Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-01-20


We are gatifcd that citizens to have an or-
porunity of hearing Prof Mitchell, the eloquent and
abe lecturer on Astronomy the City Hall this eve
ming The subject The Harmony, Jei,ccep the ,erela-
tons of modern astronomy and The language Of the Bible
descriptive Of pEaiomeaa the Hea,ens, in itself of
general interest ALL will be found to possess the deep
est interest when treated by one so familiar with the
theories and modern discoveries in this noble sci
ence.
We believe it is more than twelve years, since
the venerable John Quincy Adams though feeble with
age onrneyed to the then far West to lay the corner
stone of the Cincinnati Observatory. Professor Mitch
Ell had, few years BEFORE completed his at the
Military Academy at West Point, and was the Pro-
lessor Of Mathematics in the Cincinnati College He
had already marked out his course and with singular
enthusiasm, undertook, single handed and alone the
Hercuean task Of completing this Observatory. This
object he prosecuted with untirug and iudomtable en-
ergy, even to the detail of soliciting, and collect
ing all the funds, employing and paying all the mechan-
ica force, procuring the means, visiting the leading OBJ
servatories of England and Germany contracting for
the instruments, and finally equiping it in
which gives it rank with the first in the old World
During the last five years Professor Mitchell has been
cooperating with the ablest Astronomers Of Europe
Aiey Mardler, Strive, and Others in observations for
which, his powerful telescope is admirably fitted, and
which have d direct and important bearing the sig
nal advancement of the science. He has already made
those discoveries himself and verified those of his
Observation-Disclosures abroad which will give him an
elevated rank among scientific in all countries
More recently he has invented machinery which
y gives far greater accuracy astronomical observa-
tons, but wonderfully abridges the labor By an at
achment to the magnetic clock records the time of
transit any motion of the heavenly bodies to the
and believe, the thousandth part OF a
second, that, what, by the Did method, required
great number of observations to secure accuracy-ln
many labor Of months-may now be performed
in single night. This becomes immensely valuable
when we consider how comparatively small the num-
Der of nights even in year, when the atmosphere and
sky are in that pure and clear required by the OBJ
server still more in view of the vast orbits of the stel
lar worlds and the distant periods when these bodies
are brought into favorable conunctions for inspec-
ton.
Professor Mtchels course of four lectures on
Biblical Astronomy delivered in New York city, Brook
Ign, and New Haven have been attended by crowded
audiences. Having before the completion of this
sing evening at command he gives one lecture here
In going the ground covered by this lecture, the
Professor is sad by those who have heard him. to be
exceedingly eloquent. From the reports have read
we know his style to be very Clear beautiful and often
highly poetic and that no one will forego the
rich intellectual treat which is promised tonight.