Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-11-18
The Columbus Of the Heavens.

Copernicus, after harboring in his bosom for
long, long years, that pernicious heresy-the
solar system-died on the day of the appearance
Of his book from the press. The closing scene
OF his life would furnish noble subject for an
artist, For thirty-fve years he has resolved and
nurtured his system of the heavens. natural
mildness of disposition, bordering on timldity,
a reluctance to encounter controversy and
dread of persecution, have led him to withhold
his work from the press, and to make known
hissystem but to few confidential friends and
disciples. At length he draws near his end ne
is seventy-threc years of age, and he yields his
work on the g revolutions Of the heavenly orbs
to his friends for publication. The day at last
has come on which it is to be ushered into the
world. 1t is the twenty-fourth of May, 1S43.
On that day-thc effect, no doubt, of the in
tense excitement of his mind operating upon an
exhausted frame-an ehusion of blood brings
him to the gates of the grave. His last hour
is come; he lies stretched upon 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 chamber near his bedside is the armill-
ary sphere, which he has contrived to represent
his theory of the heavens his picture, painted
by himself, the amusement of his earlier years
hang before him; beneath it his astro bole, and
other imperfect astronomical instruments; and
around him are gathered his sorrowing disc
Piles. The door of his apartment opens thu
eye of the departing sage is turned to see wht
enters it is friend, who brings him the frs
copy of his immortal treatise. He knows tha
in this book he contradicts all that had evel
been distincly taught by former phi philosophers
he knows that he has rebeed against the sway
of Ptolemy, which the scientific world had &C
knowledged for thousand years. he know
that the popular mind will be shocked by hi
innovations he knows that the attempt will b.
made to press even religion into the servic
against him but he knops that his book IS true
He is dying, but he leaves glorious truth
as his dying bequest to the world. lie blds th
friend who has brought it place himself be
tween the window and his bedside, that tn
suns rays may fall upon the precious volume
and he may behold it once before his eyes groN
dim. He looks upon it, takes it in his hand
presses it to his breast, and expires. But nc
he is not wholly gone smile lights up hi
countenance beam of returning intelligenc
kindles in his eye; his lips move; and th
friend who leans over him can hear him faintl
murmur the beautiful sentiments which the ly
rist Of a later aga has so finely expressed i
verse -
aye golden lamps of heaven, farewell, with all yor
feeble light
FAREWELL thou changing moon, pale empress Of tt
night
And the refugen orb of day, in brightest flames arraye
My soul which springs beyond thy sphere, no more d
mands, thy aid.
Ye stars are the shining dust Of my divine abode
The pavement of shose heavenly courts where I shs
reign with God"
So died the great Columbus of the heavens
EuereH.