Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-08


Is OUR Moon INHAB1TED2-But here the
question is naturally sug gested whether our
own moon, which is but a quarter of million
of miles from us, ought not first to be examined
for signs of life, or, at least, of being fitted for
the support Of life. When the telescope was
first invented it is certain that astronomers
were more hopeful of recognizing such signs in
the moon than in any other celestial body, As
telescopes OF greater and greater power were
constructed, our satellite was searched with
more and more eager scrutiny. And many
long year elapsed before astronomers would ac-
cept the conclusion that the moons surface is
wholly untitled for the support of any of those
forms of life with which we are familiar upon
earth. That the belief in lunar men prevailed
in the popular mind long after astronomers had
abandoned it, is shown by the eager credulity
with which the story of Sir John HerschePs sup
posed observations of the customs and manners
OF the Lunarians was accepted even
among well-educated men. Who can for
get the gravity with which that
most amazing hoax was repeated in all
quarters 1t was, indeed, ingeniously
eontrived. The anxiety of Sir John HerscbeI
TO secure the assistance OF King William. and
the care with which sour sailor.king'' INQUIRED
whether the interests of nautical astronomy
would be advanced by the proposed inquiries
the plausible explanation of the mode of obser-
walton depending, we were gravely assured,
upon the TRANSMISSION Of light; the trembling
anxiety of Herschel and his fellow-workers as
the moment arrived when their search was to
commence; the flowers, resembling poppies
which first rewarded their scrutiny; and the
final introduction upon the scene of those
winged beings-not. strictly speaking, men, nor
properly TO be called angelS-to whom Herschel
assigned the generic appellaton, Vespertino
Homo, or batmen. All these things, and many
others equally amusing were described with
marvellous gravity, and with an attention to
details reminding one of the descriptions in
Gullivers Travels. One can hardly wonder,
then, that the narrative was received in many
quarters with unquestioning faith, nor, perhaps,
even at the simplicity with which Gas Sir John
Herscbel himself relates) well-meaning persons
planned measures for sending missionaries
among the poor benighted Lunarians."
let astronomers have long known full GER
SalIliy mat no forms Of life, such as we are
iallllilaf with, can exist upon the moon They
hioM that II our satellite has an atmosphere ut
ail' tlat atmosphere must be SO limited in ex-
tehi maj 10 creatures we are acquainted with
coulu i've IN II. They know that she has no
oceahsI SEAS, rivers or lakes, neither clouds nor
rims anu that sue had, there would be no
Winus " wait moisture from place 10 place, or
to cause the clouds to drop fairness mon ,Se
lunar fields. They know, also, that the moons
surface is subjected alternately TO cold e. r
more intense than that which binds our arctic
regions in everlasting frost, and TO heat com
pared with which the fierce noon of a tronical
day is as the freshness of a spring morning
They search only over the lunar disk for the
signs of volcanic action, feeling well assured
that no traces the existence of living
viii ever be detected in that desolate orb.-Tht
CornbiH Magazine.