Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-11-25

the philosophy Of Epcurus it is suggestive too often
only Of the life and power of matter.
We are grati6ed here in recording the opinion OF a
eminent mathematician Of Massachusetts;
Neither myself any iatslyeat astronomer Of y
qnainance beieUes that the attracts tie earth. We
the word attraction convenient statement Of tn
direction Of the force Force is spiritual CONSCIOUSNESS
thus decides this question at once"
Why do not astronomers, then, that this the tru
Newtonan philosophy is distinctly stated in the
books OF the science?
Astronomy should ascend one step nearer to the Su
preme Being by teaching that power is not essential
attribute Of matter that there is for the motion
of worlds residing in the dust of which they com
posed that tho sphere which rolls through space has
controlling influence the motion Of other worlds Cause
and effect should be separated should be thrown wide
apart in philosophy they 10 practical fe The
body and the life of the body and that which
matter the planets and the power which gives DO
siion to the planets and the thing
than Is God the creator and man. the created, one and
the same!
NJ Bailly said La folie de rhomne tovjours Se ID
Uouioi ptatr les prDere rGisoas de la nat gu ssycn
tooars ineonaues" 1t is the wisdom Of man. however.
to hold with hrm and constant grasp those things which
he clearly knows. He should permit astronomical
science to confound the distinction which common
acknowledges between world which is moved and the
power by which the world translated through the realms
of space.
We have been led to this of remark by the
sderaon of the nebular speculation of Lapace which,
1t has been recently asserted is favored by American
astronomers
mere description of this theory shows it to be a
branch Of the Epcurean atheism We will take the de-
scription from a believer in the hypothesis:
THE sssemblage of stars that form present solar
system at first ofthose mysterious nebue which
see floating in space. But the development begins
principle OF concentration counterbaances the unlimi
ed expansion and brings the particles together and
grasps them in spheroidal mass. x The case
spherod then resolves itself into local agglomer-
tons which separate from each other into distinct spheres
either by the successive separations of separate layers
the SUMS atmosphere or in virtue of ether property
of matter"
Does not this resemble the philosophy of Epicurus
Does it not cothe matter with power with attractions and
repulson which in the place of God FORM fashion, and
maintain the universe? We do not mpnte atheism the
supporters of the nebular hypothesis Far from it. There
who incline to the hypothesis and speak from
personal knowledge) who and adore the su-
preme Being We have alluded the origin and tenden-
cy of the speculation because its origin is from rank
ism because its tendency is to produce the philosophy
given to the world in that notorious book The Vesges
of Creation " because conceas, under the phosophc
terms Of the Epicureans 'sympathies anipathes, at
fractions repusions, and the like the actual being and
presence Of Him of whom alone the stars should
declare the glory. S. Z. G.