Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-03-31

80 N'''tts1 w e'lpgtNt tIC iO'o"HS ttfOot W
'ccount for them. We quote his own words.
Innumerable small bodies consisting of ex-.
tremely light, thin. combustible matter. existing
together in space far beyond the limit of the
atmosphere, are believed to compose body of
innnmerabe extent which has been called the
nebulous body. Only The skirts or extreme por.
tion of this are brought down to the earth, while
the entire extent occupies many thousand Of
miles. Tins the nebulnus body is inferred to
have revolution around the sun as we'll as the
earth. aud to comevery GEAR to the latter, about
the 18th Of November each year. The annual
meeting every year. for several years in sue
cesson, could not take place unless the period
time Of the nebuIous body is nearly year, or
half years."
M. Arago, whose prof 'nnd knowledge Of phys
les is well known. writing on this subject. remarks
thai "it Is scarcely possible at present to see any
other mode Of explaining the astonishing appear
ance of these bodies than by supposing that
besides the large planets there move round The
eu" uiSIldts VI SfHhil uoulcs, WINCH tTe not
visibe except when they penetrate into our own
atmosphere, and there become nhamed that
some ot these move in n certain sense in groups,
and that others are insulated In another con-
nrcilon, he says, All these facts tend more and
more to coniIn us in the belief that there exists
znne composed of millions of small bodies
whose orbits meet the plane Of the ecliptic to-
wards the point which the earth occupies every
wear from the | lth u the 18th of November"
There is slight difference between this theory
and that Of Professor Omsted the latter sup
posing large ncbulous body to revolve about
the sun from which the detached portions fall.
ing ili" the atmosphere and becoming inAaned
b, the fiction, constitute the meteors while
ArHgo supp 'ses that immense numbers of small
bottles, and perhaps parcels of nebulous matter,
occupy many points of a general orbit, into the
neghborhood of which the earth approaches
about the middle Of November. Another writer
snpposps thai millions OF these small nebuous
bodies revolve at all distances and angles around
the sun, some sgnly aud some in groups or CIR
culnr trains. and coming in contact with the
earth at any point Of its orbit, and thus account
ing for the occasional appearance Of falling stars
at III seasons of the wear.
Thus far we lave seen that philosophers have
looked to different sources to explain the origin
Of what have been regarded as two classes of
bodies. We wish in conclusion, to suggest the
inquiry whether theory of NJ. Arago may not
acc"un, for holh classes of phenomena whether
both may not be representatives of the myrlads
of small bodies that moved around the sun" and
occasio ally penetrate our own atmosphere" !"
Nav we not suppose hat the shooting star"
is qni'e substantial matter. consumed by intense
heat, and becoming dissipaied in 'he atmosphere
before reaching the vicinity of the earth, while
the meteoric stone reaches the earth partially
unc"nsumed? This Suggestion is made as an
inquiry only, and not given as an opinion. The
phenomena noticed at the head of our first ar
ticle, would on this suppositi'n be taken as in
ter,nedlate specimens between the extremes Of
generu class. Scientific american.
INrERNAr1oNAL CoPYRIaHr There is good
prospect Of the speedy conclusion Of copyright
treaty. between the United States and England,
snilar in its leading points, to that which o.
ready exists between England and France. We
know not in what terms to express our gratliica-
tion at this announcement. 1t Is not merely be-
cause we happen to have written books which
have chanced to fnd an extensive sale IN Eng
land, thar we rejoice at it; but because we ure
convinced tina, the interests OF American itera
tnrr. and the rights Of American authors, de
mand the proeclon which such treaty will af
ford. We brlleve It will be Immediately pro.
ductvp oil u,m'red god. L. will benefit pub
fishers. who are n favor of II 10 q man. 1t will
benefit authors, VINO have sighed for it long. II
will benefit the pubic il more ways than we
have, this week, space TO ennmerate. Above
ALL common honesty rqnres it. We hope the
press, all over he land Will sp,ak az once, and
emphalrally, in fvor of the treaty. that though
it NAV be coDcocled IN tn C,hnet. and sane
toned BY the Senate. it my b. carried by na.
tinn, accIamation -- Home Journal.
NEWSPAPERS AND THEIR PATRONs.--A A @ ca
portion Ut the community suppose, says an ex
ch,ngp. that newspapers can publish everything
that occurs tn and near, and this whether i