oboies, to
raise monument to his memory at Cracow,
and to erect statue of him in Warsaw.
PALACES.
In the Edinburgh Reriew for August 1925,
is Il condensed and instructive notice of Jeremy
Ranthon,'a R,nL IN, EolIo,;os c,o,,, ,,L:oI $40