The Uses of Astronomy

Uses of Astronomy, The

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Title: The Uses of Astronomy An Oration Delivered at Albany on the 28th of July, 1856
Author: Edward Everett

Release Date: July 6, 2005 [eBook #16227]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE USES OF ASTRONOMY.
AN ORATION
Delivered at Albany, on the 28th of July, 1856
BY
EDWARD EVERETT,
ON THE
OCCASION OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE DUDLEY ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY,
WITH A
CONDENSED REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS,
AND AN ACCOUNT OF THE
DEDICATION OF NEW YORK STATE GEOLOGICAL HALL.
NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY ROSS & TOUSEY, 103 NASSAU STREET. 1856.

A NOTE EXPLANATORY.
The undersigned ventures to put forth this report of Mr. EVERETT'S Oration, in connection with a condensed account of the Inauguration of the Dudley Observatory, and the Dedication of the New State Geological Hall, at Albany,--in the hope that the demand which has exhausted the newspaper editions, may exhaust this as speedily as possible; not that he is particularly tenacious of a reward for his own slight labors, but because he believes that the extensive circulation of the record of the two events so interesting and important to the cause of Science will exercise a beneficial influence upon the public mind. The effort of the distinguished Statesman who has invested Astronomy with new beauties, is the latest and one of the most brilliant of his compositions, and is already wholly out of print, though scarcely a month has elapsed since the date of its delivery. The account of the proceedings at Albany during the Ceremonies of Inauguration is necessarily brief, but accurate, and is respectfully submitted to the consideration of the reader.
A. MAVERICK. NEW YORK, _October 1, 1856._

TWO NEW INSTITUTIONS OF SCIENCE;
AND
THE SCENES WHICH ATTENDED THEIR CHRISTENING.
In the month of August last, two events took place in the city of Albany, which have more than an ephemeral interest. They occurred in close connection with the proceedings of a Scientific Convention, and the memory of them deserves to be cherished as a recollection of the easy way in which Science may be popularized and be rendered so generally acceptable that the people will cry, like Oliver Twist, for more. It is the purpose of this small publication to embody, in a form more durable than that of the daily newspaper, the record of proceedings which have so near a relation to the progress of scientific research. A marked feature in the ceremonies was the magnificent Oration of the Hon. EDWARD EVERETT, inaugurating the Dudley Observatory of Albany; and it is believed that the reissue of that speech in its present form will be acceptable to the admirers of that distinguished gentleman, not less than to the lovers of Science, who hung with delight upon his words.
THE DEDICATION OF THE GEOLOGICAL HALL.
On Wednesday, August 27, 1856, the State Geological Hall of New York was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies. For the purpose of affording accommodation to the immense crowds of people who, it was confidently anticipated, would throng to this demonstration and that of the succeeding day, at which Mr. EVERETT spoke, a capacious Tent was arranged with care in the center of Academy Park, on Capitol Hill; and under its shelter the ceremonies of the inauguration of both institutions were conducted without accident or confusion; attended on the first day by fully three thousand persons, and on the second by a number which may be safely computed at from five to seven thousand.
The announcement that Hon. WM. H. SEWARD would be present at the dedication of the Geological Hall, excited great interest among the citizens; but the hope of his appearance proved fallacious. His place was occupied by seven picked men of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of whom (Prof. HENRY) declared his inability to compute the problem why seven men of science were to be considered equal to one statesman. The result justified the selections of the committee, and although the Senator was not present, the seven Commoners of Science made the occasion a most notable one by the flow of wit, elegance of phrase, solidity and cogency of argument, and rare discernment of natural truths, with which their discourse was garnished.
The members of the American Association marched in