Middletown transcript., 1874-02-07
=. LETTERS 9e]e
To the Boys and Girls Of the Middle
town Academy, Delaware.
No. 8.--AsTRoNoMY.
BY REV. JOSEPH WILSON.

eah 40 uuriDg your scnO0l Gays, Will De 70
take the first steps only in the pursuit Of
knowledge, You may be compared to the
little child just beginning to walk. Your
FIRST steps may be worry feeble and totter-
ing, and you may sometimes get fall;
but do not be discouraged, but, like the
little one. up and at it again. Some Of
the subjects that will engage your attsn-
tion have occupied the minds of the great
est mea that ever lived. and yet they have
not arrived at perfection. ''.' 'ai p
Although the present amount of know
ledge is greater than it ever was since the
world began, yet there is probably many
times more to be learned than the world
now knows. I suppose that astronomy is
one Of the subjects you will be called to
study. 1t is sublime and difficult sci
ence, and especially difficult to young per-
sons whose minds have not arrived at ma.
turity. .i'. i. M
Astronomy, as you may have learned.
is word derived from the Latin language
and means "The Science Of the Stars" in
cluding what is called "thc Solar System"
which embraces the sun and all the plan
cts which move around him, together With
their satellites or moons, and the small bod
los called Asteroids. ~ lallca >il
| The Solar System, Of itself, is most
magnificent affair, Trough, as compared
with the whole universe of stars, it is but
like a grain of sand compared to a great
mountain. OF this system We can form
but very inadequate conception. for who
can grasp the idea that the sun itself is
many times larger than all tho planets TO-
gether that move around him, and four
teen hundred thousand timos larger than
the earth? l' fes'! az ~ s"i7N
With the Solar System. to which we
belong, you should try to.be we'll acquaint-
ed, as to the position and motions Of its
several planets. If l were engaged in the
work of instructing youth, I think I would
adopt the following plan, to give them a
correct idea of the Solar System, which
plan might be called 1.-THE Astronomical
Play" or Dance if yeu like that better:
Choose a plot of level ground large
enough for the purpose. Let the largest
boy take his station in the centre, and let
him be called the Sun. A few feet from
him let one Of the smallest and most ro-
guish of the little boys take bis place, to
represent Mercury. Next to him., but
considerably larger, choose the prettiest
girl in school to represent Venus, which
you know is the evening star that shines
80 brightly after sunset or early in the
morning.
Then, further off from the Sun. place
another handsome girl. whom you may
call Terra, or the Earth, attended by lit.
tie maid, to be called Luna. or the Moot
Next to Terra, and still further from the
Sun, place stout boy to represent Mars,
aad if the boy is somewhat disposed to
fight SO much the better, for Mars, you
know, was the god Of war-as the Romans
thought. prf
Outside of Mars another large boy mus,
take his place as Jupiter, with white bell
around him, and surrounded by four lit.
tie girls as bis satellites. -1t E.
Saturn may be represented BY an old
looking boy, with white or grey wig or
his head for Saturn was called the father
of the gods. Around Saturn you mus
place seven little girls to be his Satellites
or Moons. . sg sl 5sa5 v
Outside Of all is Herschel, to be repre-
sented by medium-sised boy, to be at
tended by six little girls as hi, Satclitel
E or Maids of Honor. -.
You have now the position, Of the plan
cts as to the Sun and to one another. But
each Of the planets has TIVE motions--ope
areu nd the Sun in different times accord
ing to their distance; and the other on it
, own axis; which two motions are aptl,
,, shown by the forward and revolving me
tions Of carriage or car wheel ~ turnover
along the road, e -aa' /. 2''
The boys and girls all having their po
sitions, let them move around the centra
boy or the Sun. describing circles with th'
same radius all around. sansa -uag en-
, The Satellites or Moons must keep NOV
, ing around theirssveral planets, and. nil
, With the sun, turning on their. axes in Sth'
: same direction. 0i yaois ri iiw OK
!, You have now tho Astronomical play
or Solar System dance, and if you play il
d neatly. it will give you q better idea Of th'
i Solar System than you can get from bssks
Icxpect your teaher will be pleased Il
: : assist you in making the above arrange
Il ment, and will be able to explain it to ye,