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About Oregon spectator. (Oregon City, O.T. [i.e. Or.]) 1846-1855 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 1848)
V. 5T MaaV T .(a--" , Hue-, VHJU BO aa-hA-b M illllll, 'LXHX&o m$ m gees, aiiw. MM bUNl, fesa MM, mi assjasbsas sassse.' tmStUkfi l fear, ri !' aaaataaa. tJaSa. mrrinr VlaaMvi ilMWHHilwWt K m, a'atataaja ffM '. !$& W& m rv&& v. ii-t , A ET'EEfay tTafsMflaaaOF sbtesU! , 7isju Stat esss eV, wRm RNy P-aWTl I a aLaBBBaa. aaaaaaas. MhataLaaa? FmOTV sninwi aaMV SHi PiWmm S BWM j VHV SBwg M (MNMIlMli TUCAUUU. taiinlM.) Ikm btKbr lb modern lk mm likely to I'lm taiMtbcsMtiin f miHIn thee iMMTWlMMfitfa tblMOUofe. Miami u wblafc the ' AbbI a.'atw aatla. iaftb Mmltr brMWMtvww. IfBesjvatd M,'Am lb wiwim of W IMP, VMM MOW wiUiMorMtcMootd MMM 1781 Jki jfn mmmiy,Hplm hat MJpMVMVOrM, M M MJNMC fa.' rsexeaary, IMS, IH M MOMHTMitM Mtkoriqr of Boa. Ml UwMtin. MMtaNfMriaT MUMetklty Mt thadow M iMsMUtsJ, bd al0 to IMM uMo. At with to kM MfMkof tho truo orbit of mm vmuo planet, in om Him. bnoat udtr control MMUBOd. tbma lo! at aoo. M M MMt from all boodag, aod Mr m wowa i no marrci, Ummm bad eoow to be ao- mmmi of oar tdonce no Mat ao Muqr Miad' war turned or waeomtw meobaniim, inatitioa that tbe anamoljM IbIMM ao reeoJred, by the ocoor. Mahal dlMoreiy. It tt U to fellow, in our in- oatr rwea laid down by tbe Varwamt Efeh wbm tbe m go aaida are aligbt, men line tbaaMelrM to the oolr m lead lo a nictation of the Wi MMM) : on tbe occur tt Mjgr MMMkyTbey eet a.Ruew ; mi ana mat oaiy legiumaio way m waicn gtoiui apprr- Me, ana kuowi toe appilc. tbat V around it but liter. IVtMWl i.9oi !"v IMlJifa4ta.eatvJaailrfasss ;VMMtMtM mmmm n tax. a. . JHMflv wtf fflHMMMM .fiVBMlMktfMMMMMMMTMM l 'Jt)toMa,lMa.iiii8igiii. . jwssfpiHii: W-'J'.-'- MMhM MMML -'MTIBflMHMk HMM Jijiiii.i , t;VJptjr MJMMMM anHJitVN MBHB tjf, IN NmMMM MlkMlii-MMMti.1 i WMMI-Hrh,iMM 'BCT B MNMMM EV wSBS p-wiSsrs M :lr.Mi IiAHw ' -.MM ;- ! mm erf j .IW tajaaaaasy fit. MM NWMHM Ms HB mU am I - HTMN r, 'aaMML i br;' ; Mt m tn "Mai steal Vj1 esaaejBBBBj bbbt.; .MM MWMM n BiMn, MMM J; aJtyalMMiat raadoeB,aiid withoo appa. MM aiM va tbe detire to avoid confeu. lag that there ealeu aomeuilnf, of which, la Me mumImi, tbey know neither the ar lb oauae. It were poaitively I to aaumerato the varied brought forward, not without Mttjajif osrnaity, aa Msy, rgrdlag theaan mjbmm. Mar ahall I rel a probably taturac rcmarkable discre- refer, and that vary lo two. In lb first place, iIm were tuppoted to result to belona- to Ihe order MlassT, Mtttl teaWSMM .- ftaa aymw, but toorigiutte In causes of, IK iMwisiirt 'and, according to established! jmjmm. ao ta attronoror and aeolatrv, lb Mimt4 aomet wat invoked at the taatfMM fdM On of thtse wandering batl, it waa aald, bad, in the course of MsWelBtsjMa through our system, come tm anHitt kb Uranus etruck it. in jb.Md, by Introducing a new cause of M piwtta in diacrepanoy we dis Istwm lb course or the planet at I of tbM old! observi.lons, and aueat Movamenu. It It perfectly .tbat auoh a disturbance ava mmwmsJ a mat deviation, or I WMI araMtUaislty. Th plan- ' pimii, m mbi odm, nave oon. rMM two di rent omit, joined afttaiiuttlon; buttveoiflu VltMd altar 1781 bad been IsssiMMtletiterbitt, laUrnally 1 MvMia. witn jusowa taw ik aotolear tbat aBdiiwher ihocV were re. abMa after 1890. to account lor the coad Weeck of continuity thai eccond de&anwa of the planet from tin- coro bud doww by Bouvanl f If one accident mifht, without the eupport ol obwrvtlloii of tbe fcet, have been rrceivtd at pooelhlc, tbeoceurrenoe of two euch it oppoard by all tbe lawa or probability $ and the hypo theeia might, accordingly, hive xtn re. jec:ed, even without the elaborate demon trathm f ita Inapplicability to th Mil of either caw. Nay, thla cooaiilrralion goea farther, it Ibrbida our referring unteee dietlnctly upheld by obaervallon the anomaly to any accident whatever ; for It la quite inadmbaable lo auppoae the recurrence, in clrcumatanrra to nlmilar, of what in ita very essence is capricious an eaceptlon, by hypothesis, to all known law or order. We must dismiss, there fore, tbe hope of receiving a solution from accident. Another assumption which re ceived high favor, mutt, alo, be mrntiont-d bare, aa of the kind I term preliminary. Tbe calculation of llouvard, it will lie no Med, rest wholly on the supntnitlor of the MMgrity of the law of grat nation ; now. ot tneee resulting inconsistencies root la l emnMsnrii or tn i mttumotiont The law of Miry extends aa far as Sal urn: hut may I'M! have undergone modification, in l pronundcr remotenesses from the through which I'raiiu revolves in its iremll f This view seemed at one time a favorite with tho illustrious Itessel : nor H. on tbe occurreuce of other ililticul. tlee, been deemed illcpilimate to consider k Boeaibte that cra Station may alter. In troth, we have no reason to suppose this great law, as now revealed, to he the nl. timateor simplest, and therefore the uni versal and all-comprch'nilve form of great ordinance, the mk1i- In inch intensity dimiiiitlie with thr elrnunt distance, ha pot tin- nsiwct 'fin uttimati principle, whkii alu. a- 'lie i'n pliclty and aelf.evlJenc f n nxioui. that constitute the basis ofuconietrv ; but there is a rule in philosophy, applicable lo init mailer, mat sanni 01 no uwpu;r. Allowlns fullv that very few laws, as di- carried br man, can be deemed essentially universal none, il may be, except tbo-e nrw principles 01 1 no science oi lorm, oy which to many of the rclatiouo of different Pita ol ihe universe are determined ; it a - .,.. it.l.J .. is yes clear insi wvarc are never entitled to, challenge the universality of laws that, it bin our experience, have nowhere fail ed tnifif every other mode of ortrcominf At JifUultf kat prcced of no avail. If ihe law of Brevity must be challenged, then, the time for thai la not at tbe beginning of oar conetderation oi ima auncuity, uui after we nave tried every circumstance which Ihe law remaining entire migtit eject the manner of Its working, and ao have demonstrated tbat what is now an apparent contradiction, may not be only one of to more recondite and least obvious results. We must postpone, therefore, tbat inquiry, although It bad tbe merit of receiving the approtaiwo or uesaei. Dismissing the idea, then, that audi can arise from accident, and postponing tot challenge of tbe law or gravity until every other resource has been exhausted w find ourselves between the following ' alternative! either we are ignorant of oil the condition within which Uranus is ( moving I. . we know not Ihe whole of tbe bodice acting on that nlanel ; or wo I have not interpreted aright t ie cfT.-ct )", known conditions. In the c mrso of a truly lo-rical treatment of the o lesllon. llio latter alternative must first txrexamincd ; loltovring that law, w c IimiM ik for It in and Ibis examination necessarily consists' the heavens only llirmizli that zone, who In a revision of tho theory given by La- centre is the ecliptic, or the annual apj.u flacc, concerning the action of Saturn and rent path of tho sun ; nay, for conformity 's upller, In the scrutiny of Bouvard's . take, we may supine that the planet lain calculations and in Ihe diicuuion of iho I the ecliptic; for Us utnio-t probable de Inquiry alluded to a abort time lince, viz., vialion from that linn would proluco no whether by varying the normal ellipse I sensible error. -Secondly, there la another Hillliln flu, llintfa tvriI,1, nnnRiiM It. anil . nsmi vtraililj, lu wlmu npii-li, la mill mi. thereby altering Ihe quantities which wo ascribe to the deflecting influences of those a... i.... -.i. . t... :.!-... !.-..:, eneies may not bo made 10 disappear I II wae indeed apparently a hopeless idea, tbat the skill or the author ol llio Meean. tfue Celetle might here have failed, or the iwu wiiiv wiMici'iiiii CAiiimia iiiiiviiiiii. perseverine saaacily of Unluvar: but in pretencoof a difficulty so iarllin of an anomaly ao unmanagoabln amid the liar. monies of our system no wi-igm oi un tbority could be allowed to forbid our tx ploring every chance of error ; and uc. cordingly, ono of the great men, concern coroingiy, one oi uic great men, concern- ing wlwm I am to speak, dvoted liinisclf at tho outset to ihc'lniinenso culculatious necessary lo construct again from their very foundations the theory and tables of Uranus, lit the work of both of his pre- decessors, Leverrii-r found room for modi- fications; and having cflloU-d these, he exnausico an poasioiuiiea oi rariaiiou in regard to tho normal ellipse. The diffi. culliea were by this investigation, to tome extent, diminished ; but llio startling ano- maly remained in fullest force; so that' every-chanco of mistake being banished, iho fact stood forth as ub-olulely and un. questionably true that there Is a formal incomjtaHoiiuif otiirern me oisercen mouoiu ofMIrantu and the htfoihtut thai kr it onff acted on bji Ihe stt.t a'l kit-urn i intlt, aeeonutgtol'irlaianfunir'-rtilgriiriliili'i.i, I muvt here, once fur ull, trd.vil Iho ex- pression oi your auiuiranuii hi n.mj ci oi ny man. Iho ruilii h ili.tiinl rnn llio Inn planet souglil Tor. tit loss limn nine Ihe immensity of tho ht-i'iet nml nnst -un nlnio.l by ihn rnorui'iui space of "no unknown nusntilies were involved in ihU unmitigated toil, undergono In this grvui hiiudriil million-, of milie. ('minis is work; and he reduced bin equations ulll research. The dual results of an ronomy nineteen tiiurs farther off, and HiIh sup- mately lo Iho nunibor of ihlrly three. The are usually so dazzling that thn uiiiidof pyed plaint munt, by hyfiotlieai-i, be yel treatment of these again involved Im. the rapt student easily goes in with the1 iwlce as far! Can.il be, then that tbo ' inense toil ; and il waa while undergoing Idea that tbe road leading to them is iqual-, ihouuht of inun, as the faithful Interpreter 'this last labor that Leverrler had iho mar. ly pleasant; a road through garden, ainoug nowera anu ny runuiug urooxs : Alar,alatl it ita hard and most weary path aoroat a moor without a blossom ! No Siberian tteppe can bo more arid ihau ihe epbere of the labors of Leverrier ; oay, in every portion of astronomy ihe labor of dry calculation haa becomeo overpowering that th resources ofanaly. tit have of late been perteveriogly be- stowed, on trie discovery of modes of abort, rnlng and checking these process? as ona of the moat edeollve meant of Increas ing our power. l,everrhr was detained amid such calculations during llmnrston of tho year la which, aa a first apiiroxtma. tioti had informed him, hla planet was passing rap'dly from that position in the stirs wnicn aione, tor a wnoio year, wnuiu permit nf ita being seen. Hut he hurried notninc snraiiK Horn nouilim ; lie mro himseltas llio bioh Philosopher, to Whom guesses arc nothing, unless verified ; aod he knew that In iiuestions like these, it was onlv the rompatabitlty of accurate results that could lead to truth. Aa we advai.ee we get rid of uncertain, ties. The problem is now reduced lo a slmplo lorni. via. tan lt anomatf bt tf yUmol Ay Mr aaiisitnf action, onjortifn Ilrva newer riav aiMitca n iinte ss j t I IcnMix), however, i clioico ol hypolhr.it. ts Ihsl foreign body a now planet, or is it a Isslv connected with Uranus a satel hie I The latter idea was favored bv ime astnmmers, hut on grounds worth', nf no more attention than previous cii iectures rrsnevtlni: the comet. Ift'ranus was so dislurNil by a utellite. thai is leltite hum! have been large, aiid tbereforol wo ought to have seen il even at that re. I moteticvs ; but what Is of conclusive im. p lunance. the descrintloii of iH-rlurbalions e . - ... which alone couU have been produced by a pmi'llllC, IS HUlllir Ull llll .,IIW1, wv rn at nrvient concerned. Thaw wividd ..TIZ.. I .. .. II.. . .a i.h . U Ik- essentially oci latorv .the aatellite brim, now oil one side of Uranus, and now on Ihe other; and perturba'ions of that pressiona J and thai as Ihe two most im. ' of the planet which II is of extreme inl and arc not sufficient for the phenomenon portanl attributes Ihe plaet ol tbe orb portance thai my hearert rightly under before us. In mi far as analogy gnc. then, I at a certain epoch, and ita man might be stand. The discovery of a planet by the we are forced on the conception that llie , roughly separated, the env having to do telescope can be made only In one of two dilurbing cause msy boa planet yet uhierly with the direction of the disturbing ways by tho observation of one of those uiiktii bv ihe teletype. This idea, I am force,' and the other solely with its mag. two features which alone distinguish such t perfetily uware. t not t of a wiiiM v nu-y aiiiri, M te,l dge, positive ami l.incil'nl .... .. .-'- . 1 ,.. tt not a novel one. In Mid when-kno. ill, In lief and idle conjitturc, aic iiiimhI up and winrlcl to- getht-r aini'l our cntnusin sM-ecii, to gro. . t,-4ii' bu' invaralile union, it would In- drcd have Wen uonderful if tbi ino.i , naiuiai sssuiiipiion nau oecn ocnw,ri , but rather than seek umid so slrango a 1 chaos for the origin and Indication of a ' grand verity, lei us give the credit to the true workmen, to wnosc inincn iiio con. ! ceitlon was doubilei first recommended . by its general versimililude, but who were ' ..... I .L .1... -..la. 1. .1.- .1 L. movi.l ihcrebv, only to work ihe thought J through all its relations, to inquire in through all its relations, to Inquire in due lealty lo nature whether this con. ceptlon was really consistent with her arrangements, and could, when fully car ried out, explain the difficulty in its de tails? "Thai man alone diicortn ' Kvto proctt." It is lime I bo truth were appre hended, that there Is no royal or easy road to philosophy. " Tho Inquiry, then, poiuis lo a new pis. net- That word, often carelessly pro. nounced, became in ihe hands of Adams and Leverrier alone a definite and prac tical thought. If a new planet irArre Ily the gen eral order of our system, certain a priori grounds of approximation were cfFirdeil, which could hardly be much in error at all events, they greatly simplified the eartie-tt 1niilatlon. Hnl. it i a lmw among the known planet, that they lie nearly on the piano of th-sun's equator. Supine, for iltiivtration, the sun repre. scnted by a ball laid on tho middle of a ublc, then all the planets would require, If represented, to im Is id nearly on that tabic ; no one would le found far above or l-elc.w il. The new planet nrobablv known, but whose authority, as far as tho limits of the orbit nf Ura-ius, was un. j..i..a.i i. la .L!a .... ..t i. uuuuicu. tt I lllivaur lPmiiet-.,'. I ing In general terms, it half as far away from tbe sun as the next In order asccml- ing.as twiceas remote as the one next in order in descending. If tho distance off ibc- earth, for imiancc. be rennseiitcil be. I, tin-distance-of Mars is 9, and that of' Vf ml 1 aiirl Nri llirnurl, alt llin Ifnnwii sy.iem, Tbin law U suffiolently c ncml i in liave iieen llie i'ii.i. fifllin ill.enverv nf that siniaular group of infiiifttssiinal llie iieiwien .Man nnd Jupiter Hit- ,rgri-. inn baviiu.' then- indicated a riinlus, to bo l.. i f. .i . filled un tiiib u ww bodv: umlthat tFroui. rcscinhlin: the rli-iii-tutor fraginc'ntaof asinule plant.) otuupies almost tho re. .ini.ito orbit. It was no unjustifiable hv. ' potbeais, therefore, lo extend this law to the planet now sougbt---4-kpecially as oilier although minor considerations sus. ulncd the conclusion regarding tho holy's probable distance. The question thus became as follows : j " Is il possible thai tho Inequalities ol , Uranus are dun to thn action of a planet situated in the ecliptic, at a mean dislancn double that of Uranus 1 And If so. what i ih place nt me plaint, what Hi mass, wmt i,c 'l-ments of llio orbit through which It moves I" Il rpiiet iini.i now; hut mirelv this wihiIiiiiii'ji dariiige!niiti-v r uuilTtakeii .of nature's law-.yinpalh-Ing, an It wore, wlth her universal designs can walk ft-ly amid nmfunditiia no dread, and evolve tho necesaary complements loour planetary scheme f Aro we hound ao closely wllh Ihe ayitrm lo which we be long, that not a vibration can escape utt It the human mind Indeed so Indefeaaibly coordinated, even with th grandest law of this universe f I with I could follow with the hope of being accompanied by my hearers the inaroh of Ltverrler and Adams, In the un winding of thla memorable problem but their sagacity having for lit essential or only possible garb, (ho symbols and pro cesses of our most recondite analysis, It Is merely a few vaaue conceptions that I can eipect to give of in character and i elevation. In what I do say I shall abide oy ine pruoraaes oi KCTvrner. paniy no cause they are more susceptible of retire sentallou than the more general develop ments of Mr. Adams, and also because, as a matter of fact, they ted to the first disco, very of the actual existence of the body sought for, and therefore first proclaimed to tho world this now triumph nf science. There are a few, although only a few, .distinct points,' which may be generally imi numi a , i it cannot rtquiro acnuMitanr wun technical analysis lo enable ono lo appre- bend the nature of one means toward the solution nf this problem, vir... the method adopted bv l,evcrrlor if o'invimiili'oa. A view of the conditions that must deter mini- a final reault vfonlV a rough descrip. ......".,,- linn, would rvlilrntly conduct lo lltnils wiiliin which both the place and ihe mass of the planel must lie. After the dilii-rent quantitiea involved are assorted according lo ihclr relations, it is not difficult to con oeire how a view of their mode of arrange, 4. V, .. . ..'M elusion thai r appreciation r must be con. ... .......1 I.A.I .n a.H.i . I ..H I I. I ' (twill nuuiil ,vil lu nig win , without etteimitlns minuter I llio attributes of this bodv must be con. i lined within ceiiain distinct numerical ex. .... 1- ! ....... ....111. taa iLii.a ll.al preliminary slatcmeiil with regard to hath could be made; which, being accepted, would greatly facilitate farther inquiry. Irfvercier's hrsl conclusion was at ful. low-,:. "There is In the whole ecliptic only one region in niiicii ilia wnuruni(( pivnri ican bo supposed lobe placed, so lhal it ! account for the irregular movements of I Uranus. On thn first of January, leDU, . us mean loiiiiiiuuo musi nave ueen oe. II ween 'iVS and 'Uf. My I learcrs win reauny appreciate ine .. ,exteut nf new knowledge acquired by this ' step. Ily our first and fundamental as. sumptioii.ilio new nlanel had tube uughi step. Ily our first and fundamental as. only in tin- ecliptic in Ihst one great circle around Ihe heavens, and not Indif. fercntly, in any place of the dazxliug vault. Tho meaning of the foregoing numbers it'as follows : To fix or refer easily to tho place of a star in the ecliptic, we suppose that whole circle divided into three hundred and sixty parts, named de. grees ; and we begin to reckon these from a determined point, vix., the first point of Aries passing all round tbat great circle. Observe now the limitation previously made j tho place of the unknown planet waa confined bv it within thn brief apace r-of suae degrees, in a circle consisting of 300. This important limitation conducted Im mediately lo a much more distinct enunci ation of the planet's place. Leverrier soon discerned that the necessity of satisfying all the relations of the unknown quantities wouionoi permit an unrertaintv; 10 iiivi iiiu jiittiioi was aiscsrneo planet's place of even these nine degieea, Imalded by any visible disc, the explo and having determined the limits of its rcr has only onu other resource: among men, he reached the following proposi- Iho multitude of small stars in the quarter lion : I of Ihe heavena where the unknown orb is " That all the observed motions ol 'Jra. conceived to lie, ho requires lo ascertain nus could be accounted for by ihe rertur- whether any one haa planetary motion. Uiiiff aelinn nf nlanet. the etemei.la nf Hut ihia eannnl Im ake-trlaiiieil hv a altit-li. whose orbit were primarily assumed,! whoso longitude on the 1st of Janulry, I ...... a..-.. a 1 . thelwigitude of its perihelion were defer, imucd by pircew.be had just explained." the mass of Uranus, andnalshree and a 'half times as large. , I i! .t.. . I: .i i. r..i i. . .. 1 1 Ihe mass or Ihe planel ho had between twin mc liteTl'lill 1IICU,CII, II IUIIUWt.il I that on ihe 1st of January, 1817, the he. liocenlric longitude of Ihe required orb must be .125; an astonishing approxlma. lion, with which iiiom men would have been istified: but it onlv Informed Le. , vorrier that a farther accuracy inighl yet I.A ntilalneil I On the 31st of August, 1830, Leverrier , nrrklllecl liii lot ureal naiuir lo lha ln.ll. luto. During his former researches, or i .-.,.!! t.. . ,.-.., e previous to Ins having . l:cted any parlor tho ecliptic aa more likely than Ihe others lo contain the new nlauet. hcJatal confined himself to consideration oTacertaln num-l her of the fscH ascertained In regard of Uranus .elected because of their fitness I to yield a Itret approximation ; but to give; his work Ihe utmost precision of which Jlj was sniwpllLle, he now employed the whole of Iho nineteen old obsorvfllont mado'betwi-cn 1000 and 1781, and a very large number of tho two hundred and sixty iwo places found in Ihn records of Iho ob. nervations of (Jreenwich and fan's be- Iween 171 mltHr: each of ih'eMisepa- rate facts giving a distinct equation nf condition, as :t Is termed, or a numerical value of certain combinations of the un- known quantitiea. viz., iho correction of tbo elrmontt of lliu orbit of Uranus: and tbo mass, and the elements of Ihn nrbil, of tiflcalion to observe that before his calou jlatlons could poaalbly close, the planel, in its apparent courso through the sky, would have paased for the year from a position Ihe most favorable for its being seen. His labor at length were terminated ; and he announced finally to llio French academy Ihe following elements: Radlui of the orbit, 88 154 limit that of utt urth. Period of revolution, 917 8X7. Mean longitude, i 818 47 Jan. 1, 1847, I Mass 0,800. Prom which an eaty computation showed that the true haliooentrio longitude on lit January, 187, must lie 890 Instead of 89of at roughly given lurit first approximation. How singular that scene In the academy I A young man, not yot In life's prime, speaking unfalteringly of the necessities of the moat august forma of creation passing onwards whvre eye never was, and placing his linger on the precise point of spacn In whloh a grand orb lay oon. cealed ; having been led lo ita lurking Klace by hla appreciation of ihoee vast armonles, which stamp the universe with -, ..- ..-. . ( .. ... ..... .. .- a consummate penectlon ! never wae invra .ccoinpiiBncu nouivr wuri nu never work more nobly done t It It the 'eminent characteristic of these labors of ( Leverrier, lhal at no moment did hla lelth ever waver ; tho majesty of the enterprise . was equalled by the resolution and confi. ' denco of the man. lie Irwl Ihoee dark I a a spaces as Columbus boro himself amid the waste ocean j even when there waa no apeck or shadow of aught substantial a. round tho wide horitou holding by hla conviction in those grand verities, which r. mil ill 1mm ral lifallBj fttmva BAI1M. j aro not the lets real because above sense, i . V .. ... v ... -.. - ." ' and pushing onward toward his new world. ! ((iea! Applause.) We touch on the close of this long and We touch on Ihe close of this long noble endeavor, vlx., the ao'ual dlsuovcry ,... la... A...I .la. a.la l.aa..u. ion of a palpable disc, or its having plan, clary motion. ( 1 1 tho orb Is oftuflirienl magnitude to exhibit a meamrable disc to the telescope , emplotrd in the research, its discovery it 'comparatively easy, for the feature in iui;iiuii wireny rpHraivaii irvminv vis of the fixed stare. These mighty oibt, although of the magnitude of aunt, are f seated so profoundly in space, lhal to the I largest instrument wnn wnicn w, nsvc yrl exainlurd llirni, they appear with a r .... . i .-.- . . uriiuance auanirniru maceu in proportion to iho tixc of the telescope, but still only aa points, severed essentially rom Ihoae email orbt whoee dimensions we tin de. aa points, severed essentially from those scry and compare, and which are our com panions and neighbors. It was this attri bute which revealed Uranus to llertchtl ; and Leverrler threw out the idta that the actual mass oPfseptune, and the aug. mooted paw of the instruments tbat can be now preased into tervlce of such a research, favored J he expectation thai, by ita possession of a visible disc, and there fore without any overpowering labor, this new planet would be found. In Mveral parte of tbla remarkable work, discovery seems to have bees attended by a propi tious chance ; and although, aa we shall afterward eee, ihe grounds of Levsrrisr's expectation! were her fallacious, his prediction of the actual apparent aiie of Neptune approached surprisingly to the truth. This disc however, although defi- nile and measurable, Is ao small as to bo almost illusory ; and it waaooly by it that inspection. Tho motion at remoteiieta liko those wllh which wo are now being .a a . brief lime of one night, or even of several, niglits.il may be virtually equivalent to stllluevs; so lhal it cannot be delected save inoiu way, viz., the careful compa. rison of the slate of tho heavens on ono -. i a. l , . t , i. i. . i . . . , ... . . -, k . . i -. i . separatod from the first by a cOueiderablo i ' interval. Now, this comparison is not I easily accomplished oay,itlnvlveagreat 'labor; it requires that an acouralo map lllKlll, will, llivi, ,,(, Wll WJIIIU U1IIGI llllalll, be made of all ihe small atari in the re igion of the sky under scrutiny, at these the small stars in any region of the aky even once, involves a lalmr an ireallii. iwo aeverai times ; and lo do this to mtp king ihe necessary exactitude into account , !.. I i ".!.. . i .1 i- ' tnai Licverner gladly nxpectetl Iho de-. sired result from the visibility of Ihe disc, ' and fortune wa attain favorable! l-'or many ycara a great enterprise has been in the acl of being performed by the Auadomy of lierlin chiefly throuah Ihe instigation of tho illustrious llessel. Con. vlnoed of iho great importance of Ihe work, especially wllh renard to such dis. coverlet aa this the academy undertook taw jnapping, with all the precision which our modern instruments render possible of tho small stars along the entire zodlao, or along that boll of Ihe sky whore, from the analogy of the ulhor pant of our sys tern, now planets might be expected to be teen. Tho labor requlied lu achieve this wat enormous ; and It was divided among a great number of r .is, having requi. site Instruments. Now il so happened Ihst ihe map of llie precis, region where iho now planel waa expected, had been com. pleted by Or. ilrcmiker; and il wat print, mg, or just printed, al Berlin. I believe lhal Ihe observatory of Berlin had obtained llio proof.shcet. The astronomers of Ibis institution wore thus in a position of power regarding audi inquiries, enjoyed by no other obeervatory in existonce ; ihey had simply to notice Hremlker's map and then tbo iky observing if there wat any dis. crepanoy between the two piotures, that could be accounted for by ihe planetary motion of some ono alar; ao that with Ihclr renowned sagacity, and Ihe excel lence ol their Instruments an Inspection ol Ihe heavent on ond olear night might arooniplith the resolution of this great HHSMBB-BHHK!MMMMSi- probtem. And Ihui It even wtt the planet waa discovered by M. Otlle, on the very evening of tbe day en whloh ha re. oelved Ihe letter of Leverrler Indloallng lit ptaoe. (ApalauM.) AtatoertalflMl by U. Otlle, the hello centilo longllUM of the body for the epoch of lit January, 1847, would be 897 94 The predicted longitude 830 89 at before stated. The difference was, therefore, Use than one degree, or only AAy.lwo mlnulet I I am Indeed aware, tbat few grand die. ooverlM have ever been aohleved without tome degree of prevlout disappointment on ihe part of tbe dlMOterer. Mora or lese enveloped In tbadow, Iber loom (br yean before hit anitout eyej but the an tire annalt of obaervallon do not ehwwhere exhibit to extraordinary a vtriloatloa. f any llitoretloal conieclure adventured on by the human spirit I M. Leverrler re ceived Ihe cheering Intelligence after he had concluded his last paper to Ihe inatj. lute on the tubjert, and hie bearing was too striking and chareotariatlo to allow me to omit relerenoe to It. " Thie tucoess," save he, "permit m iabefe tbat after thirty or forty yaaws'ekMrvtllon on ihe new planet, we May amaloy It, In Ita turn, for the discovery " the one following it In In order of distances from the tun. Thus, at least, we should unhappily toon fall among bodiet Invisible by reason of their Immense distance, but whoee orbits might yet bo traced In a luooeselon of ages, with the greatest exactneee, by the theory of secular Ineoutlltlee." Verily, what a man It this t On bearing that he had doue a deed unparalleled In eolinUflo history that to hit thought of unexampled daring, even Ood't starry heavent bad re tponded, and In lie own ealtwIM lad Im perishable language proaounoed lit vtrlfl. cation not one reflex glance on himself, not a complacent smile on the (totaled Mt, which amid these Infinitude t had been prl. vlleged to do a work, and therefore claimed and panted for ita special bomage, but a firm a rejoicing and withal a reverential hope as lo the progress of tbat humanity, from participating with whloh bit own strength will come for Ihe projreiiof that human spirit whose earthly destiny will not ceaae until, after the evolu tion of ages, that grand material ima. ..., t;.. - .n i,. ... j..,. ......... ,.,-.,- .. .n. ., ki. ., n., i ' aUM I i)r. Nlchol here closed i tp-,autt his lecture, at. though he had to leave untouched several of ihe most Interesting points relating to ine aitcorery oi in pitnet .eptune. VARIETY. ' PlXSXRVt GoouBitiiu A9t Cca. XANTt. A writer in Ihe Maiaachuitlta Ploughman gives the following directions for preserving the a'ote fruits grown through the year : 'The unrip berries may be preserved In a fresh title through the winter, in boi tlee filled up with cold or boiling water, corked and Mated tight, and placed in a cool cellar; some say, buried vtith the cork downwards." Another correspondent, M. S. Wilson, remarks : '-This may be true, still I should doubt ihe propriety of 'filling up the bottles with to'd or boiling tenter.' "For ihe last ten or twelve yean I litre been In the habit of preserving grtnt cur. ranlt In considerable quantities, for do mestic use, and find them not only a lux ury, but a great convenience. My modo of preserving them is simply this ; I gath er ihe currants while green, or before ihoy turn red, put them Into dryglatt hot. i '" cork and ssal ihem tight ; then placo ,hcm in "'" felIlr. " ,ucl' po'ition as la T iHAst l-AHaillapil ll I. insiinaa ataan currants havo been proicrvril in my eel . Ur r?r ' llvo ' preserved ' with equal euccets. I have green currant Vif " ,my u1b, " settoni or the ivdr. when otherrrrrM fruilcannot be k'"""" "' '"" " iiiaiiu.,, am. :.. . : 1 ... t " , Lin ,,j ,, J0Ji or !n , your friends) will call at my house, I abl b htppy to wall upon, and fumish you, "n 8'o ourrant plM at any Mtaon of In regard lo th Itii.-r mithod, we can not tpeak from experience, ntvtr having ,ricJ "i bllt " K001 fof Certainly possesses the aovantasesofbsins mr? convenient, at least. In regard to Ihn Ileal, sra liavn ana all, ",0 "'' "" "" ,vua '"" "" " ' ,he 'c, ,n,t uurrant may be keni the first, we havo long sluoe been aware throughout the season, havlna frequently eaien tarts mad from thoao thus preserved iieirly a year. Boiling voter, howevir, it boiler then cold for the purpose. Tiir. Aln.-ix Hoik. Among th lofty mountains and elevated mountain vtlltyt of Switzerland, tho Alpine horn hat an. other use besides that of sounding th far famed Hans de Vachet, or Cow Song ; and thlt it of a vory solemn and impress ive nature. Whn the tun hat Mt In the valley, and only th anowy lummltt of the mountaini gleam with golden light, th herdsman who dwell upon th highlit habitable, spot take hit horn and pronoun, net audibly through il, at through a apeak, ing trumpet, "Praise t hi LordOodr At toon at thlt tound is heard by th neigh boring huntsmen, ihty iuua from their hull, lake their Alplnt born and rtptat Ihe tame wordi. Thlt repeatedly laid a quarter of an hour, and lb name of the Creator resounds from all th mountaini and rocky ollfts around. Sllmo at length Millet over th eoene. All lb hunUmtn kntel and pray with uncovtrod hiads. In the meanwhile, It haa btoom quit dark. "Good night I" again reeounda from all the mountaini, the' horni of the hunlinien and the rocky olifls. The mountaineers then retire' to their dwellings and to rest. Abolition or CaWai, I'onmhment, Th leglilatur of Michigan bav patted an tct abolishing capital punishment $4. vf VU ttuAsMtofcsa,,',
