Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-05-21
The Comet OF 1866.

The following interesting details respect
| ing the comet which is expected to mike its
appearance about the year 1856 are given by
M. RABINEr, an eminent French astronomer,
and member of the Academy of Sciences, in
nn article recently published. The Boston
Traveller translates from the Courier des Et-
ats Uuis:
"This COMET is one of the grandest of
which historians make mention. Its period
ofreyolution is about three hundred years.
IL was seen in the years 104, 800, 6S3, 975,
! 1864 and the last time in 1856. Astrono-
mers ogeeed in predicting its return in 1913,
but it failed TO appcur-mdnque du rendez-
rous according to the expression of NJ. Rabi-
| net-and continues to shine still, unseen by
US. Already the observatories begin to be
alarmed for the fate of their beautiful wan
dering star. Sir John IIerschel himself had
put Grape upon his telescope, when learn
ed calculator of MiddIebourg, NJ. BONNIE,
re- assured the astronomical world of the con-
iinued existence of the venerable aud mag
| nificent comet
"Disqiieted, as all other astronomers were,
by the non.arrval of the CONT Mt the expec
ted time, NJ. Bomlne, aided hy the prepare
tory labors of Mr.. Hind, with a patience
truly Dutch, has revised all the calculations
and estimated all the actions of all the plan
cts upon the comet for three hundred years
OF revolution. The result of this patient la
Dor gives the arrival of the comet in August,
1858, with an uncertainty of two yenrs, more
or less, so that, from 1856 to 1860, we nlny
expect the great comet which was the cause
oftho abdicution of the Emperor Charles V,
in 1856.
alt is known that, pnrtnking Of the general
superstition, which interpreted the appear
ance of comet MS the forerunner of some
fatal event, Charles V. believed that this
comet addressed its menaces particularly to
him rs holding The first rank among sover-
eigns. The great aud once wise but now
weared mud shattered monarch had been for
some time the victim of cruel reverses.--
There were threatening indications ia tho
political If rot in the physical horizon of n
still greater tempest to come. lie was left
TO cry in despair, Fortune abahdons old
men, The appearance of tho blazing star
seemed TO him un ndmonilion from heaven
that he must cease to be sovereign il lie
would avoid fatality from which ono with
out authority might he spared. II " known
that the Emperor survived his abdication but
a little more than two years
"Another comet, which passed near us in
1885, and which hns appeared twenty-five
times since the yearl3 before the christian era,
hns been associated 10y tho supersiitious with
many important events which have occur
red near the perinds of its visitation.
ain 1866 William the Conquerer landed in
England at the head of numerous army
about the time that the comet appeared
which now bears the name OF Ilaley's COM
ct. The circumstance was regarded by the
English as prognostic of the victory of The
Normnns. 1t infused universal terror into
the minds of the people, aud contributed not
a little towards the submission of the coun-
try after the battle of Hastings, as it had SER
we'd TO discourage the soldiers of Harold be-
fore the combat The comet Is represented
upon the famous tapestry of layeux, cxecu-
ted by Queen Matilda, the wife of the Con- |
querors The saino comet, in 1456, threw
terror among the Turks under tho command |
of Nlahomet, II, and into the ranks of the |
Christians during the terrible battle CT Bel |
grade, in which forty thousand Mussulmans !!
perished. The comet is described hy iisto- |
rians of tho time as immense, terrible, oil
enormous length, carrying in its train n tail !,
which covered two celestial signs, (G0 de-
grees,) and producing universal teror.'-
Judging from this portrait, comets hnve |
singularly degenerated in onr day. Ii will |
be remembered, however, that in 1911 thero !
comet of greot brilliancy, which |
inspired some supersiitious fears. Since TINT |
epoch science has noted nearly eighty COM
cts, which, with few exceptions, were visible !
only by the mid of the telescope. KepIer,
when asked how many comets he thought
there were in the heavens answered, 'us
many as there are fish in the sea-.