Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-07-24

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painted his own likeness or those of hi
friends, or traced bis recollections of Rom
or Bologna; and lastly, of small parlo
on the ground floor, which was open 70
jail who came to him for remedies, for mon
ey, or for food.
Over the door an oval Aperture ha
been cut, through which ray of the mid
day sun daily penetrated, and, resting M
on certain point in the adjoining room
marked the hour of noon. This was tn
Astronomical gnomon Of Copernicus; and tn
Ionly ornaments the room contained wer
some verses written by his own hand, an
pasted up over the chimney piece.
1t was in the parlor that the good ma:
found room TO tend invalids who had com
to claim his assistance; dressed the wound
of some, administering remedies to Others
and on all bestoW aims and words of kind
ness and consolation. Having completed
his labors, he hastily swallowed a draugh
lef milk,and was about So set out to Frauen
burg, N:hen a horsenan, galloping up t
the door, handes, aim lette I. He trim
bled as ne recognized the handwriting Q
his friend Gysias, Jli.shop of Culm.
"May God have pity on us" wrote thi
friend, 'and avert the blow which nov
threatens thee! Thy enemies and tn,
rivals combined-those who accuse thee q
folly, and those who treat thee as a heret
lic-have been SO successful in exciting a
gainst thee the minds of the people of Nun
emburg, that men curse thy name in TIN
streets; the priests excommunicate thee
from the pulpits; and the university, hear
I ing that thy book was to appear, has de-
clared its intention sto break the printing
press Of the publisher, and to distroy til,
work Of which thy life has been devoted
Come and allay the storm; outcome quickly
or thou wilt be too late"
Before Copernicus had finished the pc
rusal of this letter, he fell back yoiceless anc
powerless into the arms of his servent, anl
it was some moments before he rallied
When he again looked up, the horsemal
who had been charged to escort him back
asked him how soon he would wish to SCI
out.
81 must set out directly" replied the ole
man, in a resigned tone; 'sbut not for Nur
emburg, or for Culm; the suffering work
men at Frauenburg are expecting me; they
may perhaps die if don't go to'their assist
ance. My enemies may perhaps destro,
my work, but they can not stop the stars
in their courses"
An hour later, Copernicus was at Frau
enburg. The machine was soon in order
and in a few hours the water flowed freely
into the town. His first cares, we need no
lsay, had been directed to the unhappy iner
who had received injuries whilst working
in the sluices. He set their fractured limb.
and bound them up with his owa hands
then commencing them to the care Of al
|attendant, he prom issd TO return and visi
them on the moro w. But blow was a
bout to descend upon himself, which wa
destined to crush him to the dust.
AS he crossed the square, whilst passing
through the town on his return home, h
perceived among crowd company o
Istroling players acting upon temporary
stage. The theater represented an astro
nomical observatory, filed with all kind
| of ridiculous instruments. In the mids
stood an old man, whose dress and bearing
were in the exact imitation of those of Co
Ipernicus. The resemblance was SO striking
that he directly recognized himself, anc
paused, Supplied with astonlshment,
Behind the merry Andrew, whose bust
ness it was to hold up the great man t
public derision, there stood a personagt
whose horns and cloven foot designed Sat
in, and who caused the pseudo Copernl as
to act and speak, as though he had been
an automaton, by means Of two string
fastened to his ears, which were no 9th
er than asses ears, of considerable dimen-
sions.
The parody was composed Of severa,
scenes. In the first. Tie astronomer cav,
himself to Satin, burnt copy of the Bible
and trampled crucifx under foot. In
thesecond, he explained, by juggling with ap
pies in guise of planets, whilst his heae
was transformed into Likeness Of the SUI
by means of torchers of rosin. In the thirc
he became charlatan, vender Of promo
tum and quack medicine In the fourth
and closing act he was dragged forth as
one cursed by God and by man; and the
devil dragging him down to the internal
regions amidst cloud of sulphurous smoke
declared his intention to punish him for
having caused the earth to turn on its axis,
by condemning him to remain with his
head downwards throughout eternity.
When Copernicus thus behold the treas.
Tired discoveries of his whole life held up
to the derision of an ignorant multitude
his enlightened faith branded as impiety,
and his self-denying beneyolence ridiculed
as the quackery Of charlatan, his noble spi-
rit was first utterly overwhelmed, and the
most fearful doubts of himself, of mankind
and even of Providence itself, rushed upon
his mind.
At first he hoped that the Frauenbur-
gians, the children of his adoption, to
whose comfort and happiness he had de
voted himselffor fifty years, would cut short
the disgfaceful scene. But alas be saw
his defamers welcomed with applause by
those on whom he had conferred SO many
benefits. The trial was too much for his
failing strength; and, worn out by the e.
motion and fatigue of the preceding night
and by labors Of the morning, he sank ex-
hausted to the ground.
Il L. i / -