Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-04-15

IN nlS OWN eSIludIlOu, suouiu ue iS"enUeh-
ed amidst this splendid array of creation.-
The Chaldean shepherds, too, at an early
period, while watching their focks by night
under cloudless sky on the extensive plains
watcred by the Euphrates and Tigris, no
doubt observed the silent revolutions of the
heavenly bodies, and marked the hrilliancy
of certain stars, for this was the land of As
trology; and we learn from history that "the
Phenician mariners. turned their eyes towards
those stars which appear to describe very
small circles, or with stately majesty to re-
main motionless in the armament. In the
absence of the compass, these stars were
their guide in their commercial excursions
along the shores of the Mediterranean and
Red Seas; but no intimation is anywhere
given of an Astronomical system having
been made out and presented to the world
prior to the time of Pythagoras, celebrated
Greek philosopher who hourished about five
hundred years before Christ. The Pythago-
rean systematic same as our solar system
was studied, adopted and defended by his
followers who, for while, successfully main
tanned it against all opposition; but, in pro-
cess of time, ignorance, aided by its legiti-
mate offspring, prejudice, rejected the whole
system as absurd, and the science languish-
ed until one hundred and thirty eight years
before Christ, when Ptolemy, an Egyptian
philosopher, turned his attention to it, and
made out system which exactly agreed with
the opinions of the people in regard to the
motions of the Sun and Earth, A little
more than three centuries ago, it was dispu-
ted by Copernicus, famous Polish philoso-
pher, who revived and earnestly supported
the Pythagoreau system. Kepler, Galileo,
Descartes, Gassendus and the Incompatible
Sir Isaac Newton, the most renowned math-
ematicians and philosophers the world has
ever produced, followed and confirmed the
opinion of Copernicus relative to the figure
and motions of the heavenly bodies. About
the middle of the seventeenth century Tycho
Brahe, though basking-not mentally, but
bodily-in the efulgence Of these scientific
luminaries, fabricated system differing some
what from that of Ptolemy, but which never
became so general.
The learned world has now almost univer-
sally adopted the Copernician system, which
is most appropriately styled the true solar
system. Gifts correctness, the most skepti-
cal could have no doubt, if they would only
study the revolutions of the planets accord
ing to their laws made out by the illustrious
Kepler Induction, from pure observation,
conducted him to these laws which are very
remarkable and indispensably Important
They cost him ono ordinary penetration,
backed by uncommon perseverance and in
dustry" On them ;'the Newtonian expla-
nation of the mechanism of the heavenly
bodies" is based, and this mighty genius, in
his great work called "Principia, " has proved
them to be incontrovertibly correct.
In studying this delightful science accor-
ding to the solar systematic system made
out by Pythagoras tweuty-three hundred
years ago, and adopted, depended, and illus
trated by almost all the truly intellectual
giants of every age siuce-the student is
taught to regard the sun as the center Of this
system, as its animating principle, as glo-
rious orb the magr >ude of which cannot fail
to strike his mind with astonishment, around
which harmoniously revolve the primary
planets accompanied by their respective sat-
elites, to all of which he imparts light and
heat, life and joy. Were students now
taught, according to Ptolemy, that the earh
was the center of the Universe, and that the
Sun, planets and everything else rcvolve
round it-or, according to Tycho Brahe, that
the earth was immoveably fixed between Ve-
nus and Mars, and that the sun and moon
revolved round it; that the other planets re-
volved round the sun as their center, and all
around the earth as coumon center, they,
knowing that the earth when compared to the
sun is a mere atom, and that some of the
other planets are nearly as largeas one thous
and earths, would almost be tempted to a.
dopt the blasphemous language of Alphonsus
King of CASTLE. But the solar system as
now taught, presents to the Students view
scene of beauty, harmony and grandeur,
combined with simplicity characteristic of
all the works of the Creator. Every other
system presents anomalies, absurdities and
confusion, that no man in the proper exer
else of reason, could for moment suppose
an all-wise Being whose first law is order,
was its author. Are any desirous then OF
giving an impetus to the expansion of intel
leetual view, let them study Astronomy &C
cording to this system. Would any learn
something of the beautiful variety and bound
less extent of creation, according to this
system, let them study Astronomy. Would
any survey the richest fields, the warmest
imagination and the most glowing fancy have
ever conceived and painted, let them con-
template the planetary world and starry
heavens In a word, would any have ade-
quate conceptions of that Deity who Gin the
beginning created the hearens and the earth"
they must study this system as the map Of
revelation; for athe hearcns declare the
glory of God" This is the solar system
This is Astronomy Reader, is it not an
inviting science? l..
CARS LIGHTED BY CASA locomotive
and six cars 60 out nightly over the New
Jersey Railroad to Philadelphia, lighted by