Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1858-03-25
COPERNKCUS.

OoPOiulOuc, altCI Jloi uOliuS III
his bosom for long, long years, that
pernicious heresy-the solar syst
ended on tne day of the APP
perance of biz book from the press.
The closing scene of his life would
furnish noble subject for an ar
fist. For thirty-fve years he has
resolved and nurtured his system
of the heavens. A natural mild
ness of disposition, bordering ON
timidity, a reluctance to encounter
controversy, and dread of perse-
eution, have led him to withhold
his work from the press, and to
make known his system but to a
few confidential friends ard disci-
pies. tlength he draws near his
end; he is seventy-three years Of
age, and he yields his work on the
revolutions of the heavenly orbs'
to his friends for publication. The
day at last has come i'll which it IS
to be ushered into the world. It
is the oath of May, 1913. On that
day-the effect, no doubt, of the
intense excitement of his mind OPP
Grating upon an exhausted frame
an efusion Of blood brings him
to the gates Of the grave. His
last hour is come; he lies stretched
upon the couch from which he will
never rise, In his apartment at Fa-
enburg, i'll East Prussia. The set
ting suns beams glance through
the Gothic windows Of his cham
Der; near his bedside is the armil-
larry sphere which he has contrived
TO represent his theory of the
heavens; his pictures, painted by
himself, the amusement of his ear
lier years, hang before him; be-
meath it his astrolobe, and other
imperfect astronomical instruments
and around him are gathered
his sorrowing disciples. The door
of bis apartment opens; the eye OF
the departing sage is turned to see
who enters; it IS afriend who brings
him the first printed copy of his
immortal treatise. He knows that
in this book he contradicts all that
had ever been distinctly taught by
former philosophers; he knows that
he has rebelled against the sway
Of Ptolemy, which the scientific
world had acknowledged for 6
thousand years; he knows that the
popular mind viii be shocked by
his innovations; he knows that the
attempt viii be made to press re
ligion into the service against him
but he knows that his book is ti'ue
He is dying, but he leaves a glo
rious truth, as his dying beques
20 the world. He bids the FRIEND
who has brought it, place himsel
Between the window and his bed
side, that the suns rays may raj
upon the precious volume, and h
may behold it once more befor
his eyes grow dim. He looks up
on it, takes it in his hands, presse
it to his breast, and expires. Blu
no, he is not wholly gone! a slnil
lights up his dying countenance;
beam of returning intelligence XIII
dies in his eye; his lips move; an'
the friend who leans over him ca
hear him family murmur the beat
tiful sentiments which the lyri:
of a later age has so finely el
pressed in verse:
"Ye golden lamps of heaven. farewell. vii
all your feeble light;
Farewell thou ever changing moon, pa
empress of the night;
And thou, refulgent orb of day, i'll brigh
est flames arrayed,
My soul, which springs beyond thy spher
no more demands thy aid.
Ye stars are but the shining dust of n
divine abode,
The pavements of those heavenly cour
where | shall reign with God"
So died the great Columbus (
the heavens.-EUerett.