Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-11-26
COMMUNICATION.
THE SYMMETRY OF THE SOLAR sYsTE,
FOR THE NATIONAL ISrELIIGENcKR.


and the whole of the living points to deep hidden law
points TO sacred riddle"
What is symmetry? If we draw lines piece Of
paper and before the ink dry fold the paper in the
middle of the random scratches of the pen the lines will
be repeated the opposite sde and symmetrical figure
is the result because however irregular and confused
the lines at first made each line has imprinted
itself opposite, and there balance parts which
constitutes symmetry.
A symmetrical building has the same height the same
length and the finish and appendages each side
of the central line The architect has repeated his work
without variation Of plan he has enlarged the edifce
without change of the constructive idea he formed.
One part wisely constructed and the wisely construct
ed whole is repetition of perfect parts 1t is there
FORE congruity resulting from unity of design which gives
tie symmetry of structure
In the works of Nature this congruy and unity of de-
sign is exhibited in most wonderful manner. We OBJ
serve symmetry every where the Bible declares, all
things are double one against another" The limbs Of
animal duplicates its body the side If the
medal line is the counterpart of the body the other
sde animal is the type Of another Of the ami
ly This congruity extends between families races,
classes and orders of the animal kingdom The animal
fades away by insensibe graduation the vegetable
and the vegetable into the mineral kingdom. Element
also corresponds element and this world itself to other
worlds division of the solar system another group
Of the system; and the great system itself CORE
spends to the other systems Of spheres which revove
around the great centre of the universe There no
break in the creaon-no disointed members-no sola-
ton parts One style general character subdues the
most varying into the common expression Creation
extension Of divine wisdom: the minute part is
perfect and the general perfection is repetition ohese
perfect parts. Symmetry is, then, the many signatures
Of the archyypal SEAL it is the participation of all
things in the pervading and mmutable wisdom of God
The study of the symmetry of the solar system is the
great work of the astronomer and all his researches in
this direction viii bring to him due reward He can
know Of remote worlds because lie knows Of this world
lie estimate the magnitudes distances and periods
Of afaro spheres because there are magnitudes dis
tances and periods which he measure. He can APP
Precate the beauty and submity the heavens because
he feels the beauty and submity of that part Of creation
which lies open TO his eye.
Could view embrace the solar system at one glance
were the full depths Of space thrown open to our sight
the symmetry of the spheres would open upon us in aw
full submity reechong in all things double
one against another. But view is limited; the glory
Of the heavens lies buried in the obscury of distance
We must look around and about u.s. and comprehendng
the visible objects, ascend by tosome steps from the
minute to the grandthe unknown from the known every
day widening the horizon and enlarging the view
Let US recall the symmetry Of simple wild flower
OF the myriads OF such growing in the fields forests and
on the mountain tops The segment of its cup of its
petals, OF It's stamen, of style regular equal and
anKe; every part OF 1t has corresponding part
the nts and shades Of color side repeated
the other side We could draw the flower reconsructing
it from of its smallest divisions.
Again. leaf declares the form Of the tree on which
grew Its petioe foot-stak is an analogue Of the
trunk Of the tree being comparatively long short is
the trunk Of the tree from the ground the point of the
onset OF Its first branches The veins Of the leaf they
extend from the centre mrb ven shoot out at the
same angle shoot the branches the stem of
the tree and the veins whirled, reticulated or
otherwise distributed the branches leaf thus
gives miniature drawing of its parent tree; it writes
down on its tiny the character of the great vegetable
organization of which it is minute appendage.
Compare the leaves Of two strawberry plants one bear
ing red the other white berry both leaves are OF the
same FORM serrated alike, and of the same shade Of
green; bat on the apex Of the one leaf there will be
found red dot, while in the position the other
leaf VIII be seen uhin dot as marks or induces Of the
color Of the fruit.
Culver could an animal from small frag-
ent Of Of its bones and teach of its habits and
food, and generally of its character The bit of bone
under his grew to the perfect bone; conjoned with it
became its fellow bone the skeleton appeared re-cad
with its hesh and the muscle seemed be covered with
skin, spotted and colored when the animal thou
sand years ago had made the forest remble beneath
its cry The character Of the animal is be known be-
cause this character is written down every limb,
Der, and part Of its body
They who seek TO know of the harmony the spheres
have been rdiculed ga Of prurient maginations
But something than fancy required Stern science
and aborous deductions the only to this
knowledge. The footsteps Of like Culver must be |
followed Knowing part Of the solar system one
sphere-as eafe Of the tree whose branches the
one pnaSe great winch
binds together the brotherhood Of worlds possible
for the mind Of conceive for him see with the
inner eye what instruments measure what tel
escapes reyeal-the solar system perfect
symmetrical whole.
This world wisely made and the ar-of Neptune is in
symmetry with it, The position Of the Moon relatively
10 the Earth wisely determined so the distance Of
the group Of the satellites Of Neptune bears and the
same relation TO its primary As there is known pro-
portion between the periods and distances Of the planets
50 is there also fixed proportion between their magni-
tudes and distances One fact be used to evolve
other facts and these again make known truth
at greater distance until the solar system is
structed in the human mind.
That which the human mind demands to know, what
II resolves 10 attain it fails discover" Truth
often lies nearer 70 than suppose But is there any
present attempt among the astronomers Of the day push
he inquiry Tor new manifestations Of the symmetry Of the
spheres!
Astronomers watch for the return Of comets into the
helds Of the telescope They discover new planets and
asteroids they compute the elements Of orbits they pass
whole lives in mathematical abstrusites buried mn in
wise-drawn calculations Of planetary perturbations
They find what they seek. Newton in their opipon has
attained all the principles that can ever be attained In
their ownlanguage, Newton seized the golden kew which
unocks the mysteries Of the universe and holds Il in an
iron grasp" Nothing is left for them 10 discover no
truth for them to evolve and since the DAYS Of Newton
not general principle Of physical astronomy mani
Testing the simple majesty Of the heavens has been
disclosed.
We have full faith that there s,to be built up philo
sophy Of the heavens opening to the human mind dis
tnct view Of the symmetry Of this almost boundess
one world, is one creation, the limbs Of mem
Of which chado In in6n