Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1854-05-06

trononers as data from which TO deduce
general principles.
Near the close Of the 18th century.
Kepler and Calico, one a German and
he other an Italian. made important
discoveries. kepier discovered that The
orbits of planets were eHipiicm instead
Of circular. as had been generally sup
posed, and also determined their dimen
sions, thus giving the data from which
to ascertain the velocities OF the planes.
While Kepler was developing these i'm
portant truths, Calico was laboring
with equal assiduity in another depart
ment. The telescope, which heretofore
had been exceedingly imperfect, he i'm
proved; and applying it to the heavens,
was him self surprised at the magic
change. The moon, when viewed through
it, was transformed into huge mass
with lofty mountains, deep valleys. and
extended plains, presenting on the whole
very uncouth appearance. Directing
his gaze TO the planets. Jupiter was
found to have satellites revolving around
her in the same manner that the moon
revolves around the earth; Venus, as
had been predicted by Copernicas was
found 10 exhibi, all the different phases
Of the moon double and triple stars
and nebula we're resolved into the in
dlvidual stars OF which they were COM
posed, and many stars which were in.
visible to the naked eye were brought
within the reach OF vision. These dis
coveries served TO confirm and es,a blish
the truth Of the Copernicau theory
while, at the same time, they showed
the absurdity and !alsi,y OF the hypoth.
esis OF Pto envy.
During the fifteenth century rapid
strides had been made in the science !;
but all was not yet discovered. 1t re-
ma ined for the towering intellect Of a
NEWTON to declare to the world the
great law Of the Universe, which gov
ems not only the :. fall of an apple, +"
but the motions of all the heavenly
bodies, from the apparently fixed star
TO the fiery comet which moves with
such uncomfortable velocity from and TO
the vast regions OF space. But why did
Newton discover tina, which had been a
secret with the Almighty Newton did
no, inUent the law it's existence dated
back 10 the time when the foundations
Of The heavens were laij, and the '' NOR
ming stars sang together" Why had
not some other person been able to read
the book Of nature, and proclaim to the
world its truths? All, il required the pa
ITEM perseverance, the cool calculation,
the sound, rigid reasoning, the deep
study, the mind that could trace effect
20 cause, and cause TO effect, the mind
that could dive down deep into the
| mysteries Of nature and make manifest
tina, which had not been revealed. Such
a nind did Newton possess, and to such
a mind are we indebted for our kno l.,
edge Of the law Of UNIVERSAL GRAvITA-
TON. The falling OF an apple was moth
luz neW nor strange; Others had observ.
ed the phcnome nor, bu! not like him
were they able to trace the effect 10 the
cause. OTHERS had learned that the
moon revolved around the earth, .ha,
The earth yeat'y performed its rerolu-
ton around the sun in connection with
the planets, but not like him were they
able to read the lar by which their mo-
tons were governed. TO him the fall
Of an apple was subject for thaught ;
there must be cause. lie soon formed
| his conclusion !; il was the attraction OF
tie eurih which caused the apple to fall.
But his reasoning did not end here. /.
The ear;h's attraction caused the ample
20 fail TO the ground, might not the saina
cause opera ie on the moon 20 retain it
in its orbit1 |, was new idea, but he
would test it. He applied 10 it The un-
e,iing test Of numbers, and proved ii to
be even as he had anticipated. Here
then was solution Of the great prob
lem. The attraction OF gravitation, the
same power which causes the apple to
fall to the earth, instead Of flying into
the air, which causes the weigh: of all
bodies, for weight is merely a measure oil
that attraction, is the same power
which, acting equally upon all the heav-
emily bodies, each attracting the other
with the same force that it is itself at
tracted, causes them to revolve with
that regularity and harmony which
characterize their motions.
| But. notwithstanding these grand
achievements of former times, the as,
tronomers Of more recent date have mol
been idle. Trace back on the scroll 81
Time less than hall score Of years,
and | will show you scene that will
vie in grandeur and sublimity with the
discovery Of the system" of Coperni-
Gus or the " laws" of Kepler. Within
his study in the city OF Paris SITS d
youth poring intertly over maze OF
figures. His massive brow is pale, fol
long days and weary nights has he la.
bored to solve the difficult problem. Blu
what is that so completely absorbs hi:
attention His glass Is not pointed to
the heavens, his eye looks not out upon
the stars. bu, quietly he pondcrs ove'
the Irregularities Of Uranus in her or
bit, as noticed for many years By many
casual observer, aud endeavors 10 as
certain the cause. He measures the
direction and power Of tho disturbing
force, questions the planet which is seer
land known concerning the cause of III
devialions, and actually conpels sta'
Which is itself beyond The reach of thu
unassisted eye, to tell Of the position
magnitude and orbit OF its fellow. which
has never yet been seen, even BY th'
oiI ~ ~ spu,ont and yy hnca yprI