autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第2章

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endeavoring　to　comprehend　infinity　in　any　thing；　and　we　will　note　the
result！　If　it　be　in　space；　we　shall　find　them　setting　bounds　to　their
illimitable　void；　until　ashamed　of　the　feebleness　of　their　first　effort；　it　is
renewed；　again　and　again；　only　to　furnish　new　proofs　of　the　insufficiency
of　any　of　earth；　even　to　bring　within　the　compass　of　their　imaginations
truths　that　all　their　experiments；　inductions；　evidence　and　revelations
compel　them　to　admit。

〃The　moon　has　no　atmosphere；〃　said　our　astronomer　one　day；　〃and　if
inhabited　at　all；　it　must　be　by　beings　constructed　altogether　differently
from　ourselves。　Nothing　that　has　life；　either　animal　or　vegetable　as　we
know　them；　can　exist　without　air；　and　it　follows　that　nothing　having　life；
according　to　our　views　of　it；　can　exist　in　the　moon：or；　if　any　thing
having　life　do　exist　there；　it　must　be　under　such　modifications　of　all　our
known　facts；　as　to　amount　to　something　like　other　principles　of　being。〃
〃One　side　of　that　planet　feels　the　genial　warmth　of　the　sun　for　a　fortnight；
while　the　other　is　for　the　same　period　without　it；〃　he　continued。　〃That
which　feels　the　sun　must　be　a　day；　of　a　heat　so　intense　as　to　render　it
insupportable　to　us；　while　the　opposite　side　on　which　the　rays　of　the　sun
do　not　fall；　must　be　masses　of　ice；　if　water　exist　there　to　be　congealed。
But　the　moon　has　no　seas；　so　far　as　we　can　ascertain；　its　surface
representing　one　of　strictly　volcanic　origin；　the　mountains　being
numerous　to　a　wonderful　degree。　Our　instruments　enable　us　to　perceive
craters；　with　the　inner　cones　so　common　to　all　our　own　volcanoes；
giving　reason　to　believe　in　the　activity　of　innumerable　burning　hills　at
some　remote　period。　It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　say；　that　nothing　we
know　could　live　in　the　moon　under　these　rapid　and　extreme　transitions
of　heat　and　cold；　to　say　nothing　of　the　want　of　atmospheric　air。〃　I
listened　to　this　with　wonder；　and　learned　to　be　satisfied　with　my　station。
Of　what　moment　was　it　to　me；　in　filling　the　destiny　of　the　linum
usitatissimum；　whether　I　grew　in　a　soil　a　little　more　or　a　little　less　fertile；
whether　my　fibres　attained　the　extremest　fineness　known　to　the
manufacturer；　or　fell　a　little　short　of　this　excellence。　I　was　but　a　speck
among　a　myriad　of　other　things　produced　by　the　hand　of　the　Creator；
and　all　to　conduce　to　his　own　wise　ends　and　unequaled　glory。　It　was　my
duty　to　live　my　time；　to　be　content；　and　to　proclaim　the　praise　of　God
within　the　sphere　assigned　to　me。　Could　men　or　plants　but　once　elevate
their　thoughts　to　the　vast　scale　of　creation；　it　would　teach　them　their
own　insignificance　so　plainly；　would　so　unerringly　make　manifest　the
futility　of　complaints；　and　the　immense　disparity　between　time　and
eternity；　as　to　render　the　useful　lesson　of　contentment　as　inevitable　as　it
is　important。

I　remember　that　our　astronomer；　one　day；　spoke　of　the　nature　and
magnitude　of　the　sun。　The　manner　that　he　chose　to　render　clear　to　the
imagination　of　his　hearers　some　just　notions　of　its　size；　though　so　familiar
to　astronomers；　produced　a　deep　and　unexpected　impression　on　me。
〃Our　instruments；〃　he　said；　〃are　now　so　perfect　and　powerful；　as　to
enable　us　to　ascertain　many　facts　of　the　deepest　interest；　with　near
approaches　to　positive　accuracy。　The　moon　being　the　heavenly　body
much　the　nearest　to　us；　of　course　we　see　farther　into　its　secrets　than　into
those　of　any　other　planet。　We　have　calculated　its　distance　from　us　at
237；000　miles。　Of　course　by　doubling　this　distance；　and　adding　to　it　the
diameter　of　the　earth；　we　get　the　diameter　of　the　circle；　or　orbit；　in
which　the　moon　moves　around　the　earth。　In　other　words　the　diameter　of
this　orbit　is　about　480；000　miles。　Now　could　the　sun　be　brought　in
contact　with　this　orbit；　and　had　the　latter　solidity　to　mark　its
circumference；　it　would　be　found　that　this　circumference　would　include
but　a　little　more　than　half　the　surface　of　one　side　of　the　sun；　the　diameter
of　which　orb　is　calculated　to　be　882；000　miles！　The　sun　is　one　million
three　hundred　and　eighty…four　thousand　four　hundred　and　seventy…two
times　larger　than　the　earth。　Of　the　substance　of　the　sun　it　is　not　so　easy
to　speak。　Still　it　is　thought；　though　it　is　not　certain；　that　we　occasionally
see　the　actual　surface　of　this　orb；　an　advantage　we　do　not　possess　as
respects　any　other　of　the　heavenly　bodies；　with　the　exception　of　the
moon　and　Mars。　The　light　and　warmth　of　the　sun　probably　exist　in　its
atmosphere；　and　the　spots　which　are　so　often　seen　on　this　bright　orb；
are　supposed　to　be　glimpses　of　the　solid　mass　of　the　sun　itself；　that　are
occasionally　obtained　through　openings　in　this　atmosphere。　At　all
events；　this　is　the　more　consistent　way　of　accounting　for　the　appearance
of　these　spots。　You　will　get　a　better　idea　of　the　magnitude　of　the
sidereal　system；　however；　by　remembering　that；　in　comparison　with　it；
the　distances　of　our　entire　solar　system　are　as　mere　specks。　Thus；　while
our　own　change　of　positions　is　known　to　embrace　an　orbit　of　about
200；000；000　of　miles；　it　is　nevertheless　so　trifling　as　to　produce　no
apparent　change　of　position　in　thousands　of　the　fixed　stars　that　are
believed　to　be　the　suns　of　other　systems。　Some　conjecture　even　that　all
these　suns；　with　their　several　systems；　our　own　included；　revolve　around
a　common　centre　that　is　invisible　to　us；　but　which　is　the　actual　throne　of
God；　the　comets　that　we　note　and　measure　being　heavenly　messengers；
as　it　might　be；　constantly　passing　from　one　of　these　families　of　worlds　to
another。〃

I　remember　that　one　of　the　astronomer's　pupils　asked　certain
explanations　here；　touching　the　planets　that　it　was　thought；　or　rather
known；　that　we　could　actually　see；　and　those　of　which　the　true　surfaces
were　believed　to　be　concealed　from　us。　〃I　have　told　you；〃　answered　the
man　of　science；　〃that　they　are　the　Moon；　Mars　and　the　Sun。　Both
Venus　and　Mercury　are　nearer　to　us　than　Mars；　but　their　relative
proximities　to　the　sun　have　some　such　effect　on　their　surfaces；　as　placing
an　object　near　a　strong　light　is　known　to　have　on　its　appearance。　We
are　dazzled；　to　speak　popularly；　and　cannot　distinguish　minutely。　With
Mars　it　is　different。　If　this　planet　has　any　atmosphere　at　all；　it　is　one　of
no　great　density；　and　its　orbit　being　without　our　own；　we　can　easily
trace　on　its　surface　the　outlines　of　seas　and　continents。　It　is　even
supposed　that　the　tinge　of　the　latter　is　that　of　reddish　sand…stone；　like
much　of　that　known　in　our　own　world；　but　more　decided　in　tint；　while
two　brilliant　white　spots；　at　its　poles；　are　thought　to　be　light　reflected
from　the　snows　of　those　regions；　rendered　more　conspicuous；　or
disappearing；　as　they　first　emerge　from　a　twelvemonths'　winter；　or　melt
in　a　summer　of　equal　duration。〃

I　could　have　listened　forever　to　this　astronomer；　whose　lectures　so
profoundly　taught　lessons　of　humility　to　the　created；　and　which　were　so
replete　with　silent　eulogies　on　the　power　of　the　Creator！　What　was　it　to
me　whether　I　were　a　modest　plant；　of　half　a　cubit　in　stature；　or　the
proudest　oak　of　the　forestman　or　vegetable？　My　duty　was　clearly　to
glorify　the　dread　Being　who　had　produced　all　these　marvels；　and　to　fulfil
my　time　in　worship；　praise　and　contentment。　It　mattered　not　whether　my
impressions　were　derived　through　organs　called　ears；　and　were
communicated　by　others　called　those　of　speech；　or　whether　each
function　was　performed　by　means　of　sensations　and　agencies　too　subtle
to　be　detected　by　ordinary　means。　It　was　enough　for　me　that　I　heard
and　understood；　and　felt　the　goodness　and　glory　of　God。　I　may　say　that
my　first　great　lessons　in　true　philosophy　were　obtained　in　these　lectures；
where　I　learned　to　distinguish　between　the　finite　and　infinite；　ceasing　to
envy　any；　while　I　inclined　to　worship　one。　The　benevolence　of
Providence　is　extended　to　all　its　creatures；　each　receiving　it　in　a　mode
adapted　to　its　own　powers　of　improvement。　My　destiny　being　toward　a
communion　with　manor　rather　with　womanI　have　ever　looked　upon
these　silent　communications　with　the　astronomer　as　so　much
preparatory　schooling；　in　order　that　my　mind　might　be　prepared　for　its
own　avenir；　and　not　be　blinded　by　an　undue　appreciation　of　the
im