The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-09

Mr.. q. l.. burnside Constructing Universe
by the A Priori Method.

BY the n frtOrt Nethod.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Str: IL
was not for the purpose OF sensation or amuse-
ment, but from solemn conviction, that wrote
you a short statement, printed In the sunday
Sun Of March 20, OF the revelation made to me
denying the truth Of the reignlng astronomy
and giving an outline OF the true system OF
worlds as understood by those who have freer
locomoton than ourselves.
wish to add few points which were neglect
ed, but first TO notice the system passvely re-
ceived by the people at present, they knowing
nothing to the contrary. II there were no al
ternatve-if we certainly look OF into Infinite
space-it might be the wiscst course to stultify
the Divine Wisdom by accepting system
which, az an adaptation OF means TO ends
would disgrace the smallest inventor Of a new
tangled rat trap. But there is an alternative
we have but to rehabiltate the old and natural
idea OF solid sky entirely surrounding the
earth, and everywhere equally distant from its
surface, and adding the fact OF an ocean OF
smooth water covering IT. inner surface, In
which the lights Of the heavens may be seen re-
hected, We have ground on which all the mo-
tons and periods of those lRhts, sum- m0On,
planets, &c, might take place on the inner
surface OF our school celestial globes, and which
would be true to the facts OF astronomy.
The problem was to construct. arrange, and
furnish with light. heat, air, moisture, and Grin
ground "a series OF worlds as n residence for liv-
ing beings, needing all these things that they
may live; aud not forgetting architectural
beauty. There il no controversy about the
shape OF the worlds they are spherical. They
are admitted to DC various In size. These globes
being supposed, the next thing Is To arrange
them In the most compact aud convenient man
ner, that they may be near enough together To
{, ct and react on each other being In sort OF
celestial brotherhood, IA the work OF the same
Divine VIII. The same wisdom that formed the
bones Of bird hollow for the sake Of lightneas.
and that no material might be wasted, would
make them SO ; and being hollow, may
well put one inside the other. This insures
unity, neighbOfhoOd, common destiny, niutu-
al protection, and the advantage Of being
warmed and lighted witt the greatest economy,
and that they may have beginning, room to
grow, aud an end when the living beings on
them no longer need n solid Platform. All these
conditions are needed, and al are provided Tor
in the actual construction OF the worlds-it
am not mi-tak n. II we are to believe the pre-
yailng astronomy. most Of them are wanting,
except On the earth, and are found there only
by the ndppy accident Of Its position In tue solar
system; an accident which has "a much ante
ccdent probability as that nv gwen man will be
struck by lightning next summer.
have not read IA book on astronomy for over
| thirty years tut learned from Peter Parley's
geography that the sun is a million times larger
than the earth-that Is, the stove million times
| larger than the house For the other planets,
| either not having heat enough or too much 10
make them hhbitahle. might a. well have none.
| but we are set To wondering wOy smaller
answer every purpose. Ii Is AS II he Post Office
In New York should he set on fire to light and
| warm u hut In New jersey. Amazing wisdom
| to create vast burning g.Obe, whose rays illu-
miuste bl nix desert OF incunceivahle space,
ana Idll Only on rev llttle MnlrlluG DuIlS at
| distance Of which the human ima0in ton can
form no conception, and Yet astronomers
| expected to he devout.
| The supposed g,Iation OF the earth around the
sun Is too awful to be ludicrous, and there Is
not one touch OF naturilness or theoretical
| probability IN II. The vast astronomical spaces
are supposed to be proved 10y taking obsefva-
| tons Of the sun from different Loints. This IL
| as valid rs would Oe the finding OF the distance
| of the rainbow IN the same way. Let two phi
| losophers he placed on nof;h and south line,
| mile apart after a storm, and looking c. ST. or
| where the TllubOM nay be, and then with their
| Instruments let them take accurate hearings,
| say TO the centre Of the RAINBOW, and calcuI lte
| the angles, the b sc line being given. rhey
would probably hnd the distance to TIC about
| 100 miles. Inis would tie correct II they both
| saw the me rainbow. So With the sun II that
Is red cited from the watery vault Of the sky, and
| IL n immaterial meteor with only a location
| cuiation Of the kind a. To its distance can be
worth the paper on which 1t Is written.
Ii Is impossible TO conceive that space Ia inn
mite, or that II is not. However this may be,
there - no fact IN astronomy which proves that
Opaque blue vault Every appearance Is to the
| cOnir-ry.
10 recapitulate; The solar system is a series
! OF coucentric spheres, hollow, with atmos-
pheres IN the interior spaces; ha0itable land
aud seas on the outer surface OF each, and an
| ocean without islands on tue inner or concaye
surface. forming hat appears 10 us under tue
name Of sky" and Of which each sphere or
| world mas one above II, and thus has provision
| for stars, sun ana moon OF moons Of its own.
The divine principle pervades all, and the
| primeval light whicn was before the sun aud
| moon Is one OF Its emanaliO This HIGHT Is not
an OBJECT of sense until 1t Is reflected from tue
| skies as suns, &c.
The spheres h.ve their origin In liquid fre at
| the common centre, and TINS Ia the traditional
hell, rs opposite, l. C., the circumference, Is
| heaven. The worlds grow out from the centre
| very slowly like the blowing up Of soap bubble 3.
they move on their axes IN different dlrec ions.
When TIE outer one IL no longer useful II Is dis
| solved. The moon Is the young world at the
| centre, whose image is reflected from our sky
for the crust of the earth offers no obstruction
HuDsos, 4. u, March, 1876.