Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-08-28

Saturn, their orbits are passing through similar
changes, the orbit of one becoming more and
more elliptical, while, for the same cause, that
OF the other becomes more and more circular,
In consequence of which motions, the period
OF one is lengthening while that of the other
is shortening. This oscillation requires more
than seventy-fve thousand years for its compile
ton.
The sun has what is called {" proper notion"
i. e., the sun, with all his dependant household,
is sweeping through space at the rate of $4,000
miles per day, or nearly half its own diameter.
1t is supposed by good astronomers that all the
stars have a similar movement all revolving to-
gether in the plane of the milky way, about
some common centre that the orbit described
by our sun % tfis grand march is SO large, that
this inconceivably rapid motion continued for
years, forms practically a straight line; in 9TH
er words, the orbit is SO large that the arc of it
described since this motion was first observed
is so short in comparison with the whole orbit,
as to seem to be no arc at all. At least, no in
struments are, as yet, accurate enough to detect
and measure its rate Of deviation from straight
line. Herschel intimates that the elements of
this orbit may perhaps be determined after 80 or
40 years observation with the incest instruments
Of course, many millions of years must pass,
ere this vast circuit can be fully described by
the sun.
We grant there is some little of conjecture
attaching to this last illustration which belongs
not to any of the previous ones; and yet it is
SO much in keeping with those demonstrated
facts, that it can hardly be called improbable.
Although these periods are inconceivaby
long, still they are none the less periods. They
are as truly periods, as if they were completed
in one day or one hour. The fact that our life
is short IN comparison and that wo cannot in
our best estate, have any adequate conception
of them, is no more of an objection to their ex-
istence, than it is an objection to the length Of
Neptune's period that insects die after a few
hours existence, and without any adequate con-
ception of an hundred and sxty-four years ex-
istence.
From the movements of the heavenly bodies
through certain part Of their orbits or Of their
oscillations, science determines with the great.
est exactness the fact that, after a certain point
in departure is gained, the body will infallibly
return to its former condition and place. On
its faithfully returning, and thus neutralizing
the perturbatons caused by its departure, the
harmony and stability of the whole system de-
pend.
Now mark the conclusion. For tie same
good reason that we say the earth could not
have been made and set rotating merely to
cause fifty or hundred days, or was not set re-
volvng around the sun to cause only one or two
years, or perhaps only small part of one year
for these good reasons do we say that these
unmeasured and almost immeasurable periods
were intended by the Creator to be described
gone through with, and doubtless great many
. times repeated ere the great chronometer runs
down.
4 Our ideas of the perfection of his workman
ship are shocked by any other conclusion -
Our minds refuse to admit the idea of period
or an orbit, or an oscillation only partially com
pleted, In the language of Professor Mitchell
If we say:
If "The entire system forms one grand compli
G Gated piece of celestial machinery circle with
in circle, wheel within wheel, cycle within eye
g le; revolution so swift as to be completed in
o few hours movements so slow that their might
} periods are only counted by millions of year,
g Are we to believe that the Divine Architec
le constructed this admirably adjusted system
i wear out and 10 fall to ruins even before on
n, single revolution of its complex scheme
Id wheels had been performed? At the end Of
e vast period, amounting to many millions Of year
OF the entire range of fuctuation will have bee
to accomplished; the entire system, planets, orbit
ie nclinations, eccentricities perihelia and node
l. will have gained their original values and pl
'e ces, and the great bell of eternity will the
ID sound-ONEw