New Lands | Page 7

A Century's Progress in Astronomy. It exists according to
Dr. Eric Doolittle, and revolves once in 283 years, (Sci. Amer.,
122-641). According to Mr. Hind it revolves once in 1,600 years,
(Smithson. Miscell. Cols., 20-20).
So then we have found out some things, and, relatively to the
oppressions that we felt from our opposition, they are reassuring. But
also they are depressing. Because, if, in this existence of ours, there is
no prestige higher than that of astronomic science, and, if that seeming
of substantial renown has been achieved by a composition of bubbles,
what of anything like soundness must there be to all lesser reputes and
achievements?
Let three bodies inter-act. There is no calculus by which their
inter-actions can be formulated. But there are a thousand inter-acting
bodies in this solar system--or supposed solar system--and we find that
the higher prestige in our existence is built upon the tangled assertions

that there are magicians who can compute in a thousand quantities,
though they cannot compute in three.
Then all other so-called human triumphs, or moderate successes,
products of anybody's reasoning processes and labors--and what are
they, if higher than them all, more academic, austere, rigorous, exact
are the methods and the processes of the astronomers? What can be
thought of our whole existence, its nature and its destiny?
That our existence, a thing within one solar system, or supposed solar
system, is a stricken thing that is mewling through space, shocking
able-minded, healthy systems with the sores on its sun, its ghastly
moons, its civilizations that are all broken out with sciences; a celestial
leper, holding out doddering expanses into which charitable systems
drop golden comets? If it be the leprous thing that our findings seem to
indicate, there is no encouragement for us to go on. We cannot discover:
we can only betray new symptoms. If I be part of such a stricken thing,
I know of nothing but sickness and sores and rags to reason with: my
data will be pustules; my interpretations will be inflammations --

New Lands PART ONE CHAPTER THREE
SOUTHERN plantations and the woolly heads of negroes pounding the
ground--cries in northern regions and round white faces turned to the
sky--fiery globes in the sky--a study in black, white, and golden
formations in one general glow. Upon the night of November 13-14,
1833, occurred the most sensational celestial spectacle of the nineteenth
century: for six hours fiery meteors gushed from the heavens, and were
visible along the whole Atlantic coast of the United States.
One supposes that astronomers do not pound the ground with their
heads, and presumably they do not screech, but they have feelings just
the same. They itched. Here was something to formulate. When he
hears of something new and unquestionable in the sky, an astronomer is
diseased with ill-suppressed equations. Symbols persecute him for
expression. His is the frenzy of someone who would stop automobiles,

railroad trains, bicycles, all things, to measure them; run, with a
yardstick, after sparrows, flies, all persons passing his door. This is
supposed to be scientific, but it can be monomaniac. Very likely the
distress and the necessity of Prof. Olmstead were keenest. He was the
first to formulate. He "demonstrated" that these meteors, known as the
Leonids, revolved around the sun once in six months.
They didn't.
Then Prof. Newton "demonstrated" that the "real" period was
thirty-three and a quarter years. But this was done empirically, and that
is not divine, nor even aristocratic, and the thing would have to be done
rationally, or mathematically, by someone, because, if there be not
mathematical treatment, in gravitational terms, of such phenomena,
astronomers are in reduced circumstances. It was Dr. Adams, who,
emboldened with his experience in not having to point anywhere near
Neptune, but nevertheless being acclaimed by all patriotic Englishmen
as the real discoverer of Neptune, mathematically "confirmed" Prof.
Newton's "findings." Dr. Adams predicted that the Leonids would
return in November, 1866, and in November, 1899, occupying several
years, upon each occasion, in passing a point in this earth's orbit.
There were meteors upon the night of Nov. 13-14, 1866. They were
plentiful. They often are in the middle of November. They no more
resembled the spectacle of 1833 than an ordinary shower resembles a
cloudburst. But the "demonstration" required that there should be an
equal display, or, according to some aspects, a greater display, upon the
corresponding night of the next year. There was a display, the next year;
but it was in the sky of the United States, and was not seen in England.
Another occurrence nothing like that of 1833 was reported from the
United States.
By conventional theory, this earth was in a vast, wide stream of
meteors, the earth revolving so as to expose successive parts to
bombardment.