The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-29

through WHICH Tue human nrSt DISTINCTLY pencd the
surface Of the discovered the phases Of Venus,
the satellites Of Jupiter, and the seeming handles Of Sa
urniirs penetrated the dusky depths OF the heavens
first pierced the clouds OF visual error which from the
creation Of the world involved the system Of the
universe.
lives years Of rapt enjoyment in moment. | can
fancy the emotions OF Calico when, first raising the
newly constructed telescope 10 the heavens he saw
held the planet Venus crescent like the moon. 1t
was such another moment as that when the immortal
printers OF Mentz and Srasburg received the first copy
Of the Bible into their hands, the work their d vine
art like that when Columbus through the gray dawn Of
the h Of Ss e the
shores OF San Salvadorke that when the law Of grav
ation first revealed itself to the intellect Of Newton
like that when Franklin saw by the stiening bres of
the hempen cord Of his kite, that he held the lightning
his n as-ke that when Leverrer received back from
Berlin the tidngs that tue predicted planet found
Yes, noble Calico, thou art right, e pur 81 muoue.
1T does move Bigots may make thee recant III but
II nevertheless. Yes, the earth moves, and the
planets move-and the mighty waters move-and the
great sweeping tides OF air moveand the empires OF
men move-snd the world Of thought moves, ever on
ward and upward higher facts apd holder theories.
The Inqusiton may seal nhy lips, but they
stop progress Of the great truth proponded by Co
pencus and demonstrated by thee than they can stop
the revolving EARTH
Close now venerable sage, that sghtess fearful eye;
il has seen what man never before saw 1t has seen
enough Hang up that poor little spyglass; it has done
It's work. Not Herschel Rossc have compar ltvely
cone Francscans and Domincans deride thy dis
coyeres now, but the time will come when from TO
rions artillery OF science shall nightly assault the skies
but they snail gain conquests in those gttering fields
great Columbus Of the heavens like him scorned, perse
cuted broken hearted In other ages in diEant hems
when ae o. m dscn, ~
cause OF knowledge and truth, tiny name Shall be men
toned with honor.
1t is not my intention, in dwelling with such en-.
phass upon the invention Of the telescope to ascrbe
undue importance in promoting the advancement OF
science to the increase OF Instrumental power Too
much indeed cannot be said Of the service rendered
by it's first application ia confirming and bringing into
general repute the Coperncan 3, stem but for cons
derabe time little effected by the wondrous in
than the qualification Of curiosity and taste by
the inspection Of the planetary phases and the addition
of ID rings and satellites OF Saturn the solar family
Newton, prcmatureiy desuairing Of any further i'm
povement in the refracng telescope, applied the prnc
pie Of reflection and the nicer nov made no
doubt fastened the maturity Of his great discovery the
law of gravitaon but that discovery was the work OF
his transcendant genius and consummate skill.
With Bradley, in t74I, new period commenced in In
strumenta astronomy-not SO much of discovery as OF
The superior accuracy and minueness with
which the motions and of the heavenly bodies
observed resulted in the accumulation of mass
Of materials, both for auar comparison and theoret
cal speculation these materials formed the enlarge basis
Of astronomical science between Newton and Sir William
HerscheI. His gigantic refectors introduced the as
tronomer regions OF space before unvsed extended
DSsuomsn snS Nth ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS enlarged the
range Of constructive theory The discovery OF new
primary planet and its attendant satellites but the
FIRST step his progress into the labyrinth Of the heavens
Contemporaneousy with his observations, the French
astronomers and especially La Place. with gcometrical
resumed the whole system Of Newton and brought
phenomenon observed since his time within bis laws.
Difficulties Of TACT with viii h he struggled in vain gave
way accurate observations and prob ems that
defed the power Of his analysis yielded 70 the modern
improvements Of the calculus.
But there is ultima Thule In the progress Of
science. With the recent appropriations OF telescope
power, the details Of the nebular theory proposed
BY sr NV Herscne Win such s0uTSsc and ingenuity
milky patches In which be beheld what he regarded as
ccsmca matter as yet in an informed stac-thc rudi
mental material Of worlds not yet conder sedhave been
resolved into stars bright and distinct any ia the
ornament. ] well recall the GLOW Oh satisfaction with
which, on the 224 oi September is47-being thcI con
neced with the University Cambridge recei red
letter from the venerable director Of the observatory
there, beginning with these memorable words:-"fou
viii rejoice with me that the great nebua in Orion has
yielded to the powers OF our incompatible telescope.
II should be borne 10 mind that ais ne oula and
hist OF Andromeda which has been also resolved at Cam
bridget the last strongholds Of the nebuar theory
ppas OF the Observatory OF Harvard College, p. cxxi
But u some Of the adventurous specu'atons built
by SIR VII lam Herschell the bewiiderius reveal.
laons Of his telescope have been since questioned
vast progress which has been made ia sidefn astro
Domy, 10 which, rs understand the Dudley Obser
va,ory viii be particularly dev ,e the discovery Of the
paraax Of the fixed stars the Investigation OF the interior
Citations OF binary and triple systems OF stars the thco
Iies for the explanation OF the extraordinary not 10
an'astc shapes scerned in some OF the nebuious sys
tens-sbrs and sprals radatng through spaces vast
the orbit of Ncpt ne, the gmpses al systems beyond
hat 10 which belopgs-these splendid
.uts, which may fairly be attributed 70 the school OF
hefBcne anu forever ensure no SECONDARY place
hat name IN the annals OF science.
In the remarks which have hitherto made have had
mainly in view the direct connection OF asronomic i
science with the Of life and the service of But
generous philosophy conemplaes the subject In higher
relations II Ia remark cid at least Plato aud Is
repeated from him than by Cicero, that all the
liberal arts have a common bond and relationship,
(Afchias l. dc 0ratore ILL.,, 2. The different sciences
contemplate their immediate object the different depart
ments Of animate and nanmate nature but this great
system Itself bu. and It's various parts
terwoven with each other that the extraordinary
laons and unexpected anaoges constantly present
ing themselves arts aud sciences seemingly the least
connected, render 10 each other the most effective
sistance.
The history Of electricity, galvansm and magnetism
furnishes the most striking illustration OF this remark
Commencing with the meteorological phenomena of our
atm sphere, and terminating with the observation
cas- on lie the present franshn demonstrated the
ideftiy OF lightning and the electric fluid This dis.
e .se n sat 20 ~ nroson so%
the thunder cloud. purely accidental circumstance
led the physician Gaivan at Boiogni, 10 I ace the
mysterious element under conditions entirely novel,
both Of cevelopement and application 10 this form
II became, In the HANDS OF Davy, the instrument Of
the extraordinary chemical operations earts
and akas touched by the creative wire, started up into
metals that float water, and kindc in the air. Al a
later period, the closest snies observed between
electricity and magnetism on tho one band while the
other the relations OF polarity detected between acids
and akafs. Plating and gliding henceiorth become cleo.
.ns es poees ~ 'he as. .pp'cauons o. tse sane
genct the land and beneath the sea, and
mpoye by the astronomer to ascertain the difference
OF guces 10 transfer the beats OF the clock
station 10 another and 10 record the moment Of hs OBJ
servauons with automatic accuracy. How large share
las been borne by America In these magnificent dscoye
RIGS and applications, among the most brilliant achese
menis OF modern science will sufficiently app from the
repetition Of the names OF Franklin Henry, Morse, Walk
or, Mitchell, Lock and Bond.
Il has sometimes happened, whether from he barm,-
NOUS relations TO each other Of every department Of
science, rom felicity Of individual genius that
the most extraordinary intellectual versa,ity b,
been manifested by the came person All ough New
tons transcendant talent did blaze childhood
yet boy he discovered great aptitude for mechanical
continuance. Hs water clock, self moving vehicle AL
mill the wonder Of the yage-,he latter propelled
by living mouse. SIR David Brewster represents the
accounts A. einerpg whether the made TO
vance by string attached 70 in TAIL by "is una.
vaDg attempts TO reach portion OF placed ABOVE
the Wheel" seems more reasonable 10 conclude that
the youthful dscoverer OF the Law OF gravtaon intended
by the combination Of these opposite attractions pro
dpce . balanced movement. II s consoing to tue
average mtdocrty Of the 10 perceive In these
sporve essays that the mind OF Newton passed through
the stage of boyhood But emerging from boyhooi
bound he made a. from earth 10 heaven Hardly
commencing bachelor OF Arts at the age OF twenty
he un,wsted the golden and silver threads o the solar