Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-06-26
foRrGINAL.l
The influence Of the Noon.

~ - 49, $3.50 - 80 w. n
verse of the proposition, that credulity is L
the mother Of all ignorance, is as equally y
true. There is no opinion more universal Z
than that the moon exerts a decided infu- +
ence over the state of the weather. So I
soon as our philosophy ascertained and j
settled that the ebbing and flowing Of the I
ocean tides was controlled by this planet, I
the impression that the weather and all !
ita vicissitudes weIo under its government, T,
has derived increased strength among the :
creGulous. We shall undertake to demon {
strate, that the moor exerts no influence
in the production Of wet or dry weather.
Philosophy teaches, and the the expert
ments Of several OF her votaries prove in
contestibly, that the watery vapor from
which rain, hail and snow are formed,
owes its production, elevation and suspen-
ton, entirely to heat, deprived of which
to a certain extent, w a change in the at
~mosphere, coLdenses and falls battle-ground
in some form or other. Whether it rains
halls or SHOWS, or the weather is dry, de-
ponds cntireleupon the temperature OF the
atmosphere. Then, unless these %lunaric
philosophers can establish, that the wealth
CT, wet or dry, hot or cold, and all It's VI
cissitudes, is uninfiuenced by temperature,
their theory becomes the baseless fabric
Of a vision.
Now, the observation and experience of
all, have shown that the presence and light
of this planet arc unattended by the slight
est variation of temperature. Have you
not read in your philosophy that the rays
of the moon have been concentrated by the
most powerful lenses and the largest re-
Electors of light, and thrown upon the
thermometer without raising the mercury?
Having shown, therefore, that the moon
exerts no sensible or perceptible influence
upon the temperature of the atmosphere,
we are led to the irresistible conclusion,
that this dark and opaque body, so remote
from our planet, and shining only with
borrowed light, has NO power in 6etermin-
ing the state of the weather. We readily
admit that the influence of the moon over
the tides, may also be felt by the atmos-
phere in which we live, and move and
have our being; but at the same time, we
hold that the air of the ocean, as indiea-
! ted by the barometer, must be as subser
Went to the law of attl action subsistine
between the earth and the moon, as any
! other terrestrial matter; and we admit tia
results of observations made in Europe
which 90 to prove that the mean height 0
the barometer is somewhat regulated b,
d the positions Of the moon in relation to tn
earth but in aaking these admissions, W
:, are not deceived in regard to the effect c
: this influence.
We deny that every rise or fall, or wha
ever produces the elevation or depressio
of the mercury in the thermometer, indi
eating a change in the temperature of til
atmosphere, is capable of influencing til
moisture or dyyness of the air, and thereb
producing weather, wet or dry. The a
traction subsisting between the two planet
the earth and the moon, is known to a
and causes an accumulation or rather
motion of the water over that portion
the earth's surface presented towards t!
moon hence, the food tide, and when Il
position of the moon, which ca ses Tia
is changed, the ebb tide ensues. But
these phenomena are regulated by the a
erring laws of gravitation and a~ttractiC
which have no agencies in the products
of wet or dry weather-the creatures
temperature alone. The calculations
old men which have led them to belle
in a lunar influence upon the weather, q
we think, founded upon a deceptive da
and will not bear 2 close examination.
heir the changes of the weather are to be
tributed to the different phases Of
moon, it would follow, that If a change
T. weather, at the new moon in this MOI
NJ took place, there would be a change at
next, and at every succeeding new mo
ad infinitum, and 50 10 regard to every f
quarter, pcrigee and apogee of the mo
Every body knows this is not so. Aw
then, with your lamar influences of
weather.
The superstition In the moons infue
over terrestrial operations, has not b
limited to the weather and it VIC
-" require a small volume to record
ar the agencies allowed this planet in the
Ar NAL and vegetable kingdoms. The til
tiles cribed to the moons influence, by old
'enr men and Ignorant men, can be and |
call been, readily traced to agencies opera
g around US, and with which the iiebt
nno philosophy has made us familiar. A
lied. examples, the pernicious influence u
due vegetation, attributed to the moons in
t IL ence; the effect Of its rays in hastel
fa.o- the putrefaction of animal Substances.
LOT %r DC, all Of which doubtless happen "
;ts the moon shines, and would take pIac
live there were no such body as the moo
lsels When animal substances are exposed
the rays of the moon, they are at
now same time exposed to the humidity OF
IS night air, and the later hastens the /,
cess of putrefaction unaided by the
law" mer.
ct;on Many believe in a lunar inaaeEce on
who case; We regard it in the same light
, on the exploded doctrine as the Astral az
any cy, SO long and stoutly maintained.
Con- therefore, for the information and be
of the agriculturists, submit the folio,
ne propositions, clearly demens.rable. |
established philosophical principles /:
the weather, whether wet or dry, are
tiers regulated solely by changes of ten
Dung atare, with which the moon has nothir
lido.
That the mutual attraction between
hucn earth aud the moon, exhibited in
.ness tides, depends upon the agency Of anc
principle, graduation, or attraction.
invite That all the effects upon animal
ny, If vegetable substances, now, but, ignor,
SOLID ascribed to the action of tho moon 90