Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1877-01-04

would continue its journey intact, ex-
cept comparatively small loss by OK
idation. If, again, the composition OF
the meteorite be something like that of
the feet of Nebuchadnezzar's image
which were "pavtly of iron and partly
OF clay the more "earthy" matter
would be broken of, as IN the former
case, leaving the iron to fall as q me-
tallic mass to the earth, or to take an
ether excursion In space, as determined
by the geometrical relations above de-
scribed. This appears to have been
the composition of the meteor of lasr
July. We remark here that the finding
OF an iron meteorite by no means proves
that it was chiefly composed of iron be-
fore collision with the earth. It's larger
portion of less cohesive matter may
have been sloughed of ia its passage
through the air, and reached the sur
face OF the earth as mere atoms Of star
dust. f-r ~. sr ~
We do not propose, in this article, to
enter upon discussion of the chemical
constitution Of meteorites, or to de-
scribe those which have been found in
different parts Of the world. All that
may be found in the textbooks by
those who wish TO read il. But we
ought not to forbear few words as to
the place Of these strpuge bodies in the
economy OF the universe. Till within q
few years past, though the meteorites
were believed TO have come from out
side the earth, yet il was generally
thought that there were very few bodies
of matter In the solar system except the
sun, moon. seven planets, some OF them
having satellites, and few comets.
We are wiser now. The facts of modern
astronomy tend to the conclusion that
the bodies above referred to are in
number comparable with those We can
not see unless when they come near us,
as the birds Of the air are to the notes
which exist all around Ms, but are only
visible when lighted mp By q sunbeam.
Our latest meteorite, q body of proba-
bly, more than twenty yards In diameter,
Is but one Of vast series of individual
masses, ranging all the way up from the |
bulk Of grain of sand to q cloud mass |
30 vast that ray of light would require |
three months to fash from one 0de of |
it to the opposite. Our earth is little
higher mp In the scale than the meteor
tie, as the sparrow is larger than the
ynat, but both are subject 10 the same
aws, own . similar origin, and have .
similar destiny. Both called out of the
original chaos to subserve q certain pur-
pose each destined to destruction when
he work is performed for which il was
,reated. -.r.. ,,s
The meteorite that rushes blazing
through our atmospAere is world on
ire. 1t is not probable that any living
beings are destroyed by the conAagrs-
ion, because that little world had long
'ince chilled down past the point at
which organized forms could exist on lis
'urface. But the earth is passing slowly
oward that point, toes our moon sp-
'ears TO have already passed it-and
vheu she has ceased to be useful, her
urn, too. will come, though many long
'ons of death may precede the grand
ollapse. Analogy warrants the infer
noe that - our meteorite and our
fcater world "must perish in their turn
nd drop to dust" 80 the sun and stars
ave the same future before them, in
Incidence to the creative fat of Him
vho lat
Sees with equal eyes, Lord of al,
A. hsrs s.s.R Rss,sh 9. OF = spsrrov fan fsn;.-.l
And nov bubble burst and then world. |