Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1874-07-11
Especial for the Clation.1
Mr.. ST.. Mays COLLEGE,
Emmitsbury, July 8, 1871.

SpcClni lUr the C'HtloH.l
Mr.. ST. Mays CoLtEaE,
Diminishing, July 8, 1871.
COMETS:
Their History, Composition, Influence
on the Earth, and the various
Powers ascribed to them.
"To Princes death, to kingdoms crosses,
70 all estates inevitable losses;
To l,crds,nen rot, to ploughmen lapless
TO sailors storms, to cities civil trea-
sures." ~
FROM time immemorial, Comets have
been q source of much anxious inquiry to
mankind. Aristotle, who lived in the 4th
Century before Christ, believed them to be
nothing else than fiery exhalations as
cending from the lower regions Of the
atmosphere to the higher, which kindle
fons theiE near approach to the empyre.im,
SSd hsaih me- ..sky lrecksts" in endless
space, 1, a
Many strange pertentisns were ascribed
to Comets by our ancestors. According
to them, they were nothing else but divine
precursors of some great disaster, Or i'm
pending fate. War, pestilence and fam
Inc, were attributed to them, Is well as
storms, civil dissensions, and unproduc-
tive seasons. In An old Almanac Of the
4 TAI ell C%ckn
pears: "Comets signifie corruption Of the
ayre; they are signs of earthquake, of
wares, changing Of Kingdoms; great
dearth of corne, yea, common death to
man and beaste." In support Of this
strange opinion of our ancestors, many
singular reasons used to Re given. ITO
wards the last quarter of the first Century
of the Christian Era" say they, the
Heavens were studded with Comets, and
fiery appearances, and did not the dcstruc-
ton of the Holy City soon follow?" did
not the great fire Of London and the
plague which brought off thousands Of
that city's inhabitants Immediately follow
the Comet of 1868 ?" "And did not Pope
Calixtus order the bells to be rung in open
midday, and public prayers to be recited
in order to Danish Comet which appear
ed century carlier?" Such were the
proofs accustomed to be cited to show
that Comets are messengers Of wo: and
such deep root had this belief taken in the
minds of the less instructed, that it was no
uncommon occurrence to find in those
days, persons entirely sinking beneath the
appearance Of some Of these anamalous
visitors. Thus, in the year 1897 A. d., a
Comet made its appearance about O'Clock
III the morning. and frisked and frollicked
about the heavens so much, for the space
Of an hour, that many timorous hearted
creatures swooned away in death upon be-
holding its capers. A famous "star gazcr'
Of that day, speaking of this unlucky
Comet, describes its appearance and the
Shines it cut up, as follows: Il saw it
fist coming" says he, tout from an open
ing in the heavens, like dragon with
blue feet. having head covered with
snakes y It pranced, plunged and
frskel about like wild deer on moun-
tain" He tells lis further on, that i'll ap
pearance this Comet somewhat resemblcd
n man with outstretched arm and sword
in hand, in the act Of falling on Zone more
unfortunate" than Damocles of ancient
story; and after having further desc. ibed
its other" particulars. even to the splitting
of hair, this wonderful star gazer breaks
out into this solliquy: WE ARE FEAR
FULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADEV'
We stated at the beginning Of our essay
what the Aristotclian theory of Comets
was.-tl,at they are fiery cxllalations which
ignite upon reaching the pure ether of the
upper regions. and burn until consumed.
writer some hundred wears later than
fI,n (ycx.nl Darnnofnf;o nl al,
remarkable for elasticity Of Imagination
than depth of research. tells us that those
"ferc bromes' are nothing else but spirits
who tied to the upper regions, after having
spent long career on this earth Of ours.
and that now they are enjoying perpetual
holiday dancing amid the shining stars
'Rtsum teneatts, Amat?'
Whatever may be said of the theory Of
the great Philosopher of Stagyra, this
much is certain, that it was the theory of
the day down to the ninth ortcntl century
Of the Christian Era. As time, however,
began to advance mems minds became
more progressive, until at last the achy
and the acherefore, and all the wonderful
mysteries attending Comets became as fa
miliar as the IA, b, c."
To the indefatigable labors of the great
Danish Astronomer, Tycho Brahe, all that
we know of the heavenly bodies, and
Comets IN particular, is mainly due. In
the same track with Brahe followed KEEP
Ter, and soon after him, Sir Isaac Newton.
Few have contributed more to the progress
of the science of Astronomy than these
three.
Before we enter now on the most vital
question of the all-dcstructive power of
Comets, it may not be impairment to the
occasion to explain some of the phraseo-
ogy accustomed to be employed when
treating Of Comets in general. The word
Comet itself come from the Latin Coma, a
hair or Lions name, as it is frequently
rendered by classic writer's. The prsprie-
ty Of this derivation is plain to all, for the
Comet is nothing else, at least in appear
ance, than cluster of hairy stars dispersed
in the shape Of a lions name. That lumln-
GUS point near the centre of the Comet is
called the nucleus (Latin, nur, a kerneD,
and the outer circle which encompasses
the nucleus, is called the hair, or nebulosity,
(n,sbula, q mist, Latin) This nebulosity
and nucleus combined, are termed the
Comets head, and that luminous train
which sparkles in the heavens like spray
is called its tail. Although all have now
nearly agreed as to the vaporific constitu.
ency Of Comets, yet it remains an open
question, what the precise nature of this
vapor is; and because some say one thing,
and some another. Rather than tire the
reader we shall abstain from quoting opin-
ions, and live content with letting the
doctors differ" for the present.
What most interests us now, seeing that
we have over our heads, one Of those un.
toward nightly Yisitnrs ia whether or moi