The New York herald., 1870-01-22
SCIENTIFIC LECTURES.
LIVING llGHI.

Lecture by Professor Il. Ogden Dorcmus-Thc
Universe scientifically Considercd-spcctraI
AnnIysis-The Niarvels of Chemistry.
The lne new hail Of the Young Mems Christian
Association at Twenty-thrd street ana Fourth ave.
nue. attracted many intellectual and deeply inter.
ested ladies and gentlemen TO hear the third al.
Dress OF Professor X. ogden Doremus upon the mar.
velous chemical properties OF the gIooc. The pro-
fessors wide popularity. his distinguished eminence
as . scientist chemist hts identification with thu
philharmonic Society, and his extensive social &C.
0uaintance, drew together ~ cnoice an audience ~
seldom gathers IN New York. The stage was nhed
by an enormous battery OF $50 cups OF the capacity
OF 1Rallon and half each, by glass retorts mag
nets OF great power, prisms renectors lenses, maps,
tubes and all the necessary experimental lnstru-
ments incident to fair explanation Of the subject
The ladies were numerous. The toilets were elegant
and the exhibition OF chemical details practically
passed of with success. Al eight O. clock Professor
Doremus advanced and spoke substantially as fol-
lows:-
LADIES AND GENrLEMEN:-At our nrst interview
had the honor OF presenting TO you the arguments
OF modern science in favor Of the belief that our
word, IN common with our stellar system aud the
whole OF the visible universe, was originally IN Q
gaseous state, and that the iInponderabe forces
light, heat, electricity. &c.-were III latent c0nd-
uon. TINS remarkably comedies with the terse
statement In the hrst chapter OF Genesis-"Wthout
form and void and darkness on the face OF the
Deep Al the second lecture demonstrated by ex-
pertinent tnat when elements associate themselves.
lgnI aud heat are copiously evolved ana therefore
Claimed that the nrst progressive step from the
chaotic condition must nave been the universal
diffusion OF light and lts associated forces
the mandate OF the Almighty. God slld,
Let there be light and there was light" IL
VIII De my province this evening TO reveai some OF
the marvels Ol physics ana chemistry relation
,nese god.like iorces Professor Doremus then went
into elaboration OF spectral analysis and gave
detail the important Incidents connected with Its
grand discovery and development. lie considered
tue undulatory theory OF hight, the refnemenx OF
winch spectral analyses are capable, tnelr great
deicacy urpassing anything even In the imagina-
ton oi the chemist. he dwelt upon the power OF
discrimination by spectra which were unknown
before the development OF the law, and pointed out
the valuable discoveries reached through its
agency. ne performed numerous experiments in
illustration OF his subject, using the spectrum
and prism with an aperture OF nine
Inches; employed the Bnnsom nams the oxy-hydro-
poses oi illumination. Leaving thls portion OF mis-
subject he touched upon microscopic spectrum
wonderful SUBJECT clearly before the audience. Pass
ing now from the almost Infinitely small he boldly
with mastery persplculty he carried his near.
ers around the orbtal tracks OF stars and planets
and visited tue sun Itself. The transition WAS as
from zero to lnnnlty-rrom second 10 the eternal.
Ii was grand triumph Stellar analysis was
elucldated Dy experiments AZ well: lie described
the metals Of The sun ana stars He demonstrated
the enormously elevated temperatures Of glowing
spheres by heating SODIUM ana with yellow line
lie passed IL through It's own ,apors and produced
ing his theory. He exhibited MIR. Rutherords pho
tograph OF the solar orb oy tne oxynydrc light with
sp enuld e1ecL These experiments Oil proved the
grand Idea or the lecture the unity OF chemical con-
sttuuon, the identity OF every element OF tne science
with light and the simplicity, yeG regularity OF th8
archi5ecture OF lns sensible and latent universe.
lie continued:-l now come 10 the decision OF the
prism respecting . tas nsbuis, ,, suns or cloudy
continuous spectral gaseous ones afford only partal
spectSl. The neoule produce but partial spectra.
therefore gases are vapors. Touching the correa-
ton OF forces he said, from the oxidation In the
galvanic cells we produce mysterious agency, de-
showers Of gas bubbles oi oxygen ana hydrogen
rise rapidly through these long tubes, demonsrat-
Ing the most beautiful quantitives analyses OF
OF metallic solutions, as IN electro plating |
bringing the poles together through these metallic
points we convert this force into the most intense
heat. and from the carbon terminals We have the
brightest light ever produced by man. Why should
We not nave this overwhelming light IN the greatest
nen tn,i current nows around these large masses
OF iron you witness the powerful magnetic iorce
produced professor Doremus then went into most
delicate and interesting experiments III dlamagne-
lsm) The revolution OF DISC Of copper Is checked
the moment the current passes between the poles
aud the osc is arrested In it's motion, though great
force IS employed. Witness the conversion OF this
chemical dcil0n into ligat heat, electricity aud
This permanent magnet elicit tho electric current,
heat ngnt and chemical force. The oxydati0n Of
Laurent generates heat. which is converted into
power, winch produces from the hinge magnets the
dazzling light which this vessel carries; and as
monetary proof Of Its value her insurance mas been
reduced. In the thermo-multiplier the faint heat
radiated from the hand at the distance OF many
yards excltes q current OF electricity IN antimony
and olsmuth, which is easily determined by the
DETECTION Of the magnetic needle. And 1t is now
proven that every magnetic needle Is in reality
q delicate thermometer capable OF meas
urng the variations OF the heat which
our planet receives from the sun. Wo
therefore would clam that the union OF the original
Clements must nave produced oil CT those imponder-
able agencies and that these are properly embraced
under the evolution 0i light. DR.. Doremus continued
70 elaborate his subject, and proved NY practical
demonstration tnat light Is the fecus Of all chemical
constituents and the living and latent force OF the
universe. 1t Is great pity that empty philosophy
ana speculative theology cannot be driven from tho
lyccum and such practical ana valuable lectures as
that OF DT. Doremus last evening universally en-
tbroned. Su0n one smD0des the true scieace Of
lie.
tn: CONSTITUTION OF THE SUN.
Lecture by DIR. Il. A. Could, Of CnmbridEe,