Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1853-09-15

The Comet
As we stated, In paragraph OF six lines, yesterday
nornng a certain Professor Jewett, Of Fayetteville,
North Carolina who SAYS he has studied comets for thirty
four years. and therefore knows all about them has an
ncunecd that the comet which lately visited its
back and will strike the earth the 18TH The 18th
is to-day At what hour the grand catastrophe is to
occur do not know. The thermometer docs not yet
show any signs of approaching combustion the ba-
any marks of increased atmospheric pressure
There reason believe the catastrophe will be delayed
till the latest possible minuie-perhaps until our readers
are all snug in bed; in which they WILL in all proba
biy have the satisfaction OF getting up morrow morn
ing very greatly the for the comet tor the pre-
dicion FOR the dreams which the latter may suggest
Comets are very rapid travellers but the world in
sense has got entirely ahead Of them. Nothing M isct
more strkiugy illustrates the progress OF ideas than the
indifference with which men have come to regard these
mysterious bodies viewed with such universal and
supcrous dread the specifies OF the skies and
the contempt with which predictions vt collisions are dis.
missed from every bodys mind and this not SO much
that have better ledge on the subject OF COM
tan possessed hall century ago but because
phoSophic spirit prevails, and there is deeper aud
founded conviction that the great Architect OF the
Heavens did contrve His majestic work, leaving any
part Of subject the Influences OF chance and accident
Comets really incompreheusble as ever but men
are quite weak they used 20 be- The revolution
is thorough although recent Twenty years ago, Proies
Jcwetts predc;ion-or sucd prediction as he has
yentured TO make, coming Om one somewhat better known
than he Is TO the public-would have crcied some unca
ness in proof of which have only 10 so back the
year 1882 when similar idea hazNrded respecting Belis
comet whose return then expected creited great con
sterraon the continent OF Europe, more especially in
France
From the time when Bielas visible in 1890,
the OF France and Germany brsed themselves
in calculations ascertain the exact period OF its rcVolu-
ton round the sun afterwards found to be about S.
years. and fix the day for its appe rance in 1862 Among
Others Dlmoscau whose predict to the time Of its
rcappsaran- proved be correct found by his cal
custons during the night Of the 29h Of October
would the plane Of the earths orbit, at point be-
ghteen and nineteen thousand miles within the
orbit Some of the German Swans went still further, cal
cun that AZ the time II crossed this point the sarih
would very the spot, that whatever the
consequences might br, collision must, or in all proba
bility would occur The result Of this very general
panic especially have said in France where
the excitement 10 such pitch 20 attract the attcn-
iion OF the Academy OF Sciences and thought
thy of the dignity Of that learned body take such steps
might aly the popular fears The duty entrusted
the celebrated Araso, who published manifesto ON the
subject in the iHHuGirs, Of 50 luminous and orcble
character that il had the intended effect the i'm
preston lasting might say TO this day. Arago pro
we'd that although the coming would, according
TIE Calculations ought 10 pass within the ea'ths orbit
particular spot in question extending it, ucbuosiiy
he path Of planet the EARTH contrary othe
spccpaions OF the Germans, would, at the moment be in
another part Of her journey, at such distance that It
would take exactly hiryone days before she could roach
the place; and Ia that time, OF course the comet would
be oil into infinite space Nor did AraCo stop here. Not
show there no niger 81 Belas comet stri-
king the earth he pursued the subject - lar to show
upon mathematical principles exactly what the probabiE
" OF any other comct-sn unknown one,-ihe most
of course be drcaied-doiug the same thing. Accord
ing his computations, there just chance in favor
OF such catastrophe against upwards Of two hundred and
eighty millions of chances opposed TO it-euoush 20 salts
reasonable beings that the earth i not likely 20 b.
whiskci Of existence by comet Let Us suppose,
said ,hs hrewd and ceArneaded MAJ, "a comet of which
only know that it, perheon, 1t Is nearer the sun
than arc and that lie Gameier- one fourth that OF the
earth the calculation OF probabilities shows that OF ISL
100000 OF chances there i only urftyorlbe by which
collision be-<een the bodies could be produced A.
Tor the r,1sifH In It's general dimensions. the
favorable chances will be from 10 twenty IN tue
numbered 600 900. Admitting then, Tor moment,
he adds bA; comets which might strike the earth with
their nuclei would aruha;c the whole human race the
danger Of death individual resulting from the ap
pearlrce of unknown comet would be exactly equal
the rick 10 would run il in there Wa only in
gle white hal! Of total number OF 2sluvpp"o 81 balls
and shat BIS condemnation death would DC the inevitable
consequence OF Tie white ball being produced at the first
drawing
In the wear l77a Ialsate the astronomer in an imae
nary moment, INDUCED spfc-.1ors respecting Ihe
possibility of the come: OF that year coming u contact
with thc e.gth These sTce.-tUrs were laid before the
Academy; but tbev had very w1iul eject on the public
mrl g France. TIE terror greater than that
which ArA-o GSq-lsi o. lter day. l = said that
Tou- uaagpy results 'suy and some tmusuu- persons
even I.,L Of fright. Tie apprehension lasted until the
~, l.,'y sgsI 'hgu &; g slfil 81 gI,y sE9Gft
function. IN bc depths OF the uameut than tat Of intro
.cirg disorder ana destruction ~ she works Of God
When c5n-l.5wc quote the natural aad pertinent
ref, elton Of the p.ou- Dr. DIX -"Nhra consider
that Wise and Almighty Bu'6r slpeIiurgds anil directs
the movements OF az the gl-4; bodies u ile universe aud
tie cratic motions Of among he rest, and shat
even; ear bel world without III sogcsesnp permission
aut appointment Ily rrpo-e ourselves iu TcIiec;
c-y thar no catastrophe i'om tie impulse Of celestial
agents sll take place bat ia with Ills viii
aud f5- te Accomplishment; II the plan. Of Ills uuivct-I!
providence Tue great events use-hl!OTsI by Ievea
o. HfIy ID. f|.Fs D. Nf rI.t
Iue l-!.tess Of time IS 10 cOmc.-IAiIalyhia North
Iu,crc1H.