Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-11-09

solid landing place opened the gallery door
and walked sixteen or twenty feet with no
other footing than a narrow unrailed beam
but almost mirac ulously he reached the other
side in safety The six feet concave mirror
or spcculum, is made with tin, mixed with
copper, aud polished to an exceeding bright
ness. In looking irto the mouth of the tees-
cope by what is called the front view, you see
the inverted image formed by reflection in
! this mirror in trcmulous and dazzling ra-
dance; but it is not there that ordinary OBJ
scrvatlons IRE made second mirror, of
small slzc, is placed at an angle of 4j degrees
SO lS To reflect the image to the side Of the
instrument, whore it is viewed through eye
pieces OF different maguitulcs. We took our
place at this point by aid OF the aforesaid
- anrtl machine. - The evening though love-
ly to unastronomical eyes was not altogether
favorable for observations however, we saw
-" The Galaxy that milky way,
Mhich nightly ns a circlns zone thou scest,
Powdered with stars"
It is impossible to describe the distinctncss.
and the ncarness. and the individuality of the
starry powder " in the middle of it was
double STAR twin sons - AS thew have
been called-moying in their mysteriouly
united beauty and brightness the only OBJ
Jccts IN the calm unmoyed heavens that speak
to the heart OF affection and sympathy. OF
course, the great object Of ambition was to
see the nehule; the resolution of which, by
the giant tube, destroyed that plausible theo-
ry which when carried to its greatest extent
made such dangerous aggression against the
DlNinc creative acts, originating all worlds
from a slowly progressing vapor and fire mist.
Ihe atmosphere would merely enable us to
see the Dumb Bell nebuln, so called from A
supposed resemblance iu its form to that
instrument; it is only partially resolved
one even by the gigantic ray the white va
pQr which still remains,
" Sown with stars, thick as field"
although invisible yet reserves its harvest
Tor stll greater triumphs of light. We could
NOT see the moon through the six feet telcs-
cope, as she was not within the meridonal
range, which in this instrument is limited bv
the two walls; the disadvantage of which is
counterhalanced by the speed and steadiness
with which it can be lowered or elevated We
accordingly repaired to the three feet teles-
cope which can be pointed to all quaricrs of
the heavens, and to which the following high
comparative praise has beeen given =. TO !
look through llerschel's four feet mirror:
is like short-sghted person looking at the
' without his spectacles. " So says DR..
,s.- 'iving mounted a very precurious |
tdder, wilii se,.- ''"vs, mountains and |
azcd upon the lunal "a. 1t, thae there
averns so near and ~ dfhft"~. walk
cemod no obstacle to take dHrs.
mongst their lights and shadows, their dep
avincs. their volcanic cones and cavities.
he silence and the immobility of that bright
world was almost oppressive one gazed and
istened, expecting to hear life, but no life
vas there.
DR.. Robinson, of Armagh, told me that if
here were large buildings like church, or
mill, or railway works, they could be clear
y discerned but there has been no change
r furrow since human eyes were permitted
o draw nigh to It's calm surface. Were
here inhabitants, they must be Independent
# the air and water, and must he scorched in
light and heat one half of the year, and
rozen and in darkness the other. May it
lot be that the moon is in somewhat OF the
anne transition state our earth after the
eign of fossil life, and before the Creator
od oaid, ~ Lot thoro hc light and atmos-
'here, and human life
For such vast room in nature unposses.cd
BY living soul, desert and desolate,
Only to shine-scarce to contribute
Each orb glimpse of light, conveyed SO far
Down to this habitable which returns
Light back to them, is obvious to dispute
The whole scene, even in the intervals Of
ctiye vision, was one suggestive of much sol.
nn thought. Every now and then meteor
ldshed excitthly amidst the calm stars and
llanets, and even as swift AMI short seemed
he career Of man III comparison with the ages
If the past and future, chronicled before us
n the heavens. ''llither shalt thou come
md no further" seemed legibly written on
hc genius of man: while all that he yearns
% know, and cannot, it may he, is known to