The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-02-03
Mosat Vernon Pap.rsLSe. D.


The contribution Of the Hon. EDwAsD
EVERETT 10 the New York Ledger OF this
week ia On the late comet. An account is
given OF . visit OF Mr. Eysssrr 10 the
Cambridge Observatory. This is very
beautiful:
II was serene October evening, admir-
ably adapted Tor observation. The sun vet
without cloud, and tho heavens, if lees
magnificent than when hung with the gorge
ous drapery which sometimes decks the even
lug sky, were, Of course far better prepared
for the inspection Of the wonderful y:sitant.
Venus was the evening star, The air was
still, and free from the tremuIousness which
70 often disturbs observations near the hor-
lion. The light Of the moon. new that day,
was too faint to interfere with that OF the
portentous stranger, which, in his hsadlong
course toward the sun, had lett Arcturus
five degrees behind, and was rushing to his
periheion at tho rate OF a hundred and thirty
millions of miles an hour.
The appearance Of the heavens ss the SUI
went down, and fainter twilight diiilised it.
self over the sky, was most impressive the
gradual fading into obscurity OF the terres-
tnl lAndscape-at last the vanishing OF oil
the details OF village, field and lake under
the broad and shadowy wings Of night. leav-
ing nothing visible but the larger dark
inasses--sp spreading tree church and distant
line Of hills Then came the spparitions,
ono by one. OF the heavenly luminaries the
thin, sharp edge Of the new iiesper-
us, dropping diamonds and pearls from his
imperial brow -the magn fcent stars Of the
higher magnitude in this region, whose un-
couth Arabic names. Mar, Ahoth Mirach,
gives 10 strange an aspect TO the chart OF the
heavens, emerging from the gloom-and then,
a. the night advanced, 10 gitteriug success
sion those Of inferior size, down to the small
est that may be discerned by the. naked
eye I'LL at length the whole couclave was
lighted up with its sparkling glorles 1t was
an evening to make one feel the solemn sig
nifcaace OF that glorious sonnet OF Blanco
White,
Mysterious night! when first our parsat knew
Thee from report divine, and heard thy name,
Did no not trsmbo for this goody frame,
This glorious canopy Of light and blast
iat, meath q curtain Of translucent dew,
Nathed IN the rays of the great setting flame,
lIespsras with the host OF Heaven came.
And 10 creation widened in mans view
Who could have thought such darkness lay con
Cealed
Within thy beams, o sun or who could ind
Whilst fly, and leaf, AMI insect stood revealed,
That TO such countless orbs thou maist US
blind
Why do We then shuu death with anxious strifei
u hgM "a, thus dses'rs, ichy may not iU,'
Mr.. Everett confesses his inability to lie.
scribe the Comet ~ it appeared through the
Comet seeker, aud the great telescope IT.
sell. The paper concludes with the following
brilliant apostrophe TO the wandering and
celestial stranger:
Return, then, mysterious trayelsr, to the
depths of the Heavens, never again to be
seen by the eyes Of men now living Thou
hast run thy race with glory millions OF
eyes have gazed upon thee with won.
der; but they shall never look upon thee
again. Since thy last appearance ia these
lower skies empires, languages, and races OF
men have passed away-ihe Macedonian,
the Alexsudran, the Augustau, the Par
THAN. the RyAantine. the Sarcaenie, the ono
msu dyDastlCs sunk or sinking INTO the gull
of ages. Since thy last appearance, old
continents, have relapsoi into i,,norance, and
new worlds have come out from behind tue
veil OF waters. The Magian fires ars quenched
on the bin tops OF ASA; the CSaIdsan seer
is blind. the Egyptian hierogrsmn.atis, has
Loaf his cunning, the oraclss are dumb, Wis.
dom now dsells in furthest Thule, or in
newly discovered works beyond the sra
HAPPY when, wheeling up again from the
celestial ahySsys, thou art once NOR seen by
the dwellcrs on earth, the languages We speak
shall also b. forgotten; aud scienoe shall have
tiol 10 the uttcrmost corners o, the earth.
But even there. His hand. that now marks
gu, thy woadrous circuit, 'hsll >ti.l guide Thy
course; and then a. now, Hesr,r will smile
At thy approach, aud Arciarus with his sous
ryjo.ee al thy coming