The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-01-18
LOCAL MATTER8.

LKCIUbk-Ou rEiudy esehWe sosss Ai0iseeoA
Stephen Alexander, of Princeton, N. j. delivered
the FIRST lecture of interesting series upon Astro-
nomy. Mr. A. IL enthusiastic In his devotion to the
study of the movements and character OF the
heavenly bodies, and Is of the ripest and os'
| distinguished scholars Ia America. We regar d
him as a model lecturer. His style is clear cid
and instructive His illustrations are OF cha rae
ter easy to be understood by the most uncuuv ated
mind and vein of glowing imagery runs throug
his addresses, relieving the du ness oil detail, and
| importing truly refreshing beauty: HIS voice is
| weak neverth sless his calnl earnest and impress
| sive manner commands undivided attention. All
are interested because all can see that the heart Of
the lecturer is absorbed in his sublime theme. He
lis also concise, ana does not weary audiences by
lectures of undue length. A good audience was in
| attendance, and we hope to at Professor As
| second lecture this evening, thronged assemb ly
TIE theme is attractive-he lecturer one of the most
acceptable and popular speakers in the country
aud the information to be gained is Of the most val
liable and improving character
When we entered the lecture room, the Profe s.
sor was speaking of the motion of the earth hay
ing commenced his review OF the movements of
the heavenly bodies with description of the globe
| on which we live. AS an illustration Of the extent
of the earths surface, he stated that if person
could lock at q square miles of it in day, It would
take him Il 900 years to look once at the earths
| surface. Take mountain with base of 90 miles
in diameter and - miles nigh. This eaorm Gus
standard would contain $40 cubic mi es yet 220 600
TIMES as many miles were contained in the earth.
Counting two per second and eight hours day,
say as fast as grains of corn could drop from the
| bop hon no osE ka ia
count million' Why more than a fortnight,
about II days. Then, to count in this manner, the
plumber of cubic miles contained in the earth would
take one 81 years and months.
The next great standard of the distance and six
ofthe heavenly bodies, was presented in the magni
fcent appendage of Saturn. Saturns ring was next
largest to the sun, aud about % times larger
than the earth 1t was distant $50, 600 miles, and
about 1872 days of iucessant travel at the rate OF 80
miles an hour, would bring one to it. The next
step in the series the diameter of the sun, the
glorious centre Of the heavenly system. The dia
meter Of the about liz times larger than
the diameter of the EARTH and its surface more than
10000 times greater than the surface of the earth.
Over all this luminous surface there rolls and RACES
at times waves Of light, absolutely mountains high,
in sea of gorgeous spendor, and a 10000
times larger Than the Pacific The liyeliest imagi-
nation, however exercised, could not give US any
adequate idea Of the peculiar characteristics Of this
glorious uminary OF the day. Mercury, Yenus
and Mars still farther distant. Back of these
We to region where all the asteroids or
planets were found. First of these was the mag
nifcent orbit Of Jupiter-beyeod that of Saturn,
next Uranus, then Neptune. Beyond the
orbit Of Neptune the orbit of a new comet termed
Halleys comet, had been discovered Far beyond
these planets, extended the void inter-
vening before arriving at the fixed stars. The dis
lance of The nearest of these fixed stars
200 600 times greater than our own distance from
the
The largest standard in use to compare these dis
tances was the velocity of light. The light OF the
sun reached US in minutes and II seconds. Light
travelled at the Of 10000 miles per second,
and it would require four years for light to travel
from the nearest fixed star to the earth. The
light from the fixed star Swan would reach US in
years and months; of Arcturus in 90 years and
months of Capella in 81 years and fraction
Here, then, the rays of light enanating from Capel
Ia three quarters of year ago, travelling at the
rate of l66, 900 miles per second, was just shining
upon US.
character of these bodies The conclusion to which
we were necessarily brought was, that the fixed
stars were suns. How extremely sublime was this
simple conclusion! The faint and feeble glow of
starlight, twinkng, transparent and pellucid, was
interviewer of the scattered gores of thousands of
suns The brightness of Sirius, the Dog Star, for
instance, compared ascertained through inter.
mediate steps, with the brightness of the sun.
These fixed stars were regularly arranged in
pairs, and were of various colors. Nothing could
surpsss this arrangement of tinted suns-p arti
colored gems of the universe, that surrounded the
dark brow Of night! The Milky Way was fringed
by rich borders of stars, found to be an arrange
ment of great clusters Of stars or sums-within
which were situated somewhat globuar arrange
ments OF stars, comparatively regular US. There
was another portion comparatively remote, outside
of this, the combined light of which gave the
whitish tint denominated the milky way Now the
light If one of these latter stars gave the history of
what the light of that star 1000 years since In
other words, the light which greeted our eyes,
! left one of these stars little before the COM
mencement Of the christian era, although travel
ling at the rate of almost 100000 miles per second
ever since! The light that now greeted the eye
through the telescope OF one of the sill more re
mote OF these stars doubtless leftt before human
being was created There was something almost
awful in this conclusion Literally it had the re-
cords Of eternity past unroed, to be read in time!
There were soma of these stars that were variable
and changing. Old stars had disappeared, new
ones were visible. Stars visible in 1885, were gone
now. In the time of Kspler, 1872 star passed out
of sight that exceeded Jupiter in size, and was as
bright Sirius 1t was visible for l6 months,
during which period it went through most singular
| changes in size and color Thus, here was not
mere rotation of axis, but real change of physical
state. The lecturer concluded with an eloquent
tribute IF praise to the great Author of this mighty
| universe of worlds.
HUsTINGs CoURT.-On yesterday, Moses Pike
| was examined befole this court on the charge of
receiving and purchasing gold watch, worth $50,
| from free negro named Jacob Cross, who, as al
legged, stole il from another negro named Henry
| White, slave to Mrs. E. NJ. Harrison, the 18th of
| December last. After due examination the court
acquitted Mr.. Pike of the charge, and he was dis
charged from custody. The police are on the track