New-York tribune., 1879-11-11
POETRY OF ASTRONOMY.

| THE BEAUTY AND GLORY or THE HEANENs-OPEN-
| NGIEcrURE BY PROFESSOR RICHARD A. PROCTOR
Professor Richard A. Proctor delivered last
| night. at Cnickcring Hail. the opening lecture Of
course Of four illustrated lectures astronomy HIS
subject was The Poetry OF Astronomy, the Beauty
and Glory of the Heavens" Professor Procior's POM
larily waned in Ncw-York since his former
course was given AT Association Hall three years ago.
Those who had procured tickets in advance Tor last
evening fortunate: for otter o'clock long
line extended the ticker Office. down The steps ana
on the sidewalk. This continued undIm,nished In
length until the time for the beginning OF the lee
ture. when every seat in the large hal occupied
and many persons standing. The audience was
such a collected only unusual occasions there
were il many elderly gentlemen Of sober. scholarly
appearance. and a large proportion Of young men
and women, if-as gentleman remarked
whole schools had attended IN a body Inc
lectr listened TO wuh close attention; and,
though during great part OF the evening The hall was
darkness for the play Of the sereoptcon ilustra-
ions. scarcely whisper hearu TO disturb those
who desired to catch every word that TELL from the
speakers lips
The lecturer gave passing glance the chief discov-
cries ASTRONOMY with special reference TO Their prac
Significance his design being to show that astron-
omy ght be treated by truly poetic mind, aud be
made the theme of the lofticst poetry without in any
degree detracting from its value exact sci
ence He. however, limited himself to statements
Of fact brought to light by recent research leaving
flights OF Imagination TO his hearers; and the steady
progress in knowledge which astronomers are making
was rendered conspicuous by numerous corrections or
emendations to what believed few years 10
be established facts Professor Proctor speaks enrey
without notes. ana without having even outlined his
lecture paper; and the clear platform. without even
rcadnadesk aud the So, akers manner, give him The
appearance Of enuncatius, m the words which occur
readily az the moment facts and arguments which
are TO hm rs familiar rs elementary truths.
The lecturer, in hi. PREDATORY remarks said that
there are TWO objections taken the association OF noe
try with In tue iTst place the school Of scien
us.s apt object 10 poeuca teaching rs opposed
| to the cxtct progress Of scientific research.
| ana To plead that IN such way ought
Il to he inierierod with; tie other hand
| tie poet Is apt To fear that tho exact progress
of scientific arc dealing as he does with all that IS
pleiic n Nature may tear away With It's ruds hand te
mystery that vclls the face o; Nature and even ap
pioach fr progress. the Holy Of Holes There
s said. fear he entertained either
these points Science. aud over again. has owed
her greatest victories the pocuc Imagination of her
voiaues and men more ably ard clearly observe the
truths taught by science, and they touch the feelings
more, there Is sN,n to them deep poetical
sirniacaucc THIS certainly OF ASTRONOMY. all
science, perhaps tho most practical and AT the same
time requiring the greatest scientific proof. The oalcn
aiol the heavenly bodies too hy which the sliior
crosses the traveller the desert has lei
mem minds 10 higher thoughts TO belief IN tie truth
| that Man does live 10y bread alone, hut by every
word that proceeds fror the Father" The purpose OF
the lecture was show how these heavenly bodies how
the exact teachings OF science in regard to them are
wel calculated To impress the mind with tho greatness
| O. the Creator.
The very beginning It has been Tho aneients
observed the elorou. sun the moon walking in brigh
ness the planets III ther Wand'Ilns con- So, now nish
now low, now -tandlng still Even tney seemed 10
| have been impressed With the grandeur Of uese
fhat there WIS wonderful mower residing IN those
bodies. " Thc Heavens" sad the old poet o. Israel,
slcwcth las handlwork" Tnen, as tAer researches
proceeded, they reoosuiLed ihe wonGeru myr-
even thun yns-cs~rs Bui, on sudden, tOneIn!cus
sWept away their whole aneary system nd it, M
frrs Hv : owing inat tie earth dd not .tlud s ana
explaining orbits Of The heavenly bodie TDe stars
that bciOie as nights IN the sky lhey learned 20
remote depths of space, gaining magnitude he f'rtler
they removed Ana tnen tncre was stu grcairr
ny sicry 20 be solved. Under what law. under
the influence Of what force diG the eirth and other
planets travel thu' afonnu thc sun. DItlNap as ti'Ne
passed there came an answer even 10 that question
! Newton aud by nis discovery OF the graVtdtipn
made Il possible Go understand hot Only ~" planetary
| movements of Che solar system. but now one
9a"' "a ove y@,l Was gr'dpaly n.ied
from Nature there was revealed si deeper myser,,
viii reach nor even approach the Holy OF Holes which
the poet Is AFRAID tudt science Will des'crAte
dence be mi,ied ana to tink that be WAS going 10
cXpress 10 them ne poetry OF astronomy lie only u-
noInica truths. lie wished that Iennys9n. Brown-
might take up and pursue this iofiy themo.
| The latter had already done much in expressing
astronomical truths IN poetic There said
the lecturer n Muse of Astronomy II men would only
seek her; but be added, his duty simply 10 explain
facts astronomy ana ray what he could # the
poeuca aspects IN winch Trey had been viewed.
\ lio then explained ths difference between prosaic
statement and poetic description ana SAID oi me natter
that although sometimes II contains te VI he actual
a truer idea of glorious phenomena OF
nature. Take for instance, tie appearance
words he suddenly turned off, snd the mall was
lefi 10 total da,Anesa ehcep TOT an Illuminated picture
The lecturer described tue solar halo the arrora bore
ais and other phenomena OF Northern regions, N al
OF winch he assisted by the views gwen by means
the stcTeOptcOn. In connection with TINS branch 0f
@ s he suseGa samp S and drew attention
inve uiOn hy I'd son, the micotasimeter THIS
that II lndicaes The slignes variations in the atmos,
phere and he argued that If every vess were supplied
with the dangerous proximity OF icebergs might oe
automatically Indicated ana the peril avoided.
Next followed series OF views showing the appear
Of the suns spots Ia regard to which the Lecturer
stated tine latest discoveries OF Professor Lang
| ley and Others. He pointed OUT the great iP neiP
OF Photography and the system Oi spectfum snaBsiis
for ai an idea OF the suns real chancler e
scr'nrd III poetic terms tne sioNl"g co.o,s ~ t1
| 1ecicd by the oxygen aud hydrogen vapors "h,en
proiuences Of the suns disc IN their colors Ike gar
nets round mother iet." end explained that some OF
these fiery promuonces edcd $4,000 miles IN height
The of tho sum- the cOmplexity OF the mou0ns
of the heavenly bodies beauty OF saturEs rings, the
cessiye motions Oi comets were all known and explained
aud the stellar and gaseous neDnlp were unaet under
! appeared the stereOptcon. &" That object. J
observe not neDuia said the Professor. as
the astOnislcd gentleman, whose shadow Lad been
stolen "a moment resumed his seat.
| In concluding, The lecturer again drew attention 70
the poetic fcince of the subject First he pointed
oui the eores OF the dawu aud then the beauties OF
night To The latter, an astronomer, he naturally d.
rccted the greater part OF his remarss IL was ouy
IA darkness OF the said. that
the universe really L. The glory OF the Is splendid,
but II s the glory single But night have
not one sun but thousand spreading before our
raze Tic lecturer closed with long pOetical
| duotation showing the connection between the
poctical conception Of the mysteries of night and