The true Democrat., 1857-06-02
From the New York Evening The Predicted Comet
lhs Comet and is " Zsn Billion Leagues Of
 IaiL"

lncens'd with indignation satan stood
 InlerrheJt, and like a comet burned
 Ina tlreS the length of Ophi4eus hrrp
 IT th Arctic sky. and fr0in hi. hurfiI hair
 Shake pestilgneo and war"
 The recent appearance of two ,elescorie comets adds new zest to the prediction of millennium comet, which a distinguished Do lular lecturer Of France has used on the au- thority ot some obSrure German dreamer. to uckle the iances of his wonlrr-loying c1un- trymen. IL is certain that uo data exist on "h'ch me predicted collision uf a comet with our earth can be ioundrd, and uo intimat.ou of Such Ah event has appeared iu any responsible scientific periodical.
 oHf scchuhe lecturers and popular writers seem quite as much given tl the iavertiou of fables as the older barls of rnvthic ,tori.s. and hni quite as willing an cal Ia thruuIytry low. ot wonder ot A credulous people Instead of summonins the gods Co fight mcn's battles and destroy ltys, they predict ielu.es and ildg- meut-day- at the hands of those celestial will o'-the-wlsIs, the comets
 Science makes strange compromises with cre- dalhY, and popular lectures dwell more on Wh"' ls uncertain ~ barely fabulous in science '"Au oA well established facts. We hear a great deal rom the lyceum about the nebulous orisih oi the solar system, the existence of a central sun n the group of the Pleades and the maI Snant disposition of the comets. These vague and uGtounded specuations are set bv the side ot the best established certainties of science in borrowedhght, and are thus accredit- ed precisely as the Elomeric tales were through the traditions of popular religions.
 But have we nothing to fear from the wan dering comets? Most certainly we have.- The thing in the world," says Montaigne, am most afraid of is fear;" and this, we thlhk, Is the direst calamity comets have ever brought in their trains. Men are nightly gwen to the worship of occult causes, and when any thlng does appear new under the sun it is invested with an omni potence of evil painful to contemplate
 The facts in regard to these wanderers are few and simple; the coujyctures many and mi raculons. In the first place. comets are much more numerous than angels visits, about five a year having been observed during the period when the prize of a comet medal, offered by the King of Denmark, stimulated the zeal of amateur astronomers.
 It is probable that all the comets visible in the northern hemis phere, with the optical means of the amateurs, were seen during this penod; for there was scarcely a comet which had not several independent discoveries. Since
 
 annual average of discoveries has Sensbly di- miushed, and it may Tot be out of place here to suggest to our American princes, what indeed was urged before the" American association for the advancement of science" last summer, that renewal ot these prize medals in this country mig ght De of signal service to American astro- nOmv.
 The comets already discovered are unques- tionably but very small part of the swarm which are Hitting like great celestial Inusquitocs round tne sun.
 While modern observations have thus estab- liohed the sresafious habits of these loug-tailed monsterS the miuutcst observations and the exactest calculations have failed to detect the slightest disturbing effect from them iu the mo- tioHs of the planets, though the comets them seve, have suffered great disturbances
 The remarkable case of Laxel's comet de- serves special mention This comet passed in ITO very hear tue earth, after having made a similar approach to Jupiter. lts orbit was de- termiued and it's return predicted from obser- vations then made; but it never came back, and subsequent calculations showed that its return was prevented by the action of Jupiter during second and still nearer approach of the comet, even within the joyial circle of the old fellows retainers. The comet entirely changed its course after this interview, and was never re- coguizcd again, vet the circumjovial satellites kept steadily in their old courses.
 It is highly probable that comets make a great show with very little material, and the chaace of the eartha being hit by the little solid matter there IS in any of them is very small- ne prediction of a collision Is beyond the power of mathematics, for the position of a comets oIblt and the comets position at any time ln its orbit, cannot be determined with sufficient precision; and even if the data were sufilclentIy eXlct to predict collision of the earth aud comet III their uudisturbed orbts it Wonld be impossible to determine with preci- slOn the modifying effect of their mutual ac- ton. In all probability comet, even coming within the dominant influence of the earths attraction, would pass by and be whisked of into another orbit. The ealth's body is small mark fora comet to aim at.
 The comets tail is, to be sure, sometimes of very inconvenicnt length; but 1t gives 50 many indications of ghostly nature Is so transparent and unsub,tantiaI, that our atmosphere is as adamdnt to it. Yet it is possible, in a collision where no actual confusion may occur that the malignant influences and dire callnities may soak il; and So there is unfortunately chance ot convictiug these heavenly va9abonds of the
 
 have ID past ages made against them
 Moteurs, dark days, and diseases are still to be accounted for, and until they are traced to their causes men Will stand, as Lord Kenyon used to say, Saper antiqaas Uias-ou their old supersttions.
 The large number of the comets, their ever varying appearance, and the great perturbations ot their orbits, make the identification of any but those of short periods extremely difficult; and, as yet, little or nothing is known about their nature and constitution. Cometic astro- nomy Is still in its infancy. All that is un- known Is common ground; and so we find the physlcaus and chemists storing away malaras and subllmatcd polsons Ill their pernicous tails, eager apparently to be ill at the judgment and have hand with the astronomers and preachers ln the destruction of the.Morld.
 Various hypothesis have been advanced about the nature of the comets tails. Some have supposed that they are vaporous eXhalations from the nucleus driven off by heat by their own elasticity and by a supposed repelent force ot the sun. These forces must be very vgo- rous to account for the rapid formation of the trains in some recorded cases Others suppose that the apparent tails are only the reflections of light from portions of much more extend- ed substance somewhat as a long line of the rutiied surface of the sea is illuminated by the sun or moon. Others again resort to that prince of occult causes, electricity, and thus concen- trate all their ignorance in single word.
 There our readers had better let it be left; ana meantime we recommend them to possess thelr souls In peace We promise them suffi- cent notice Of the comets approach to enable them to move out of its way; and, if they will leave Us their address, we will send them the " Evening Post' of the following day with a full account of its advent and performances.
 HAVE ND MOTHER NOW.