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

TITS by sRnal exsrcse Of this bounty, my friends,
thai called together 70 day The mundcence or
ofssyera citizens Of this ancient city among whom the
first place is due 70 the generous lady whose name has
furnished the M an: for foundation the Dudley OBJ
servatory al Albany. On q commanding elevation on
the o. thern edge OF the CITY hperay gwen for that pur
pose by the head Of family in which the patronage of
science is hereditary, building OF ample Dimensions
has been erected, upon plan which combines all the
requisites Of soidity convenience, and taste. large
portion OF The expense Of the structure has been defay
ed by Mis- Biandlna Dudley 10 whose generosity aud
that OF several other public spirited individuals the ns
tuition also indebted for the provision which has been
made for an adequate supply Of first class Instruments
be executed by the most eminent makers in Europe
aud America and which. IL is confidently expected viii
peld OF their class any observatory in the
world Prot. Looms in Harper's Magazine tor June
p. ~
ed ina community 10 whose intelligence and generosity
ITS support may be safely conhded and whose educational
institutions rapidly realizing the conception of uni
versiy; oouptenanced by the gentleman who conducts
the United States coast survey with such scientific skill
and administrative energy; committed 10 the INN ediase
talent has been added the advantage of thorough scen
tic education in the most renowned universities of Eu
rope and who, as the editor Of the American Aarooi
cal Journal, has shown himself to be fully qualified for
the bgh trust; under these favorable circumstances the
Dudley obser vatory at Albany, now takes its place
world.
II is no affected modesy which leads me to express the
regret Ii this interesting occasion could not have
place under somewhat different oices. feel that the
duty of addressing this great and enlightened assembly
comprising much Of the intelligence of the community
and Of the science Of the country ought 10 have been
elsewhere assigned that 4 should have devtved upon
some Of the eminent persons, many OF whom see
before me- to whom you have been listening the past
week, Who as observers and geomeers, could have
treated the subject with masters power astr onomers
whose telescopes have netrated the depths OF the n
vens or mathematicans whose analysis unhreads the
of their wondrous mechanism u, instead OF com
| msndipg, as you easily could have DONE quaiiica
tons this kind, your choice has rather fallen on
one making no pretensons 10 the honorable name OF
a man Of scence-out whose deigh. il has always
been TO turn aside from the dusty paths Of active lie,
for an interval Of recreation the green fields Of
sacred Nature in all her kingdoms-t lie, presume,
because YOU have desired on an occasion Of this kind
necessarily OF popular character, that those views
OF the subject should be presented Which address them
selves 10 the general intelligence OF the community and
select scientific circles There is perhaps no
branch OF science which TO the same extent rs astono
my, exhibits phenomena, which, while they task the
highest powers OF philosophical research are also well
adapted 70 arrest the of minds barely nctured
with scientific culture, and even TO touch the sensioites
vesgaons Of the chemist into the ultimate constitution
Of material nature the minute researches Of the physio
logst into the secrets Of animal lite the transcendena
logic Of the geomeier clothed in notation the very sight
OF which terrhes the uninated are1ost on the common
understanding But the nnspeakabe glores Of the rising
and the setting the serene majesty Of the moon as
she walks in full orbed brightness through the heavens
the tof witchery OF the morning and the evening star
the imperial splendors Of the nrmameni on orgas ua
halt the sky these objec which charm and as
tonish alike the philosopher and the peasaat the mathe
4
of the heavenly bodies and the unutored observer who
sees nothing beyond the images painted upon the eye
ten Of the word is building erected for the reception
and appropriate Of astronomical Instruments and the
accomme daton Of the men Of science employed N max
ing and reducing observations of the heavenly bodies
These instruments mainly Of three classes, to which
believe all others Of strictly astronomical character
ls The instruments by which the heavens are inspect
ed with view discover the existence Of those cees
tal bodies which visible to the naked eye, (be
a
and the magnitude shapes and other sensible quail
thus visible TO the unaided sight The instruments OF
this designated by the general name OF teies
cope, ard OF two knds-the refractng telescope,
which derives its maenifypg power item system OF
convex lenses, and the rejecting telescope, which re
the image Of the heavenly body upon concave
mirror.
Cd The second class OF instruments consists OF those
which designed principally TO measure the angular
distances of the heavenly bodies from each otner ana
as TINE me passing she s @
and The sextant belong TO THIS class. The brilliant
discoveries of astronomy for the most part made with
the first class CT instruments, It's practical results
Sd The third class contains the clock with its subsdi
apparatus for measuring the time and making ts SUB
divisions, Nth the greatest possible ac;uracy.indispen
tons and MOTORS Of the heavenly bodies are Observed
1 ana measured, and recor fed.
The Telescope ma! be hkened 10 awondrous Cyclopean
/ eye, endued with supeThuman power, by which the
astronomer extends the reach OF his vision 10 the
| further heavens, and surveys ~Ralaxies and uni
verses compared with which the solar system is bu.
atom floating IN the air. The transit may be
compared 10 the measuring rod which he lay from
psIet planet and from star TO star, 10 ascertain AMI
mark ca the heavenly spaces, and transfer them TO his
book the clock Is that marvellous apparatus by
which he equazes and divides into nicely measured parts
portion that unconceved inhnity OF DURATION without
beginning and without end In which all existence floats
rs On a shoreless and bottomless sea.
In the conirivsnce and the execution OF these nsu
mtns the umcs, stretch OF inventive skill and mechan
cal ingenuity has been Pun forth 10 such perfection have
they been carried, that single second of magnitude or
space Is rendered distinctly visible and apprectable
quality The arc OF circle" says Sir j. Herschel
"sub,ended by second less than the 200 0ooh part
of the radius that circle OF six feet in diameter, II
would oeeup, greater linear extent than 800 part Of
be disccrned aisL" Outlines sec 1917 The largest
body IN our system, the sun, whose real diameter Is
$4,000 miles, subtends at q distance Of s6 900 900
miles but angle OF little than 80 miau,es willis
| admirably the best instruments constructed
that both in Europe and America satellite Of Neptune
object OF comparatively inconsderable diameter has
been discovered at distance OF $50 mions OF miles
The obcc, Of an observatory erected and supplied with
Instruments OF this admirable construction and nj pro
poronate expense, Is a have already iBtima,ed to
provide for accurate and Systematic survey Of the
heavenly boees with view 10 more correct and ex
tensive acquaintance with those already known, and
Instrumental power and ski In using increase, TO the
discovery Of bodies hitherto invisible and in both asses
TO the determination OF their distances their relations I,
each other ard the laws which govern their movements
Why should we wish 10 OBTAIN this knowlcdgeS What
there expend large Of money in the
costly instruments and In the support Of the men OF sch
ence employed 10 making discussing aud recording for
| heavenly bodiesf
In exclusively scientific treatnen, OF this subject
an inquiry into It's Unitarian relations would be superfu
ous-eyen wearsome. But occasion like the ~
sent you will perhaps uink out Of place NJ briefly
the question, what Is the Of observatory
and what benefit may be expected from the operations Of
such an establishment IN community like ours
list In the nrst place then, derive from the obser
vations Of tie heavenly bodies, which made
observatory, only adequate measures Of time and
only means Of comparing the time OF one place with
the time OF another. Our artificial time keepsrscocks
watches and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ingepiousy
trived and admirably fabricated but transcript
10 say, Of the celestial motions. and would be OF
value without the Of regulating them by observa
ton. IN impossible for them, under circumstance
10 escape the mperfeciion Of all machinery the work
| OF human hands; and the moment We remove with
time keeper east west fails II will keep
home time alone like the fond traveller who leaves his
heart behind him. The artificial instrument Is Of iDcacu
liable utility but must itself be regulated by the eternal
clcckwork Of the skies
THIS single consideration II sufficient 10 show how
pleely the daily business Of life affected and controlled
by the heavenly bodies they, and not mansprings
t..t.x A..