, 1876-01-22
representing the Interests Of the snchemleh.I


asserted in my lectures, heretofore, that NJ
one can acquire even a pWtiR knowledge o
any natural science, without being morally
benefited by the requirement. There il nj
stronger safeguard tor the young, no shicL
or bucklrr so sure n protection against .ht
vices OF life, than to get them Interested in
some scientific pursuit. Is proof needed
Then lrctcr to that bright galaxy ofimmorta
names from Aristotle to our own time
names that have come down to us through
ages Of superstition un,arnished by even sus.
pic!on of innoraliy. Search all the record,
OF sciencr, and You find u literature 50 pure
it would not stain the spotlcs pages OF the
recording angels book. No one can look
into the ilimitablc regions OF space and see
the handwork Of the Divine Architect with.
out feelings of awe and administration sup.
planting those Of curiosity and wonder.
|
Go at night when all nature ia hushed, to
the modern observatory. Climb to its cir.
cling dome, emblematical Of the heuycnly
arch above. Run out the telescope and fix
il ancard, where Nil human Thoughts should
be lifted, adjust to the eye and look. IN n
moment. the twinkling of an eye, a r inc
revelation, vivid panorama of infinite gror,
gousness, splcndor, migniticence and won
der, gradually untolas itself to view.
At first the effort is hewidcring, you
are Umazed at the vast multitude of moving
worlds, Here is little space only tow
inches in damter, hut in rality covering a
field of millions of miles in the soliiudcs of
endless space, bringing innumerablc worlds
into view. Some OF them, dPpqTaty so
near, we are almost tempted to hail them,
rs the mnrinerh halls IA friendly vessel; some
so far away, dimly twinkinn sparks whose
light has been years in reaching our earth.
And they are all in motion, moving in all
directions, snme sailing proudly along, ma.
jCStic pntcntatcs of heaven with host OF Mt.
tending. satellites in their train, Some rusbr
ing towards iae earth; others sweeping to
the right and left, upward and downward,
hither and yon, dancing, circling, whirling
and cddying to and fro in graceful curves,
crossing and rccros-ing each Others path.
darling out Of view, hiding behind each 9th
cr mcdly of motion, seemingly ordvrlcss,
the very essence of coiusion; u clnos Of dan
cling worldsand whirling spheres, TINT will
produce upon the amateur, in spite of rea.
son and every other sense, q vague leeliug of
fear, like that Of boy, who for the first
time looks from n moving railroad train,
and sees fences, fields, houses, forests and
even the solid earth, rushing and whirng
giddily around him, only possible, more in.
tense. You turn away Tor moment to re-
cover self possession. Your eyes are blinded.
The building seems spinning through the mir,
whiriing round and round. You are giddy-
scOsick-you have forgotten where you are
You shut your eyes to think. The divine |
artist has been at work. The picture has
been photographed upon your brain. IT is
you however that has been moving through |
space, Mt velocity, that almost takes ones
breath away to tliuk of. 1t is the motion
of the earth on its axis, and rolling forward |
inits course around the sun, that gives to
the worlds seen crossing the telescope c'fNld, /
that appearance Of the confused mipgling I
OF every conceivable motion. For the first
time in lite you are made to realize the tire.
velocity that hurlsyou on through
infinite space. And here few figures will
tell US what that speed is We are distant
from the sun, our center, over 30 millions of
miles. For convenience We will call 1t 30.
Twice 90 is 1870, the diameter of the earth's
orbit Three times $50 is $40 millions of
miles, the circumference of the earth's orbit,
the distance we travel every 3G5 days, the
time required for us to complete one revolu
tion around the sun Divide $40 millions
of mics by 365 The number OF days in year,
and we have 1,i10,479 miles, the distance NC
travel every venty four hours. Divide that
luotirnt by - the number OF hours ina day,
md we have OIL ,645 miles, ap hourly r'te Of
speed around the sun: 20 this must he added
10000 miles, the rate ofspGed for one reVo-
luton of the earth on its own exis, and to
that again, the rate Of speed which our solar
system is making, in an orbit that reqnires
over one hundred thousand years to complete,
md Ne have rate OF speed that ia perfectly
appalling. This distance and rate of speed
Is really much greater Round Numbers have
been used and all fractions discarded. What
q rate OF speed s here The eagle dartng
from the air and swooping down upon its
prey, the swftcst fish derting through the
leep, the fastest locomotive that ever turned
. wheel upon an iron track, the shriek'ng
hurled on its deadly mission ot
Is slbw, when compared with
The incredible velocity Of planetary motion.
And it is only by looking through the teles-
cope that these incts come home to you, Ne
come indclIiby dxcd, Beyond doubt or cavil