Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-07-14


Amidst the many wonders ct The universe
none have given rise 10 greater variety oil spec
.lations, nor have been more ncomprehensible 10
the common mind than these bodies. which, al
wide intervals, float within the circle comprehend
ed by telescope vision. la ancient times tbey
were regarded with superstious dread, and their
appearance supposed to poricnd some great I'M
pending calamity, whilst efforts wer" made 10
connect them in some sort with the most prom
inent and calamitous events IN human history
The lights which science aud philosophy have
shed upon the subject, have dissipated much oil
the mist aud gloom that formerly enshrouded IT.
but still we ind those who profess 10 be familiar
with the planetary system, and the movements
of the heavenly bodies, affecting to ioreteli with
mathematical oxactness the period when these
erratio bodies, oareering through the realms Oh
infinite space shall come ia collision with our
world aud involve US in irretrcvable DISASTER
For the benefit Of readers who pay but little at
teniion to these matters, We this morning 'uIh
aside from the beaten path of politics to scatter
upon them the few rays of light we have been a
Bile to gather in the course of our reading. What
comets a,e. or what purpose they serve IN the
economy Of nature man has ever yet been a
BILE to determine, save that they are solid tang'
Bile bodies, not perhaps OF the same density Us
the planets are subject to fixed and immuta-
BILE laws. This is evident from the fact that the
comet of 1881 is supposed to have been the same
that reappeared in 1907. l652. 1883 and 1888.
allowing an interval of about IS years between
each manifestation. In all these cases the dis
lance Of the comet from the when nearest
TO him was about the same whilst the position OF
the comet in the heavens at the period of its
nearest approach TO the sun correspondent
Though the appearance of this comet was various.
vet the regularity with which it appeared between
these stated intervals leaves little room for doubt
respecting its identity. The mean distance of
this comet from the sun is nearly eighteen times
farther than the earth. being about l705 go, 900
miles. whilst immense is its circuit that at its
farthest point Of remove it is 3,335 100000 from
the sun. or about twice as far Uranus the
mos, distant of the planets. Notwithstanding the
periodical appearance of the comet above men
toned. il was not attended with that precise
regularity which marks the movements of the
planetary worlds for,owing to the greater eccen
tricty of its orbit, the period of its appear
ance cannot be foreiod Carnult, an eminent
mathematician Of the last century, set himself 10
work TO ascertain the disturbing effects that the
bodies composing the solar system have upor
each other, and their effects in re,arding the
movements of comets upon the principle of at.
traction and gravtation, when tho latter come
within the limits of planetary action. lie sue
ceeded in establishing theory, ana in his oalcu
latons appropriated the appearance of the COM
ct of 1853, by nineteen days, and this was the
nearest approximation that had ever been made
There is no evidence that any of the innumerable
comets that have been sweeping since the dawn
of creation through the immensely of space hav,
ever come in collision with planet, and Their
movements somewhat indefinite, at leas
there is no absolute means of fixing their local.
ty at all times as they roll through the vast uni
verse, il is impossible to foretell with aocurac,
that upon certain day in any given month OF
year, it shall CROSS the orbit of any particular
planet. The motion of the earth in its orbit j,
supposed to be about million and half miles
day, and as Clairault, with all his care did moi
come nearer the actual result than nineteen days
it must be readily perceived that even though
collision betwenn the earth and comet might bt
anticpated,and calculated from any known data
the earth might at the time indicated, be u vas
distance removed from the comet. From thes,
clearly ascertaned facts it will appear that tn,
predictions which have twice been L,ade within
the memory of men now living, to the effect tina
at a certain period named comet would strik
our planet and throw it from its axis, were alto
gether groundless, and in the language of a dis
tinguished writer we may say that 1.-THE proba
bilities against such an event happening are a
millions to one." He who holds the planets i
their course, can alone determine the means
and the time appointed for their destruction.
In the councils of his will they are conceale
and man may not rashly seek to comprehend Hi
designs. Great mischief has resulted from thes
predictions, and the minds of many persons hav
been hopelessly demented. The period at whic
these false prophets had fixed the dreaded cata,
trophe has passed by, and all things remain 4
they were, but reason once dethroned, shall I
more reassert her dominion, and the poor vii
tim of these decisions must henceforth suffer ii
greatest calamity that can overwhelm mortal.
1t is to be hoped that these of evil ONE
will not be regarded in future, or the publ
will be slow to gather the lessons of wisdom fro
experience.
Tse Policy Of the' Free ssaseo Party i'm X amsa