Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

motions of Saturn are fully accounted for without implying any other than the attractions of known bodies. Secondly, it could not be between Saturn and Uranus; for if so, it must be very near Uranus, otherwise it would at the same time disturb the motions of Saturn. But being very near to Uranus, it must be very small, otherwise it would disturb Uranus more than it does. But a small planet, nearly at the same distance from the sun as Uranus, would be very unequal in its action on the latter planet, its disturbing force being great when in conjunction with it, but very small, or quite insensible when at a great angular distance from it. No such changes in the actual perturbations occasioned by the body occur.* Hence, thirdly, the body must be beyond Uranus. Is its orbit near that of the latter planet, or remote from it? It can not be very near, for then the same inquality of action would be observed, as though it were on the other side of Uranus and near to it, which inequality does not exist. Nor can it be very remote for then it must of course be very large in order to produce the perturbations it does, and being very large, its effects would be visible on Saturn as well as on Uranus, as would be the case were its distance so great that the distance between these two planets is small in the comparison. Thus, were it ten times as far from the sun as Uranus is, then the distance between Saturn and Uranus would bear so small a ratio to the whole distance, that a body powerful enough to affect the latter so sensibly, would exert at least an appreciable attraction on the former. Now the other planets, as we recede from the sun, have their orbits placed at distances continually approximating to the ratio expressed by 2, the distances of each planet in succession growing nearer aad nearer to double that of its predecessor. Thus Saturn is nearly twice as far from the sun as Jupiter, and Uranus more nearly twice as far as Saturn. Hence it was most reasonable to expect, that the orbit of the planet sought, would be situated at twice the distance of Uranus; that is, at about three thousand six hundred millions of miles from the sun. On trial, Le Verrier found that a planet whose orbit was thus situated, would fulfil the conditions rendered necessary by the changes which the perturbations themselves undergo, and that no other distance would do it. Hence it was inferred, that the unknown planet revolves around the sun at double the distance of Uranus. The distance from the sun being determined, and the orbit, like those of the other planets, being supposed nearly circular, its period or time of revolution might be found by Kepler's law,that the squares of the periodic times are proportioned to the cubes of the distances. By this law its period would appear to be aflout 237 years. This was to be regarded as only a first step approximation. We shall find that the actual period is somewhat less than this.

It was easy to show that its orbit must be nearly coincident with the ecliptie, since the perturbations occasioned by it were nearly all in the direction of the ecliptic, and not at right angles to it; that is, they were perturbations of longitude and not of latitude.

To these extraordinary but apparently satisfactory results, the paper of Le Verrier presented to the French Academy at their sitting on the first of June, conducts us. Being now fully convinced himself of the existence of the planet sought, and intent on finding its true place, this able astronomer still continued his laborious researches, until he was able to deduce, mathematically, those conclusions which had before rested chiefly on analogical evidence, or at least upon general inferences derived from the doctrine of universal gravitation. Equations were formed between the irregularities of Uranus to be accounted for, and the elements of the body in question, both known and unknown. These equations involved nine unknown quantities, and their resolutions presented difficulties apparently insurmountable; but by the

*This reasoning does not appear to be entirely conclusive, since if the two bodies in quest on both revolve in its orbits nearly circular, and at nearly equal distances from the sun, they might remain in the immediate vicinity of each other for many years.

Hence, the distance being double that of Uranu the periodic time of the latter being 84 years, we have 13: 23:: 842: 23x842-8x842=square of the periodic time of the body sought. Therefore, the time itsel=/8x84-237·468 years.

most ingenious artifices the several unknown quantities were successively eliminated either directly or by repeated approximations. Moreover, in science as in morals, the pathway of truth is easy and simple, and grows continually plainer and plainer, while that of error is thorny, and, as we advance, becomes at every step more and more complicated. All who have attempted difficult solutions of mathematical or physical problems, must have been aware what unexpected facilities often suddenly appear in the resolution of complex expressions, which contain the hidden truth; they must have been most agreeably surprised, to see involved and apparently unmanageable members of equations cancelling each other, and suddenly vanishing, and difficult expressions falling off at the right and left, and constantly simplifying their work as they approach nearer and nearer to the final expression, which contains the naked truth.

Hence the maxim, that Nature is very kind to those who faithfully study her laws.

Such encouraging facilities seem to have inspired our young astronomer, in his difficult and laborious undertaking, until he arrived at expressions for the elements of the unknown planet, which gave its exact place among the stars, its quantity of matter, the shape of its orbit, its distance from the sun, and the period of its revolution. At the sitting of the Academy on the 31st of August, these latest results were presented :

Longitude of the planet, Jan 1, 1847.
Mass, that of the sun being 1,
Eccentricity,

Time of revolution,
Longitude of the perihelion,

Major axis of the orbit, that of the earth
being 1,

326° 32' 1-9300 0.107

217,387 yrs. 284° 45'

36.154

He was therefore enabled to say. that the planet was then just passing its opposition, and consequently was most favorably situated for observation, and, on account of the slowness of its motions, would remain in a very favorable position for three months afterwards. In order to test the correctness of these elemenis, the effect of a planet, having these conditions, was investigated in relation to the motions of Uranus, in order to see how well the places of that planet, determined by the aid of these corrections for many different periods, would correspond to the places actually observed at those times. We must bear in mind, that the discrepancies between the calculated and observed places, without these corrections, was enormous, sometimes amounting to 125 seconds of

an

arc. The comparison was made in respect to thirty-three sets of observations, of which twenty-six were selected from observations made since 1781, when the planetary character of the body was first made known, and seven from the records of previous observers, who had marked its place supposing it to be a fixed star, from that of Flamsteed in 1690, to that of Lemonier in 1771. The places of Uranus, determined with the new elements, agreed with the places actually observed at these later periods, generally within one or two seconds, and often within the fraction of a second; and with the earlier periods, with one exception, to within about seven seconds. These elements of the unknown body, were varied and the limits ascertained to which such changes could be carried, without involving a greater disagreement between the calculated and observed places, and these limits were found to be included within a very narrow compass. On every side the existence of an unknown planet, having these elements, forced itself on the belief of Le Verrier, and he probably felt as confident of its existence before it was seen in the heavens, as he has done since. Still it became an important inquiry at last, whether there was any hope of ever seeing the interesting stranger, or whether after so much toil, the indefatigable student must rest his belief in its existence, solely upon his faith in the immutable laws of truth, whose leadings he had followed into depths of space so profound, and must take his dubious chance for fame in the weak belief of the few, and the total incredulity of the many. In estimating the probability that the planet would be visible to the telescope, he reasoned thus. Uranus has an apparent diameter of four seconds, and since the mass, or quantity of matter, of this planet is two and a half times less than that of the planet sought,

were the density of the latter known, we could easily find its volume, and then knowing as we do its disance, its apparent diameter would be easily deter mined. Now it is a known fact, that the densities of the planets decrease as we recede from the suu, and therefore the density of the body in question is probably less than that of Uranus,-a circumstance which would contribute to increase the comparative volume, and of course the apparent diameter. But even allowing the density to be as great as that of Uranus, the apparent diameter will be over three seconds, and consequently, the planet ought to be visible in good telescopes, and with a perceptible disk. If among the small stars situated in that part of the heavens where the planet is at present, a faint body be discerned having a perceptible disk, it will at once be recognized as the planet itself; but if no such appearance should distinguish it from the small stars surrounding it, then a map of these must be carefully inspected; and if any one of the luminous points included in the map shifts its place, indicating a movement more rapid than belongs to any of the fixed stars, then that luminous point will be recognized as the body sought. It happened, fortunately, that charts of that region of the heavens were in the course of publication at Berlin, containing a perfect representation of all stars to the tenth magnitude; and the very folio containing the constellation Capricornus, in which the hidden body was supposed to be, was then just issuing from the press. Le Verrier, therefore, wrote to M. Galle of Berlin, communicating his latest results, and requesting him to reconnoitre for the stranger, directing his telescope to a point about five degrees eastward of a well known star called Delta Capricorni.. So precise and complete were these directions, that the Prussian astronomer no sooner pointed his telescope to the region assigned, than he at once recognized the wondrous body. Its place was only 52 minutes of a degree distant from the position marked out for it by Le Verrier, and its apparent diameter was almost the same that he had assigned.

M. Galle's letter to Le Verrier announcing his discovery, reached the latter while an article of his on the latitude of the planet, was in the course of preparation for the sitting of the Academy on the 5th of October. This confirmation of all his hopes, is added to his paper in a modest postscript, in terms less evincive of exultation than might have been anticipated. But the very phraseology of Galle indicates that, previous to the actual discovery, he had himself but feebly embraced the idea of its existence. "The planet (says he) which you have described, really exists!" The congratulatory letters which now flowed in from the most celebrated astronomers of Europe, occupy a conspicuous place in the Comptes Rendus of Oct. 5th, being communicated to the Academy by M. Arago, accompanied by very interesting remarks on the history and importance of the discovery. "Other astronomers (said M. Arago) have sometimes found, accidentally, a movable point, in the field of their telescopes, which proved to be a planet ; but M. Le Verrier descried the new body without having occasion to take a single look towards the heavens-he saw it at the point of his pen. He determined, by the power of the calculus alone, the place and the magnitude of a body situated far beyond the known limits of our planetary system; of a body whose distance from the sun excseds 1200 millions of leagues, and which in our most powerful telescopes offers a disk scarcely perceptible. In fine. the discovery of Le Verrier is one of the most brilliant manifestations of the exactness of modern astronomical systems; and it will encourage the ablest geometers to search, with new ardor, for the eternal truths, which, according to an expression of Pliny, lie hidden in the majesty of theories." M. Arago adds, that he had received from M. Le Verrier a most flattering commission-the right of naming the new planet, and therefore he proposes to call it Le Verrier. When Sir William Herschel first discovered the planet Uranus, he named it after his royal patron, The Georgian; but this being an unpopular appellation in France, La Lande proposed to call it Herschel, and this name has continued in our own country to the present time. But, as the other planets have names derived from the ancient mythology, as Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, it seemed to to the leading astronomers of the day, most accordant with sound analogy and good taste, to give it a cor

responding appellation; and they, therefore, after proposing a number of mythological names, fixed upon that of Uranus, (the most ancient of the gods,) and this name has generally prevailed. But Arago, for the sake of securing the desired honor to Le Verrier, proposes to restore the same to Herschel, and that the planet Pallas also shall be named from its discoverer Olbers. The names Janus, Neptune and Oceanus, have also been proposed by others; and time only can decide which of the names will finally prevail.

For a time the contest for the honor of this achievement, seemed likely to awaken the ancient national rivalries of France and Great Britain. The English astronomers claimed that a young mathematician of Cambridge. Mr. Adams, had, without the least knowledge of what M. Le Verrier was doing, arrived at the same great result. But having failed to publish his paper until the world was made acquainted with the facts through the other medium, he has lost much of the honor which priority of discovery would have gained for him, although great admiration may ever be felt for his genius and capacity. In the history of great discoveries and of great inventions, it is a remarkable fact, that the same idea has frequently occurred to two individuals nearly at the same time. Thus it is still a question, whether Newton or Leibnitz first devised the method of Fluxions; and the greatest single discovery in Chemistry, that of oxygen gas, was made almost simultaneously by Priestly in England, Scheele in Sweden, and Lavoisier in France. The explanation is easy. The secret rests in the Eternal Mind, and is withheld from the view of man, until, in the progress of society, all things are ready; then the curtain is withdrawn, and truth darts her heavenly rays upon the few, who are at the moment gazing towards her with the clearest vision. Would we give the due meed of praise to all who have contributed to bring about this grand triumph of the human mind, our honors must be widely distributed. In the noble array of intellects which would stand before us, Newton, who furnished the mighty key that turns the secret wards of creation, must undoubtedly occupy the highest place. But Kepler; who first traced the existence of laws in the planetary system; Flamsteed, Lemonier and Bradley, who noted the places of the planet Uranus, at different periods, mistaking it for a fixed star; Herschel, who brought it to light and established its planetary character; Leibnitz, La Grange, and La Place, who invented and perfected that wonderful intrument of research into the arcana of nature, the fluxionary calculus these all, and many more, are entitled to share with Le Verrier the glory of this discovery.

It is characteristic of great truths, that have been attained by long and laborious process, to draw after them many other great truths, which they serve to establish. If their discovery has brought into requisition the profoundest principles of science, it follows that those pricniples, leading as they have done to a correct result, a result which nature owns, are themselves true, and receive, in the discovery, a confirmation the more signal as that result is the more hidden from ordinary view. Seldom has this point received so beautiful an illustration as in the discovery of Le Verrier's planet. Let us glance at the several great truths which this discovery confirms and illustrates.

In the first place it affords a triumphant proof of the truth of the laws of universal gravitation. It was t knowledge of this law, which first suggested the existence of such an undiscovered planet, since it was only on the supposition of the universal prevalence of this law, that the unexplained irregularities in the motions of Uranus, were referred to such a hidden body. It was also by the applications of the law of universal gravitation, in its exact expression, namely, that it acts

in proportion to the quantity of matter, and inversely
as the square of the distance, that the invisible cords
which bound the stranger to the planet Uranus were
followed back through the depths of space, until they
revealed in the wide expanse of heaven, the very spot
where it lay concealed. The law of gravitation, there-
fore, answers completely to the test proposed by Lord
Bacon, that before a new discovery can be considered
good, nature should respond to it through all her works.
Non canimus surdis, respondent omnia silva It is
said that Newton, when engaged in his first computa-
tion on the motions of the moon instituted for the
purpose of verifying his theory of gravitation, seeing,
as he approached the end of the solution, that all was
coming out in exact numerical conformity to the doc-
trine, was so overwhelmed with the great consequen-
ces of the discovery, that he grew nervous and was
unable to complete the computation, but was obliged
to hand it over to a friend to finish it. These conse-
quences were, indeed, well fitted to overpower even
the mind of Newton, since the simple truth which was
beginning to shine out with perfect clearness in his
riathematical expressions, unveiled nothing less than
the hidden mechanism of the Universe, and would
give to the astronomer the power, almost divine, of
looking through all time, present, past and future.
But probably, Newton himself did not at once com-
prehend in his mighty grasp all the great consequences
of the truth he was approaching. The astonishing
reach of the principle of universal gravitation can
scarcely now, after the lapse of one hundred and fifty
years, be fully comprehended, since almost daily,
like a sounding line sent out into the depths of crea-
tion, it is disclosing to us new wonders respecting the
worlds hidden in the abyss of space. How vast and
unexpected are the results it has afforded in our knowl-
edge of the grand machinery of nature! It accounts
for all the celestial motions, whether of planes, com-
ets, or stars; it teaches how to weigh the sun and
planets as in a balance; it assigns the exact tigure of
the earth, and of every body in the solar system, in-
dependently of any measurement or observation; it
explains not only the ordinary motions of the heavenly
bodies, but all their irregularities, of which the moon
alone has no less than sixty, and assigns the exact nu-
merical value of each; it accounts for the tides, and,
with the aid of a few observations, computes the height
for every time and place; it teaches how, by means of
the pendulum, to fix an invariable standard of weights
and measures; it suggests new fields to the eye of ob-
servation, directing attention to objects which have elu-
ded the keenest vision, aided by the highest powers of
the telescope, and corrects the last refinements of instru-
mental measurement; it has led to the grand result of
the stability of the Universe, amid all the apparent
causes of disorder and ruin; it follows the comet
through all the planetary realms, almost to the region of
the stars, and brings it back again on the day which itself
appoints for its return; and, finally, it tells us of new
planets still lurking in the solar system, points out
their hiding places, assigns their exact weight and the
period of their revolution, and directs the practical
astronomer precisely where to point his telescope, to
bring them down to earth. If any thing more
could be wanting to establish the truth of the doctrine
of universal gravitation, we surely have it in this last
and most wonderful of all its revelations.

In the second place, the discovery under review
proclaims the unerring certainty of the method of
Fluxions, or the Infinitesimal Calculus. The funda-
mental principles of the Calculus are difficult to be
expressed in an elementary form. So refined and
almost spiritual are some of them, that it is only after
having made some proficiency in the use of this method
that the learner feels fully assured that it rests on a
foundation as immutable as pure geometry itself. But
the discovery before us was obtained by the calculus,
applied in its most refined and subtle forms, to the
law of universal gravitation. The hidden truth was
caught in its magic folds, but was so deeply involved
within them, that to develop and bring it, in its simple
unity, to the light of day, required a labor and a skill
which may well be compared to the task of finding a
grain of gold when hidden among the sands of the
sea shore, and as exceeding all that the ancients con-
ceived of the difficulty of treading one's way through
the mazes of the Cretan labyrinth. Moreover, if we

resolve the Calculus itself into the elementary principles of mathematics which it employs, in one or other of its processes, we shall find that the whole of this science is inwoven in its fabric; and it follows, that a confirmation of the truth of the method of Fluxions, is, at the same time, a confirmation of the exact, eternal truth of the entire science of mathematics.

In the third place, the discovery of Le Verrier's planet, proves that the other planets of our system are correctly weighed. It is only on the supposition that the quantity of matter in Jupiter and Saturn is exactly determined, that it could be inferred that their united actions upon Uranus, to disturb his motions, was insufficient to account for his irregularities; nor, had there been any essential error in the estimates of the masses of those planets, could it have been determined what amount of error remained to be accounted for by the hidden body.

In the fourth place, we derive from this discovery new confidence in the uniformity of the laws of nature.

This doctrine, now so generally taken as an axiom, is by no means self-evident, nor has it always been actually believed. The ancient schools of philosophy taught just the opposite doctrine, averring that we could never know from what takes place in our world, what laws prevail in distant worlds; that motion itself was one thing on earth, and perhaps quite another thing in the skies. Such a belief was the natural fruit of their mythology-a religion which distributed the several parts of the natural world to different divinities, Jupiter being lord of the air, Neptune of the sea, and Pluto of the realms below; while various subordinate deities controlled particular kingdoms in the great empire of nature, Eolus presiding over the winds, and Urania over the starry sphere. In these distant and independent realms, therefore, it was natural to believe that different laws prevail as different monarchs rule; but the religion of the Bible, teaching as it does the doctrine of one God, leads us to anticipate the grand result, proclaimed by all the discoveries of astronomy, of a perfect uniformity in the laws of nature, throughout her boundless realins, in earth, in air, in ocean, and in tho remotest planets and stars.

Finally, the harmonies of truth, and the attribute by which she remains forever one and indivisible, are strikingly illustrated in the example before us. The astronomer in his closet constructs a series of mathematical formula, complicated perhaps, but all arising upon the immutable basis of mathematical demonstration. These he transforms, in a thousand ways, spreading them over reams of paper. All the while the truth, for which he is seeking, lies concealed deeply hidden beneath massive piles, with which it is encumbered. These one by one, often to the surprise of the operator himself, melt away, until at length, the truth so long and so laboriously sought, divested of every disguise and incumbrance, shines out in its own native simplicity and beauty. But if it is true in theory, it is true also in fact; and the astronomer now sallies forth from his closet, and looks upward with his telescope, and there sees the confirmation of all his labors written on the skies. Not only do we find here new cause to admire the harmonies of truth, but its fertility, or the power of truth to beget truth, urges itself upon our consideration with new force, when we think how the discovery of the planet Uranus has furnished the key to the discovery of another planet nearly twice as far removed into the depths of space, which, again, in its turn, has perhaps an equal chance of guiding us on the way to still more distant worlds.

REMARKS.

We have leaded some of the above paragraphs. These paragraphs contain statements of mighty moment-statements that are worthy of the source from whence they emanate; we are glad of the opportunity of presenting them to our readersglad to place them on record-to treasure them up, for all future time.

The learned Professor has rendered to the world a good service in boldly declaring the convictions of his own mind. It is ofttimes men of great minds feel satisfied of the existence of great principles which are enshrouded in mysteries and fear to declare them lest they may not be well received. It is not so with Professor Olmsted.

MEMENTO.

Departed this mortal life at Brooklyn, Friday, January, 15, 1847, at 25 miuutes past 11 A. M., MARY S. M. SEAMAN, wife of David K. Seaman, and eldest daughter of Eben and Mary Strong Meriam, aged 25 years, 7 months, and 24 days. For upwards of three months she had been confined to a bed of sickness and oft during that time her friends fondly anticipated her recovery, but alas-the result was ordered otherwise. On the 29th of June, 1846, only four days more than 28 weeks before her decease she entered the bonds of wedlock, and on the second, Sabbath of the January following, her funeral services were performed in the same house of prayer in which her wedding had been celebrated, and very many of her young friends and others, were present on both occasions-thus made solemn witnesses of the brevity of earthly enjoyments.

It is a rich consolation to her surviving friends that they were able to watch around her sick bed during her illness to attend her in the last moments of mortal life and when the hour drew nigh in which her angel spirit took its flight-to behold a dearly beloved schoolmate, an affectionate and loving companion from childhood breathe, at her bed side in prayer to the God of Mercy thus offering up the sweet incense of humble and fervent aspirations in the hour of trial and of suffering. It was consoling to witness its sweet influences and to behold a smile on the pale cheek and to receive a parting kiss from the fading lips of the angel child:-Next came the Minister of Christ-him who had been a witness to the record of her marriage vows at the Bridal Altar-to be with her in prayer near the finishing scene of her mortal life.

On the pillow of her sick bed lay an ancient copy of the Holy Scriptures imprinted near a quarter of a thousand years ago which was her companion in a thrilling voyage across Niagara's broken waters—a fit companion in this last scene, shedding a bright light on the new and living way which leads to the celestial courts of the Paradise of God.

Before the remains of this Dear Daughter were removed from her Parents dwelling that loving and affectionate schoolmate who had prayed at her bed side knelt down in humble prayer and poured out her soul in fervent supplication unto God.

That same dear young friend many years ere this mournful scene wrote in our dear daughters Album under the figure of a Blooming Rose, some sweet poetic lines, in the following words :—

"The flower in all its sweetness,

Must wither and decay,

And soon, my friend, times fleetness
Will bear thy frame away."

DEAR MARY in 1838, wrote in her Sisters Album,

the following:

[blocks in formation]

TO ELIZA.

"Take then dear girl, this wish sincere,
Which in a sisters heart doth glow-
A heart which will thy worth revere
Till life's rich streams shall cease to flow;
On the fair morning of thy life
May love bear forth its brightest ray,—
May friendship's joys, unvexed by strife,
Glad the meridian of thy day;

And when lifes solemn eve shall come,
And time to you shall ever cease,
May then religion cheer the gloom
And light thy path to endless peace.-Selected.
"MARY."

The pieces below were copied by Dear Mary from the "Token" of 1837, and placed underneath the figure of a weeping willow, which she worked with silk over a memento of the death of an infant brother. "DEATH OF AN INFANT IN ITS MOTHER'S ARMS.

BY MRS. SIGOURNEY.

He slumbers long sweet mother,
Upon thy gentle breast,
Thou'rt wearied now with watching,
Sweet mother, go to rest;

There seems no pain to stir him,
The peril sure is past,

For see-his soft hand clasped in thine,
He heeds nor storm nor blast.

Why dost thou gaze so wildly?
Why strain thy strong embrace?
Unlock thy fearful clasping,
And let me see his face.

So down that mother laid him
In her agony of care,

And kissed that cold and marble brow
With calm and fixed despair.

Oh weep!-there's holy healing
In every gushing tear,

Nor question thus that beauteous clay,
The angel is not here,-
No shut of rose at even-tide
Was with a peace so deep,
As thus, thy youngest, fairest one
Bunk down in dove-like sleep.

Where best he loved to hide him,
In that dear, sheltering spot,
Just there his tender spirit passed-
Pass'd and she knew it not.
His fond lip never trembled,
Nor sigh'd the parting breath,
When strangely for his nectar'd draught
He drank the cup of death.

Full was thy lot of blessing
To charm his cradle hours,

To touch his sparkling fount of thought,
And breathe his breath of flowers,-
And take the daily lesson

From the smile that breathed so free.
Of what in holier, brighter realms,
The pure in heart must be.

No more thy twilight musing
May with his image shine,
When in that lonely hour of love,
He laid his cheek to thine.
So still and so confiding,
That cherished babe would be,
So like a sinless guest from heaven,
And yet a part of thee.

But now his blessed portion
Is o'er the cloud to soar,
And spread a never wearied wing
Where sorrows are no more.
With cherubim and seraphim
To tread the ethereal plain-
High honor hath it been to thee
To swell that glorione hain.

MEMENTO.

JONATHAN THOMPSON.

On the morning of Wednesday the 30th day of Dec., 1846, at a few minutes past one o'lock, he whose name heads this obituary notice departed this mortal life at the good old age of 74 years. At the age of 72 Mr. Thompson united with the Rev. Dr. Springs Church. We have seen much of Mr. Thompson for a few years past-he was thoughtful and seemed to possess an uncommon calmness of mind. He has, during a long period held several highly important public offices, the duties of all of which he discharged with fidelity and with an exactitude which done honor to human nature. Mr. Thompson was constant in friendship, wise and prudent in counsel, exemplary through life and peaceful at its close. He was a descendant of the Rev. W. Tomson, the first settled minister of Mount Wallaston, near Quincy, Massachusetts, who was ordained as the Minister of that town upwards of 200 years ago. Mr. Thompson, as we think, from tracing the history of the family, was a descendant of L. Tomson, who Englished the Edition of the Holy Bible, printed at London 1599.

Mr.

Mr. Thompson has left an aged widow who had been the companion of his life for a long series of years, and also a family of worthy children who have been greatly blessed by the examples and counsels of a most excellent and kind Parent. Thompson's family have been blessed and it is said that all of those who have gone before him for several generations were pious and exemplary, and if, as we think it is, that he descended from that individual who Englished the Holy Bible the blessing flowing from that labor of love has poured down through numerous generations and may it continue to flow until the last which bears his name shall be at rest with God in the Realms of Glory.

The following lines were written by JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, Ex-President of the United States, and sung by the Choir of the First Congregational Church in Quincy, Mass., on the occasion of the celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the settlement of the First Congregational Minister in that town, the REV WILLIAM TOMSON, great ancester of Jonathan Thompson, of New-York.

"Alas! how swift the moments fly!
How flash the years along!

Scarce here, yet gone already by!

The burden of a song.

See, childhood, youth and manhood pass;

And age with furrowed brow

Time was-time shall be-drain the glass

But where in time is now?

Time is the measure but of change!

No present hour is found,

The past, the future, fill the range

Of Time's unceasing round.

Where then is now? In realms above,
With God's atoning LAMB,

In regions of eternal love,
Where sits enthroned I AM.

Then, Pilgrims, let thy joys and tears
On Time no longer lean;

But henceforth all thy hopes and fears
From Earth's affections wean.

To GOD! let votive accents rise;
With truth--with virtue live;

So all the bliss which Time denies,
Eternity shall give.

The following is the copy of the title page of the New Testament portion of the Bible printed in 1599.

"THE NEW TESTAMENT of our Lord IESVS CHRIST. Translated out of the Greeke by Theod. Beza: with brief Summarie and expositions vpon the hard places by the said authour. Isaac Camer I. Loseler Villorius. Englished by L. TOMSON. Together with the Annotations of Fr. Iunius vpon the Revelation of S. IOHN.

IMPRINTED AT LONDON by the Deputies of Christo1pher Barker. Printer to the Queene's most Gracious Majestie. 1599.

[graphic]

The following Lines were written by a " dearly beloved schoolmate, an affectionate and loving companion from childhood" of dear MARY, who attended at her bed side in the last hour of suffering and offered up to the GoD of MERCY a fervent prayer for her sick and dying friend.

[ocr errors]

Creative Power, how vast and inexhaustible are earths hidden mysteries! Happy are they who can understand those deep and sublime truths which the hand of infinite wisdom has written upon all his works the seen and unseen-both glorious and beautiful, and equally indicative of the presence of HIM, at whose command darkness was turned to light, and earth stood forth from chaos."

THE STEAMER ATLANTIC.

This costly steamer which was, by her owners, considered proof against the storm, on the 25th and 26th of November 1846, made awful shipwreck on Long Island Sound, and several persons on board of her perished. A part of the boat which supported the bell parted from the rest of the wreck and grounded in shallow water, was kept in motion by the waves of the sea which toll'd the bell incessantly, adding solemnity to the very atmosphere which rested upon the dismal shore.

This storm was the offspring of an earthquake which was felt throughout Scotland on the morning of the 25th of November last.

From the Journal of Commerce of Dec. 16, 1846.
STATEN ISLAND, Dec. 11, 1846.

A remarkable and pathetic fact has been published, that the Bell on the wreck of the Steamer Atlantic tolls unceasingly.

Hark! hark! that Funeral Bell;

What a mournful tale does its tolling tell,
Of the dead, who have met a watery grave,
Of the living, whom God in his providence saved.
By night and by day the requiem's rung,-
With each rolling wave the bell tolls on,
And in solemn tune two notes are given,
One for the dead, and one for the living.
Waves of the sea! winds of the earth!
Needful the knell to which ye gave birth,
When ye hurried the loving, the cherished, and brave,
To slumber alike in a billowy grave.

Tho' each trace of thy havoc be swept from the shore,
And that funeral bell is heard no more,
For the hearts of the mourners 't will still toll on,
And a tear be shed for the spirits gone.

Tribute to Nature! sacred thy gloom!
Since Jesus our Savior has wept at the tomb,
And oh! may the promise then graciously given,
Console the bereaved ones, and lead them to Heaven.
L. M.

DARWIN'S OBSERVATIONS.

A friend has sent us two volumes entitled "DARWIN'S VOYAGES OF A NATURALIST," published in 1846, by Messrs HARPER & BROTHERS. The title page, "Journal of Researches into the Natural History and Knowledge of the Countries, visited during the voyage of Her Majestys Ship, Beagle, round the world, under the command of Captain Fitzroy, R. N. By CHARLES DARWIN, M. A., F. R. S."

We find that Mr. Darwin's observations, many of them, accord with our own; we give the following extracts;

SILICIOUS LIGHTNING TUBES.

In a broad band of sand hillocks which separates the laguna del Potrera from the shores of the Plata, at the distance of a few miles from Maldonada, I found a group of those vitrified silicious tubes, which are formed by the lightning entering loose sand. These tubes resemble in every particular those from Drigg in Cumberland. described in the Geological Transactions. The sand hillocks of Maldonada, not being protected by vegetation, are constantly changing their position. From this cause the tubes projected above the surface; and numerous fragments lying near, showed that they had formerly been buried to a greater depth. Four sets entered the sand perpendicularly: by working with my hands I traced one of them two feet deep; and some fragments which evidently had belonged to the same tube, when added to the other part, measured five feet three inches. The diameter of the whole tube was nearly equal, and therefore we must suppose that originally it extended to a much greater depth. These dimensions are however, small, compared to those of the tubes from Drigg, one of which was traced to a depth of not less than thirty feet.

The internal surface is completely vitrified, glossy, and smooth. A small fragment examined under the microscope, appeared, from the number of minute entangled air or perhaps steam bubbles, like an assay fused before the blowpipe. The sand is entirely, or in greater part, siliceous; but some points are of a black color, and from their glossy surface possess a metallic lustre. The thickness of the wall of the tube varies from a thirtieth to a twentieth of an inch, and occasionally even equals a tenth. On the the outside, of the grains of sand are rounded, and have a slightly glazed appearance: I could not distinguish any signs of crystalization. In similar manner to that described in the Geological Transactions, the tubes are generally compressed, and have deep longitudinal furrows, so as closely to resemble a shrivelled vegetable stalk, or the bark of the elm or cork tree. Their circuinference is abont two inches, but in some fragments, which are cylindrical and without any furrows, it must be as much as four inches. The compression from the surrounding loose sand, acting while the tube was still softened from the effects of the intense heat, has evidently caused the creases or furrows. Judging from the uncompressed fragments, the measure or bore of the lightning, if such a term may be used, must have been about one inch and a quarter At Paris, M. Hachette and M. Beudant succeeded in making tubes, in most respects similar to these fulgurites, by passing very strong shocks of galvanism through finely powdered glass: when salt was added, so as to increase its fusibility, the tubes were larger in every dimension. They failed both with powdered felspar and quartz. One tube, formed with pounded glass, was very nearly an inch long, namely, 982, and had an internal diameter of 019 of an inch, when we hear that the strongest battery in Paris was used, and that its power on a subtance of such easy fusibility as glass was to form tubes so diminutive we must feel greatly astonished at the force of a shock of lightning, which, striking the sand in several places, has formed cylinders, in one instance of at least thirty feet long, and having an internal bore, where not compressed, of full an inch and a balf; and this in a material so extraordinarily refractory as quartz!

The tubes, as I have already remarked, enter the sand nearly in a vertical direction. One however, which was less regular than the others, deviated from a right line, at the most considerable bend, to the amount of thirty-three degrees, from this same tube,

two small branches, about a foot apart, were sent off; one pointed downwards, and the other upwards. This latter case is remarkable, as the electric fluid must have turned back at the acute angle of 26°, to the line of its main course. Besides the four tubes which I found vertical, and traced beneath the surface, there were several other groups of fragments, the original sites of which without doubt were near. All occurred in a level area of shifting sand, sixty yards by twenty, situated among some high sand-hillocks, and at the distance of about half a mile from a chain of hills four or five hundred feet in height. The most remarkable circumstance, as it appears to me, in this case as well as in that of Drigg, and in one described by M. Ribbentrop in Germany, is the number of tubes found within such limited spaces. At Drigg, within an area of fifteen yards, three were observed, and the same number occurred in Germany. In the case which I have described, certainly more than four existed within the space of the sixty by twenty yards. As it does not appear probable that the tubes are produced by successive distinct shocks, we must believe that the lightning, shortly before entering the ground, divides itself into separate branches.

LIGHTNING.

The neighborhood of the Rio Plata seems peculiarly subject to the electric phenomena. In the year 1793, one of the most destructive thunder storms perhaps on record happened at Buenos Ayres: thirty seven places within the city were struck by lightning, and nineteen people killed. From facts stated in several books of travels, I am inclined to suspect that thunder storms are very common near the mouths of great rivers. Is it not possible that the mixture of large bodies of fresh and salt water may disturb the electrical equilibrium? Even during our occasional visits to this part of South America, we heard of a ship, two churches and a house being struck. Both the church and the house I saw shortly afterwards : the house belonged to Mr. Hood, the consul-general at Montevideo. Some of the effects were curious: the paper, for nearly a foot on each side of the line where the bell wires had run, was blackened. The metal had been fused, and although the room was fif teen feet high, the globules dropping on the chairs and furniture, had drilled in them a chain of minute holes. A part of the wall was shattered as if by gunpowder, and the fragments had been blown off with force sufficient to dent the wall and the opposite side of the room. The frame of a looking glass was blackened, and the gilding must have been volatileized for a small smelling bottle, which stood on the chimney-piece was coated with bright metallic particles, which adhered as firmly as if they had been enamelled.

GREAT DROUGHT.

While travelling through the country, I received several vivid descriptions of the effects of a late great drought, and the account of this may throw some light on the cases where vast numbers of animals of all kinds have been embedded together. The period included between the years 1827, and 1830, is called "the grand sico," or the great drought. During this time so little rain fell, that the vegetation, even to the thistles, failed; the brooks were dried up, and the whole country assumed the appearance of a dusty high road. This was especially the case in the northern part of the province of Buenos Ayres, and the southern part of St. Fe, very great numbers of birds, wild animals, cattle, and horses, perished from the want of food and water. A man told me that the deer used to come into his court yard to the well, which he had been obliged to dig to supply his own family with water, and that partridges had hardly strength to fly away when pursued. The lowest estimation of the loss of cattle in the province of Buenos Ayres alone, was taken at one million head. A proprietor at San Pedro had previously to these years 20,000 cattle, at the end not one remained. San Pedro, is situated in the middle of the finest country, and even now abounds again with animals. Yet, during the latter part of the "gran sico," live cattle were brought in vessels for the consumption of the inhabitants. The animals roamed from their estancias, and, wandering far southward, were mingled together in such multitudes that a government commission was sent from Buenos Ayres, to settle the disputes of the owners. Sir Woodbine Parish in-` formed me of another and very curions source of

dispute. The ground being so long dry such quantities of dust were blown about that in this open country the landmarks became obliterated, and people could not tell the limits of their estates.

I was informed by an eye witness, that the cattle in herds of thousands rushed into the Parana, and, being exhausted by hunger, they were unable to crawl up the muddy banks, and thus were drowned. The arm of the river which runs by San Pedro was so full of putrid carcasses, that the master of a vessel told me that the smell rendered it quite impassable. Without doubt, several hundred thousand animals thus perished in the river. Their bodies when putrid were seen floating down the stream; and many, in all probability, were deposited in the estuary of the Plata. All the small rivers became highly saline, and this caused the death of vast numbers in particular spots; for when an animal drinks of such water it does not recover. Azara, describes the fury of the

wild horses on a similar occasion, rushing into the marshes, those which arrived first being overwhelmed and crushed by those which followed. He adds, that more than once he has seen the carcasses of upwards of a thousand wild horses thus destroyed, I noticed that the smaller streams in the Pampas were paved with a brecia of bones, but this probably is the effect of a gradual increase rather than one of the destructions at any one period. Subsequently, to the drought of 1827 to '32, a very rainy season followed, which caused great floods. Hence it is almost certain that some thousands ot the skeletons were buried by the deposits of the very next year. What would be the opinion of a Geologist viewing such an enormous collection of bones of all kinds of animals, and of all ages, thus embedded in one thick earthy mass, would he not attribute it to a flood having swept over the surface of the land, rather than to the common order of things.

CONNECTION OF EARTHQUAKES AND

STORMS.

On the second night the weather seemed to foretel a storm of snow or rain, and whilst lying in our beds we felt a trifling shock of an earthquake.

The connection between earthquakes and the weather has been often disputed it appears to me to be a point of great interest, which is little understood. Humboldt has remarked, in one part of the Personal, Narrative, that it would be difficult for any person who had long resided in New Andalusia, or in Lower Peru, to deny that there exists some connection between these phenomena: in another part, however, he seems to think the connection fanciful. At Guayaquil, it is said that a heavy shower in the dry season is invariably followed by an earthqeake. In northern Chile. from the extreme infrequency of rain, or even of weather foreboding rain, the probability of accidental coincidences becomes very small, yet the inhabi tants are here most firmly convinced of some con nection between the state of the atmosphere and of the trembling of the ground. I was much struck by this when mentioning to some people at Copiapo, that there had been a sharper shock at Coquinlo; they immediately cried out, "How fortunate, there will be plenty of pasture there this year." To their minds an earthquake, foretold rain as surely as rain foretold abundant pasture. Certainly it did so happen that on the very day of the earthquake, that showers of rain fell which I have described as in ten days time producing a thin sprinkling of grass. At other times rain has followed earthquakes at a period of the year when it is a far greater prodigy than the earthquake itself. This happened after the shock of November, 1822, and again in 1829, at Valparaiso ; also after that of September 1833 at Taena. A person must be somewhat habituated to the climate of these countries to perceive the extreme improbability of rain falling at such season, except as a consequence of some law quite unconnected with the ordinary cause of the weather. In the cases of great volcanic eruptions, as that of Coseguina, where torrents of rain fell at a time of the year most unusual for it, and almost unprecedented in "Central America," it is not difficult to understand that the volumes of vapour and clouds of ashes might have disturbed the atmospheric equilibrium. Humboldt extends this view to the case of earthquakes unaccompanied by eruptions; but I can hardly conceive it possible that the small quantityof aeriform fluids which then escape from the fissured ground, can produce such remark

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »