The Portland daily press., 1869-08-02

Celestial Emtertainm Mt.--The RcIipse
Next Saturday. xsf aif
1t is usual to acknowledge that natural
phenomena, like pleasant fields, beautiful
skies, refreshing showers and the sublimity OF
the thunder storm are afforded alike to the
Just and the unjust, and are for the .entcrtaia.
ment OF rich and poor, without discrimination
on account of age, sex or previous condition. y.
This does not hold quite true of the eclipse
which the astronomers have advertised for next
Saturday. In the first place the track Of total
eclipseis only 140miles broad, and has ridicu-
lous obliquity that carries it from away North
In Siberia to Alaska, and passing from west to
East down through British America, Montana
Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri. Illinois.
Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee aud North Car
olina it passes off into the Atlantic from
the coast of the latter State In the second
place, optical instruments are necessary to OBJ
serve the eclipse under the most favorable cir
cumstances a piece of stained glass; or a
piece of the red glass obtainable of the glaizers
must answer for the commonalty, Either that
or an opera glass, with a shade glass to screen
the eyes. As an eclipse of such magnitude
has been seen in this country only once before
this century, and viii not be seen again, il is a
matter Of regret that all Of us cannot 20 Junk
eting of. with the astronomers and scientific
men to Alaska or elsewhere on the path of TO-
tai eclipse to witness the interesting phenome-
non.
In New England the eclipse will be only par
tial, about five-sixths of the suns disk beinr
obscured. In this State the phases win occur
at about the following hours: go
II will begin. ............. .5h. 20nl. .L,l..e
Middle. ....................6h 15m apparent fine
End........,.. 3m. In inc evening.
Astronomers are anticipating all sorts Of
pleasant discoveries from their observations Of
the eclipse at different points on the globe. A.
large number Ct independent observations
must be made, for the track extends over eooo
miles. =.
The following account of total. eclipse in
the South of France, written by tina ceIebrat-.
ed Arago, will be read with great interest at
this times ft'a ls---
At Perpignan only the sick remained indooys
From early dawn the people covered the ter.
races the city ramparts all the knolls and van
tage points from which they could hope to see
the sun RISE At the citadel we had under onr
eyes, besides the numerous groups of citizens,
the soldiers who were about to be reviewed
The time for the beginning of the eclipse ap-
preached. Nearly 10000 persons, smoked glass
IN nand, were scanning the radiant orb, now
;Sss p;lSSscteo s upon an azure sky. Hardly had we,
~. " powerful glasses, began to distng dish
H. s,,p .haoe oescuring the western limb OF
on on0 d,Hana snout, the mingled sound of
Se.s.;s S voices, appraised us that our
that made by 10000 improyisad1 sscomus ssto on,y
with the naked eye, in this their f,rst lononeIs
lively curiosity, the spirit of emuIat;aes ess~y.
desire not to be forestalled, seemed ~ ana o
their natural vision with unaecustomsde enuow
tration and power. Pene-
Between the commencement of the ec,;ns.
ana the time which closely preceded the dis
appearance of the sun, we remarked nothing
worthy OF record in the countenances Of the
numerous spectators. But when the sun mar
lowed 70 q mere line, began to throw over the
norlzon but faint light, an anxiety spread
through the whole crowd; each man felt i'm
peiied to communicate his impressions tn his
neighbor. Then began dun roar. like that Of
a distant sea after tempest rbe noise he
came louder in proportion to the thnn;ne 81
tue slender solar crescent. Finally the crasceut ~
vanished. Darkness succeeded suddenIv -
the light, and an absolute silence married. az -
phase of the eclipse as sharply at did the nar'
duium of our astronomical clock The pha-
nomenon, in its magniicence, had triumnbed
over the restlessness of youth, over the frivoI;-
W which certain men take for sign of anna
riority, and over the noisy indifference Of whtcb
the soldiers ordinarily make their boast
profound calm reigned, too, in the air: even