New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-02

MISS PROCTOR DAUGHTER OF THE LAl r.
ASTRONOMER LECTURES At COOPER
I"NInN

The great hall in Cooper Union has been the
scene Of many interesting events political ana IT.
erarv but seldom has been gathered 'here'" "
moro deonlv Interested and quickly responsive au-
dience than last evening. on the occasion OF one oi
the flee lectures embodied in the regular course.
The hal WAS filed to the very doors TO listen 70
Miss Mary Proc,or's lecture on Giant sun ana
ius Family" A may be imagined. the lecture
treated Of the subject OF astronomy from us more
popular side or. rather from It's simpler sue Inc
daughter Of a man eminent in the astrohomc
world Miss Proctor has chosen 20 keep on IN inc
path her scholarly father trod. with the OBJECT liz
ylsw Of giving the mass of humanity an absorbed
knowedge OF the most fascinating or all studies
:, rnuel Phelps Leland said in the course or
a lecture on this subject that no man couId LOT
long study the heavens and remain an lhiue' Ger
talny no thinking individual can travel through
the Universities of space under the guidance OF so
tborouphlv Interesting speaker Is Miss Proctor
without being deeply impressed with the vastness
of the celestial country and the utter smainess OF
his own meagre surroundings on this little sphere
The lecture was enriched with a multiplicity OF
stercopcon views showing the sun. It's planetary
children and those wandering progeny OF the stel-
lar space the comets and meteors. The pictures
were simply object lessons, BY which the lecturer
concentrated the attention OF her hearers upon her
theme and enlarged from them in plain simple
discourse. Anecdote and finely balanced illusira-
,lon emphasized her subject matter stlll more po
tently
Figures are the most sentent factor In moving
the average mind to wonder upon the absolute
eternity OF space In the sky above. For instance.
Sir Isaac Newton has shown that II the waters on
the surface OF the earth which three -fourths
OF the surface were to be exhausted the rate Of
the thickness OF a sheet OF paper every year. in
sixty millions OF year this sphere would become n
dead word The audience fairly gasped tor breath n
parlson and II did not wake up to appreciation OF
tho fact that the present generation ~ in no I'M
mincnt danger Of humiliation until. Miss Proctor
had added that as we WI. not be here TO wines
that dread event we need not be alarmed. Then the
audience heaved sign of relief and laughed USER
back into an easy attention once more.
The speaker dwelt at some length upon the various
stories concerning The panet Mars about wnich
there has been much OF rOnancing and so little
of absolute verify published in recent years. she
gave the arguments that show the supposed c2Nai3
not to be the work OF inhabiting humanity, put tne
result of ting SHOWS which accumulate AT tne
rc,es during the winter months. IL the case
on the earth. and. melting in the spring form enor-
nous streams running toward the equator. CARVING
upon their breasts huge cebergs. which, refectlng
back the suns rays have given rise to the VIDE
spread belief tina. the inhabitants trying TO
paclty TO imagine comet With a tall lDoWoV
miles In length but II Is an observed fact just the
same.
by way OF conclusion Miss Proctor said that as
spoken from the platform where her father had
lectured she had brought with her picture of him.
and In his sha would thank the audience ror
its kindly welcome Thereupon very fine Ike
and Wan greeted with enthusiastic applause. showing
that Cooper Union listeners hold In high and warm
esteem the memory of him who was one or their
best entertainers whi-e re lived.