The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-28

the Great Problems that Remain TO be Solved" In spite Of
the indications 6 wet evening just preceding the hour
Of opening, every portion Of that large building
densely crowded.
Preceding the lecture the Hon Luther adish
that Professor Mitchell having generously delivered
course Of five lectures in aid Of the Observatory funds
the audience, On Tuesday evening, had expressed their
thanks Tor his splendid efforts and invited him deliver
an extra lecture at early day and take the
for his own benefit The committee took great pleasure
announcing that the eloquent lecturer had accepted the
invitation and would deliver the lecture Saturday
evening at half past seven ocock-the subject to be
"rhe Great Unfinished Problems of the Universe: The
Motions Of the Sun Planets through Space; The Reyo
luton Of the New Fixed Stars and the Determination of
the Centre around which the Stellar Universe Revolves
with sketch Of the Methods Of Astronomical
by which these great problems 10 be resolved"
The cheering with which this announcement
iook his place on the platform amid renewed
applause. He thanked the audience for such an
The embarrassment labored under from such compli
meDt but he would nevertheless take great pleasure
meeting them again on Saturday evening, and, with this
Introductory, he entered upon his evenings lecture:
On two occasions he had endeavored them the
powers of the telescope To exhibit ts powers discover
ing objects at a distance thing but to dehne
thereby objects in distant space mnutely quite
a different thing. To give the audience some
idea Of the telescopes power thus 10 define objects he
drew attention to the stellar universe and took the
a specimen object Of these wonderful bodies The ab
sence Of uniform brilancy the body of the had
covered TO be covered with dots specks. In
quence Of the immense distance Of that luminous body
from the earth 1t was difficult yea impossible to deter
mlne what each dot might represent. He confessed
his inability TO solve the mystery revelation they
might make, but they seemed like upheavings Of
mighty convusion These spots to s were periodic
in their appearance proving that the revoved
own axis. German astronomer had found, from long
study that there is cycle through which they pass In
distinctly discernble, and in course Of certain
period Of years they were entirely lost to every
power OF discernment. There was therefore, doubt
Of the periodicity Of these phenomena Not only
there these mountainous spots, but deep cavities of
immense extent between them were visible. He
passed from the examination Of the sun to that Of
Saturn Around this orb its beautiful ri6g per-
fecty dehned that the shadow Of the planet on
clearly visible through the mighty telescope. His Illus
traton Of bis own examination of Saturn very inter
estng, and received with applause lie spoke OF the n-
that had taken in the new planet dis
covered by Leverrer and with what intense interest
had watched its progress. He spoke Of the stars in the
'mlky way" 10 the naked eye there seemed nothing
of winter night IN portions Of It. it seemed
myrads clustered together, and in other portions OF
they were so sparse that seemed as II their was moth.
ing but empty Space but when the telescope brought
to bear on that came portion of space there beauty
yond nythng that the mind could conceive. Before he
had entered upon the study Of astronomy he had
read the works Of Hefschei and thought it mpos
sble for the mighty things therein contained to be
discovered, but he had counted the stars and told
their humber. Some there glittcrng with all the
brilanoy OF the diamond, and others rejecting light
varied in hue as the oolors OF the rainbow. He then
spoke Of Sir William Herschel's abors attempting TO
define rheir form, bounds and limits He explained the
form OF the universe and considered the subject Of the
motion Of the stars. To illustrate that solar system
was travelling through space II was only necessary TO
suppose that the building in which they seated repre-
ton, and that through those holes balls Of
light The person in the centre, as he advanced
IN direc. line, would find that while the
his vision retained ts form and size, the space
intervening between the lights every side OF that
stationary light would necessarily in Appearance propor
/ no
lights, it were, would close together The studies
and experiments OF rgelander the Russian astronomer
IN attempting the solution OF this question Of motion
through space were related. BE had taken limited
number OF stars and divided them three casses-hos
which moved a second Of per year, those which
moved half second and those which moved less BY this
means he bad arrived at the conclusion illustrated above
by the Professor We were now actually moving towards
the star Mu in the constellation Of Hercules Asrono
mers had determined that advancing that drec
ton at the rate Of l54 millions Of miles per annum and
surposing that star itself to be stationary our rate of
travel could not be reached before million of years
The lecturer concluded by uqurpg what the myse-
rous force which propelled US through and sustained
space at such nconcevabe rapidty He controverted
the assertion that 10 gravtaton indebted this
motion and regularity, and closed his with an
eloquent peroraton and answered that could only be
by the great arm OF Omnipotence.
PROF. MIrcHELL's BENEFIT.
complimentary benefit will be given to Prof MITCHELL
the astronomer, at the Academy of Music, Saturday
evening next at which time he will deliver a celestial ad
dress opposite to the occasion.
PIccoIoNIM ONCE MoRE-The plan Of the Operatic cam
paign of Mr. Uiiman having been somewha. changed,
Nile. Piccolomin will return for day TO New York,
and sing at MATINEE at the Academy Of Music February
H. The opera will be "Don Pasquale" and the dsJm in
America Of Piccoiomini Norma will undoubtedly
bring out immense crowd From hence the pet prima
donna goes to Albany and the West and descending the
Mississippi she will arrive New Orleans early in March,
The remainder of the artists-Formes Musard Iborde
and Ponso-go also to New Orleans but proceed by way
of Charleston and the southern seaboard
NBIos GARpKy-OrKy1yc or THE EQUESTRIAN SEASON.
Niblos very popular establishments was reopened last
evening, under the auspices Of Messrs Nixon Company
the well known circus proprietors. The stage and por
lion Of the orchestra were tastefuly fitted up as
an arena, and the house,i which entirely filed
with an audience which seemed predisposed TO be
pleased, presented gay and cheerful ensemble The
programme Of the performance included more than
The usual variety Of equestrian entertainment with the
addition Of Dan Rice whose quaint humor and running
fires OF ocose commentaries upon the topics Of the day
have made him great favorite with metropolitan
iences as with the people of the provinces The perform
lnce Of Mr. Rces horse Excelsior the interest
ng exhibition oftbe night Equine sagacty could hardly
be more fully developed than in this remarkable ANIMAL
whose eats rewarded with genuine and long con
nued applause. Miss Ella, very youthful eguesrienae
more like fairy on high horse than anything else.
likewise very successful. The performance alto
se,her very good and the promises be highly
profitable. The programme Of last evening will be
peaied 10 night and TO afternoon and evening
Personal Intelligence.
The Right Rev. Bishop Doane, Of New Jersey aud Capt
J. A. Grove, L. s. A., are in Washington
The Hon f. A. Hannegan exUnited states Senator from
indiana, has taken the field as a iyceum lecturer.
The Buffalo Courier of the 9th inst says that Judge
tow who has been dangerously i'll for the past three
months, Is slowly improving, and that hopes enter
aimed Of his ultimate recovery He Is able to walk
bout the and rides out in pleasant weather There
prospect of his being able take his seat in tue
senate the present session.
Lady Indiana, she calls herself sister of Billy Bow
egs, has been lscturng New Orleans Sacred His
ory."
From 81 Helena In the snip Ocean Rover-Capt Kmba OF
hip Monterey.
PROM Norfolk. &c In The steamship Roanoke-c Brombach
= and lady sherman, Mrs James, Mrs Murray child,
inniss, Mrs Pray. Mrs Pray and child Vim II fsrsey
tuLD, Miss watson, Misses I. Benton. Chzpnan |