The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-11-13

Visitation OF 1888. and sone Rsascssss.
Thereea.
From the observations and calculations o.
astronomers II Is supposed that tonight or 10
morrow night we may have return, though
most likely in . milder development Of The
sublime visitation Of "the falling stars" q
November Is, 18S3-the estimated cycle ol
that strange phenomenon being completed.
We have at all events deemed the subject
sufficiently interesting, In this returning calm
nom our late political excitements, to repro-
duce in our columns to-day copious chapter
Of information relating to the msteoric exhlbi-
tons Of 1888 We think 1t will prove, with
some passing philosophical reflections Of q
celestial nature, an agreeable diversion to our
readers from the clashing opinions and pur-
poses Of our grovelling earthly politicians.
They, like the poor Of the Twelve Apostles,
are always with US; but the sight of one ofthe
most awful Of tho revelations Of St. John II
the event Of q lifetime, century or thousand
years
OF the wonderful meteoric shower Of 1888,
the writer-in Washington at the ime-has
some vivid recollections. The house was
reused between three and four in the morning
by the earnest and honest alarm Of negro
man :" Wake up, massa! Wake up, all, and
como TO Judgment De stars Is falling from
hebbsn and de end Of de world is comet" A
look from the window was sufficient TO justify
this startling announcement; and on going
out into the open air q spectacle was pre-
scented, perhaps, without a parallel on this
planet since it was adapted to the existence Of
man. Far as the eye could reach all around
the horizon the falling meteors, like shower
Of descending rockets, and thick as a shower
Of hail, filed the sky. They came not in hum
dreds or thousands, but in countless millions,
constantly in view. 1t was phosphorescent
hail storm. The night was bright,
and calm, and yet these showering
meteors, as if made from The pressure Of
northeast wind, descended in parallel lines
with remarkable uniformity, at an angle of
about sixty degrees. They were of pale
whitish light. Immediately overhead they
were extinguished at an immense distance
above us, but TO the observer from a point
near the foot Of Capitol Hill they seemed to
touch the crest Of Arlington Heights beyond
the river. Their general light, an unearthly
glare, gave a CHASTITY appearance to objects
around us, and especially to the human coun-
tenance.
Nor was the phenomenon limited to the
white streaming mete0rs. Occasionally
luminous body would appear among them Of
more brilliant Wilderness or redness, as il ten
thousand Of them had been fused into one,
dashing or at an erratic tangent through the
fiery shower like wild horse dashing from the
flank through an advancing column Of millions
Of glittering bsyonets. There was no noise
accompanying this wonderful display Of oeles-
tial fireworks, except during The presence Of
one Of those larger errStic stragglers, when, to
the ear or to the excited fancy, there came the
sound as Of the whispering wind in grove OF
cedars. The ornament, from the frst over .
considerable space, some twenty degrees to
the northeast Of the zenith, seemed to be
brighter than the rest Of the sl<y, while the
fixed stars within this area were DINNER than
to the southwark. The fiery shower continued
until the light Of the falling meteors was merged
and lost in the superior light Of the approach
Ing king Of day, and the night, son and plea
SAINT at the beginning. ended in strangely
crisp and frosty morning.
Such was the magnificent meteoric exhibi-
ton Of 1888 ct Washington. It was in
1898 also that we had tho great
.-r,sa..a,~- ~-~sto-.>xs. o~-xl N.->Ss..
reform agitation in England, something like
that Of the present day. It was about the
same time that 10 Smith, the founder Of the
Mormon Church, began his mission, from the
discovery, in the western part Of this State, Of
his famous golden plates, and their translation
by an "angel Of the Lord" according to
Smith. Now, what we want to know 10, have
not these strange celestial phenomena, from
their electrical influences, their strange effects
upon the human mind, resulting In certain
manifestations Look ct the moon and its
mysterious influences, according to its
changes, over animal and vegetable life, and
especially over the human mind and body.
Why, then, may we not attach some controlling
influence upon the mind Of man-(an electrical
battery, subject, like the telegraph battery, 70
the influences Of the electricity in the air.
why, we ask, may not the human mind be infu-
enced In certain directions by such electrical
visitations ss that connected with the great
metsorio shower Of 1887 Hamlet was right.
"There are more things in heaven and earth
than are dreamt Of in our philosophy" A
brush from the tail Of comet might, perhaps,
stimulate the human intellect TO the most aston
ishing perceptions or reduce the whole human
family and all the animal creations Of the
land to the loss Of sense and instinct without
the immediate loss Of life. From the oldest
records and traditions Of our race to this day
eclipses, comets and extraordinary displays Of
the aurora boreslis and meteors have been
nsgociatod with preapn timents and prophecies