The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-28
THE ECLIPSE OF TIE sun TO-DAY.

We published yesterday, very interesting letter
addressed by Professor ]. x. Hind to the editor IF
the London 1nHS, in reference to the eclipse of the
.un, which takes place tbis morning A. this ,lipse
will be visible throughout Europe, the greater part
ofNorh America, in the western portions Of Asia,
and the northern aud western portions OF Africa
and thus extending SO large part of the civil
lied glsbe. rs observation will be of special inte-
rct, and will be Of more than ordinary value for
the purposes Of astronomical science. We purpose
therefore, TO offer n few elucdatory observations on
,hc subject VI eclp'es, which the learned will con.
slider not meant for them but for rather a nune-
rous cls who are not yerscd in tho science Of The
.tarTy heayensa cass, however, we rejoice to say.
every day diminishing before the rapid prlgrcss Of
eduoa.ion in this country.
Eci scs like comets, are phenomena which pos
the dcerest int rest for the human rsceior the
unloaEled well as tho leArned-not only for the
astronomer Who calculates the distance, the size,
and the weight, of the sun, moon earth. aud other
piarcts. ana the velocity and periods Of their
lutops but Cor the man who is ignorant Of tue mo
tions, the nature, and constitution Of these
heavenly bodies. Time was when cclipses
and comets were objects Of terror to man
Kind. as they are stil 10 birbarous nations and
tlibcs. Armiss have been defeated and empires
.ubvort.d by the constcrnsti1n which eclipses in.
spircd. through ignorance aud superstition; and We
bere all read how Columbus. the great discoverer
&C the New Worli, terrified the aborigines by
predicting an eclipse which came 10 pass according
20 hs prediction, and induced them TO believe that
bc was either god or in immediate osmmuni ,ation
wi h the Great Spirit
ptol,my, wh1 lived ia the second century Of the
bid nd ha satd Ia ha fho frsf
astronomer since the birth Of Christ, held that tn.
osrth was the centre Of the universe. and that the
sun, moon and stars revolycd around Il. Though
this grand error, il is worthy Of remark that
he calculated tho eclpes Of the next six centuries
Late in the ftocnth century Coporuicus taught the
true system and after 1000 years revived the doc
rirc Of lythagoras, who held that the sun was the
ccrtrc around which the Garth, with other planets
performs hs aruuai revolution. Copcrncus was
persocuted tho religious fanatics. and the racd
Of the day, AMI dij not live 20 see the triumph Of
bis ystcu which stho only ous received in Europe
and America 81 the prcscn. day. Gseo. ore Of
hi, followers who invented tha species Of telescope
distinguished b. his name a. The present day. not
only sustained his theory Of the planets bal followed
Hup, aud established The Laws Of motion 10 general
which had tccu neglected for 1900 year,. lie
ir,,cd tLat The earth had both diursal motion
around ~ own axis, and an arnusl motion around
thc stD. Calico. Ike Copcricus, was persccuted
for he truth, end being brought before The lnquisi
ion at Rome, subjected to the rgorsofa prison
IL was w availipc hiufcf &C The labors Of these
,wo philosophers that Sir Isaac Newton enabled
to dtt rniuc allth planetary motions, aritrOughl
| astronomy t. IT, present advanced cond tiori and
whilc ihC tects thtmseivcs .rc discOtc.cd b. Co
| pc1uicuF ard Calico. Tho genius Of Newton IL,
,ovcttd t1c sovrtc shcrcc this hcstliti aud Aer-
! mOIiCtl 1Iot i<t..ni flowed. The fGc, cl t3e ~"
.ilIariat.ou W.. succ, -tcd to 10 fao ''t'' mn
.gnrr 81, ploEue in Louiot, ir ~ le'I 49, Nn9h
ri .rlh .a into tho counts ~ avoi" vac con
4 - fun. " hon .i.urg 60 AZ orchard one gay, a.
| uisctyed sn annie fsI0om tyoc, winch tea ~
| tain cflhought roS1ce hisgrand theory ofni'G.