Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-11-17
The Sun and Stars.

The various phenomena of sunrise have
attracted the attention of all nations of the
world, and the study Of astronomy must have
been coeval with the existence Of man. As
the god of day wheels above the eastern
hills, or the broad ocean, waking TO life and
activity slumbering world, is it any won
der that there are those who regard it as an
object Of worship, or that the sun is so often
used as symbol of the power and majesty
of deity2 Farmers and country people are
supposed to be familiar with SUNRISE and
novels and poems abound in their illusions
to the country maidens who brush the early
dew from the grass long before the day god
has arisen. We venture to say not many
maidens are as familiar with early morn in
reality as one might suppose. To me 1t is
something grand beyond comparison at this
season of the year, when frosts have cleared
the air Of mists and deepened the colors of
rock and mountain. To the northeast of
my home is grand old mountain, in New
Hampshire, which is the object to which my
eyes turn in early morn. The Connecticut
river flows at its base, and rolls up a cloud
of vapor, sometimes to rest lightly on its
summit, and at other times it rests midway,
like the bands of Jupiter. As the sun ap.
proaches the horizon the mountain wears an
intense violet hue, changing rapidly 10 anne
thystine purple, deep and rich, which grows
lighter and warmer in tone, till, at the su-
preme moment of sunrise, the whole noun
tain and valleys, and sky above them are of
vivid flame color. The vapor wreath,
when present, CLOVIS with subdued radi-
ance, and we instinctively give utterance to
some of the sublime words of the prophets
Eastern nations were the founders of astron.
omy. The limpid atmosphere, and the
custom of sleeping upon the house-tops
which prevailed there, must of necessity
reveal to them the glory and brightness
OF the heavens, as we have never seen it.
The Interchangeable nature of the heavenly
bodies impresses us with our own frailty.
The shepherds who watched their hocks by
night, the wild Arab upon the desert sands,
and the children of Israel in their wander
ings, have all watched the same constella-
tions wheel their course that we see tonight.
Orion with his bands aud Arcturus leader
of the hosts, were to their eyes the same gilt
tering wonder as to ours. Sirius, the dog
star, one of the brightest of our latitude,
rises soon after dark now, but will come to
the meridian, or directly overhead, at nine
O'Clock on the eleventh Of February. When
it rose with the sun, the so-caled dog-days
commenced in the ancient days, but modern
ages have no reference to stars in their dog
days, but to the summer solstice. To the
ancient Egyptians, Sirius was an object of
great interest, as its rising foretold prosper
ity or famine; also it foretold the rising of
the Nile. The Romans had custom Of
yearly sacrificing dog to Sirius, to render
him propitious to their focks and herds
Orion is the constellation most frequently
mentioned in the Scriptures, as well as by
heather writers. 1t is mentioned in the
books of Job and Amos. The inspired
writer commands, "Seek him that maketh
the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the
shadows of death into morning" Among
these stars is a nebulous opening, through
which, as through a window, we seem to
catch glimpse of other heavens and
brighter regions beyond. Orion was terror
to mariners, as his rising was supposed to
be time of great rains and storms and ex-
IRENE peril to those at sea. The stars teach
lessons Of the vastness and power of ON
Impotence which are overwhelming. The
same power which, since the morning stars
sang together, has kept each shining orb in
its appointed course also holds us in his
hand. We may wander far and wide, or we
may die, but we can never drop out of his
sight or his tender care