Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-11-25
COMMUNICATION.
THE PHILOSOPHY or AsrRoNoMY.

1t is remarkable that there never has been but
attempted explanation Of the Of the orderly motion
Of the heavenly bodies though this idea in the
eession OF ages has been yariously modified.
The ancient astronomers well persuaded in their
minds that there could exist no mechanism which moved
the spheres wheel by its gearing into another
municates its motion; that there tracks walled
and made permanent to rolling planes for the
stars and that the Of planets though free
m space regulated with perfect wisdom considered
Chs phsre Org beings possessing the power of
motion, and being endowed with intelligence far surpass
ng human intelligence to direct their flight in their
cssseless rounds.
Aristotle believed that the planets were animated
He taught that every had immortal intelligence
by which it governed its movement. This idea
be traced farther back than the time Of Aristotle; and
ffeeo burdred years after that date the subtitle Doctor
Scot 81 dnata est ereditum
Potis qads Gemoassydt English, it may be believed
but it be proved that the living
beings
kepe-'s opinion the subject has been much ridi-
suisd, if he stood alone believer in this idea He
bat boldly taught the long prevailing hypothesis that the
worlds living beings; but he considered them
living beings devoid of intelligence and subject certain
mechanical laws.
distinguished naturalist of the present day (Oken)
esys the world itself is alive, and continues only be-
OF its life" So Professor Nicho 1t is said by
that matter is dead what then, is life ?" Again:
Look, theD, continues Professor Nchol, at that
Uranus bending with elike obedience towards the
san and read there the truth that in the suns
there is energy draw the planets towards home
Gctiee and not wda less iategJ than any other
conceivable czsrcise Of p" contemplaons Of tie Solar
Sysien, p. 62.)
II is true that few modern astronomers present the idea
Ipuoc Jon +I.,a
eedng extract from his verbose treatise. 1t is gene
rally said that the sun, for instance WHOLE
sphere is an intelligent animal. The maderns give to
each Of the sphere living, active, and discerning
power. They give animation and knowledge to every
particle u dust, that the smallest division of
world knows of the presence of its kindred atom and
each atom in mysterious instinct with wonderful power
draws other atoms Intelligence and power which
xncenty the attributes of spheres have been taken
from them integral beings TO vivfy and empower each
particle of the dust Of which they composed Nay
further: The life of each separate atom makes up
general life for the sphere Associated atoms composing
world have given to them sort of common life the
aggregate welding the power and intelligence of each
separate particle operating by of centre the
Of the animated being which whole knows and
attracts as if all the matter condensed in
tral point. .n-( Hoschel
The suu, ninsty-fve millions Of miles away without
any medium Of communication knows of the existence
and directs tue motion of this earth Further STILL the
life, power activity and influence Of the central umi
nary extends according Laplace, some tens of billions
Of miles.
SO alive so intelligent and so powerful is matter that
by its own attributes it forms itself into spheres
.sLapace and other advocates of the life of mat
ter do admit any necessity for God but by others
IL is supposed that the acknowledgment Of power to
oTgtHas matter is necessary but matter having been
created and endowed with its life, aws matter itself
will create universe bT its action that God may
give himself up 10 undisturbed repose fltchcocEs
GeoLogy)
Newton stands almost alone higher philosophy Of
the movements Of the heavenly bodies He most dis
6ny and implicitly disclaims the athestca philosophy
eAt is incredible" says he in letter to Dr. Bentley
a that brute matter should operate upon and
afecto,her matter, which must do if grayaton in the
sense f Epicurus be essential and inherent in it and
this is che why desire you would ascribe it
to me-" #
What was this sense in which the Epcurians regarded
mstter hs Newton discaimed in such emphatic words
The Epcuan philosophy was material and atheistical
According their philosophy the occult properties vr-
tues or in Sher words the life of matter, gave the
form ard faslien Of this universe.
.sThis sect says Dr. Keil, explain motion by the
elementary virtues and occult properties Of matter such
sympa,hes, arathies, attractions, repusions, and
the like"
a'Ihe6e atheiSts,N writes OQuWOrln, assigned no
for motion and to avoid God they yentured to
attribute perfect understanding WILL appetite and self
moving power to senseless matter
The Epicurian athel2m which Newton disclaimed ha-
been fastened to the '9Newtonian Philosophy" by the
successors Of the great trsnoner. La Lande says
"For myself think with NJ. de Maupertuis, (the first
continental the tb cory Of gravtaon, and with
the greater part Of Engah phlosoph1s that attrac-
on ondepends essential property pr0pTt inrnsique
Of matter" a
Newton asked himself soms serious questions: How
property of the matter Oh the earth have its field
Of activity in the moon How can body exert apower
where it is not?
Most inconclusive the f Mr. Stewart to this
seepticism Of Newton !:
awe can" says Stewart, resoily conceive OF mat
ter acting at distance cf matter acting On
other matter in contact with it,.
This is most true But the argument does not touch
the point at issue. Newton did not believe that matter
afar of close hand could influence other matter
He taught that every particle moved beSanse Of " the
spiritual" because Of present power ems mating from
God Newton the tendency Of the theory that matter
welded power and be told his friend Pem3erton that
when this speculation became the settled theo Of pho
sophy all opening for the Advance Of the human md wouo
Be closed-( Pembertons account Of The Noonia1 Phlo
ssphy)
Plato taught the true philosophy Of motion. ne con-
sidered the translation of body in space that s
tonl as pass;vs He recognised the spiritual Neve,
active power above, beyond and over the matter which
is moved He believed that the universe shows the power