Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-04-01
The Columbus of the Heavens.

Copernicus. after harborilg in his bosom
for long, long years, that pernicious heresy
the solar system-died on the day of the
appearance of bis book from the press
The closing scene of his life would furnish
noble subject for an artist. For thirty
five 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 a
dread OF persecution, have led him to with=
hold his work from the press, and to make
known his system but to few confidential
friends and disciples. At length he draw S
near his end; he is seventy-three years of
age, and he yields his work on the "revc-
lutions of the heavenly orbs" to his friends
for publication. The day at last has cone
on which it is to be ush cred in.o the world.
|: is the Gath OF May, l543. On that day
the effect, no doubt, of the intense ex.
citement of his mind operating upon m ex-
hausted frame-an efiusion 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 Fauenburg, in East Prussia.
The beams OF the setting sun glance
through the Gothic windows Of his cham-
ber; near his bedside is the armillnry
sphere, which he has contrived to repre-
sent his theory of the heavens; his picture,
painted by himself, the amusement of his
earlier years, hangs before him; beneath
il his ustrobole, and other imperfect as,fo-
nomical instruments; and around him are
gathered his sorrowing disciples. The
door of mis- apartment opens; the eye of the
departing sage IS turned to see who enters:
it is friend, who brings him the first print
ed copy of his immortal treatise. He knows
tina, in this book he coItradicts all thar had
ever been distinctly taught 5y FORMER phi
losophers; he knows fhat he Las rebelled
against The sway of Ptolemy, which the
scientific world had acknowledged for
thousand years; he knows that the popular
mind will be shocked by his Innovations;
he knows that the attempt will be made to
press even religion into the service against
him; but he knops that his book is true
He is dying, but he leaves a glorious
truth, as his dying bequest to the world
He bids the friend who has brought it place
himself between the window and his bed
side, that the suns rays may fall upon the
precious volume, and he may behold it once
before his eyes grow dim. He looks upon
it, takes it in his hand, presses i, to his
breast. and expires. But no, he is not
wholly gone! smile lights up his dying
countenance; beam of returning intelli-
gence kindles In his eye; his lips move;
and the friend who leans over him can hear
him family murmur the beautiful senti-
merits which the wrist OF a later age has
SO finely expressed in verse:
"Ye go oden lamps of heaven. farewell with all your
feeble light;
Farewell. thou ever changing moon. pale empress
of the night;
And thou, refulscnt orb of day. in brightest flames
arrGyed.
My SOUL which springs beyond thy sphere, no more
demands thy aid.
Ye stars are hut the shining dust OF my divine abode.
The pavements of these heavenly courts where I
shall reign wiiE God"
SO died the great Columbus of the heav-
ens.-EpersH.