The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-05-01
A CHAPTER ON COMETS.

I
bable annhiIation of our little orb, 10y comet
computed, by Belgian priest to come in
collision with II some time in June next
| However exiravagant such speculations may
| be, like NIL things pertaining to the marvellous,
| "ths doctfine hath its followers" L Vas
! nrayely asked, the other day, II ! were not
| afraid the earth would COME to an end in
| June? The aye of Alillerism, IL would seem,
has not entirely passed; and, 50 long as tho
rr,duity of the mass exceeds the learning of
the few, we shall, no doubt, have this alarm
| ing prediction Numbered in our ears. That
the advent of comet, in the limits OF our
own system, Should excite within us feelings
the most profound and revcrental, is hut n
natural result; but that we should regard
them with n childish apprehension, is TO be- 7
tray our own weakness and to question the
wisdom of Omni2otcnce. When, however,
we reflect upon the amazing velocity OF these
bodies, and the seemingly random nature of
their movements, the mind naturally shrinks
rs though in danger Of actual ca l)ision. The
eff cts Of such a shock would indeed be awfS,.
in the extreme, "producng an entire change
in the now fixed laws of nature aud the de-
structiOn OF every vestige oil human lie. a
new direction would thereby be given to the
earih's mo;iOn--it would revUve around
new axis and in n new orbi-a new equator
would be found, to which the seas and rivers,
! forsaking their beds, would he hurried, by n
new centrifugal force, thus deluging the fer
tile and habiable portions of the globe, and
leaving orIy their now tathomlcss bottoms
bare" But when I'VE reflect, that to two hum
! drcd and eighty. one millions OF chances, there
| is only one uniavonble-or, that the dar ger
of death to any one individual is but, us il in
an urn were placed that number of white
balls, and only one black, and his condemna-
ton depended upon producing the black, at
the first drawing-the lottery is so unequal,
that the danger seems to exist but in dis
easrd fancy--nnd all theories are but MS idle
words compared TO the declaration, that "A1
things are turned round about His counsels,
to do whatsoever He cOnmnndcth them"
! The history of comets, however, forms one
of the most interesting portions of astronomi-
cal lore, and it is one of the proudest trumphs
of humanity. that though
"From world to luminous world as far
| As the universe spreads its flaming walls"
these wandering orbs may wing their cease
less flight, vet, the hand of science points
with unerring certainty to the hour of their
return. a plane view Of the solar system,
from the condensed representation Of them in
diagrams, exhibits somewhat the appearance
of n tangled skein of silk, so numerous are
the crossings, turnings and directions of the
various planetary Orblts-and to thipk, that
among this seemingly tangled map of count
less worlds, an immense body is hurled. rs
though at random, with n velocity beyond the
reach of hrman conception, must surely
awaken within w Il sense of such sublmity,
MS to mock all thoughts Of human greatness.
The belief, that the revolutionary periods of
| haI1. all oasitt hs.. 10,
most prodgious length, was maintained by
astronomers everywhere till within n few
years. when it was ascertained that there were
two whose orbits lay comparatively within
our own npighborhood. One of these, it was
predicted, would come in collision with the
earth, in 1882. Its orbit was estimated to be
so near the earth, that had the earth been at
that point nearest the comets path, and the
lawless comet been in its perigree at the same
time, the earth would have been enveopod in
the nebn!ous atmosphere of the comet. This
proximity, 10 doubt, gave rise to many curl
GUS spccuiatons on the subject, and, were the
gravity OF their atmosphere equal to tina. of
the earth, the most alarming results might
have ensurd. But in this, rs in all things else,
we recognize the wisdom which fashions and
the hand which guides. That the extreme
tenuity of these bodies is such MS to obyiate
all apprrhensions from their vicinity, is reas-
enable from the fact, that the smallest stars
are visible through the densest part OF them.
And " lille they are themselves subject to the
most powerful attraction, they exercise no
aprrrciable influence ON other bodies is es-
tabIlshed from the circumstance, that sin ITO,
Il comet was actually known TO become en-
tangled among the satellites of Jupiter, and to
have remained there nearly four MONTHS" vet
no appreclable variation WAS percep,ibe in
their movements. The idea of perfect
} vacuum was also the prevailing opinion, till
the existence Of "resstIng medium" was
detected by the vapory elements of comets.
But the real use of these seemingly lawless
; bodies in the economy of the universe, has
ever been, and probably will ever remain, n
matter Of speculation among astronomers,
consequently many vague theories have been
advanced concerning them. Winston, the
friend and contemporary of Newton, supposes
> that The deuge was occasionrd by comets;
and the same fantastic author hazards tho
conjecture, that 'rhey furnish the abodrs of
l the damned, whose punishment consisted in
Y beng Whitfield from one remote point of crea.
s lion To another, thus undergoing the most
irlghiful vicissitudes of heat and cold" But
8 snch theories, however ingenious, have no
: hnsls OF facts to rest upon, and must, Of
course, ultimately fall before the simple and
!. plain teachings of the Bible, which, though it
n oilers no clue to the mysterious locality of
another world, yet leaves MS no room to doubt
. its realization, in m awful or blissful eternity.
/ Comets have, in all ages, been regarded ms the
= hnrbngers of dire calamiiirs, such rs wars,
pestllence or famine-and it must be admit
! ted, that experience and observation have not
$ tended to dissipate this illusion, for, even in
b. our own day, we have seen how the beautiful
comet of 1853 preceded the desolating siege
of Sebastopol, and the consequent prostration
of commerce throughout half the civilized
world But such condolences, however re-
markable, are nothing more, and can therefore
take no hold upon the established principles
\ of science and truth, which alike discard all
r false conjecture, and rest forever upon the
basis OF eternal wisdom and Omnipotence.
NJ. NJ.
i Walnut Grove, Ala, April 8, ST.
Y .-ss- The State of Rhode Island is get
ting eXtravagant; the Legislature having re-
Gently authorized the State Treasurer to
/ borrow $4,000, which will bring the State
t debt mp to its constitutional limit of $50 900.
The interest on such n sum as this must be n
l.. heavy taxation upon the people of Rhode
e Island; of course it is entirely ont of the
question that they should ever pay the prin-