several other planets, some of them much larger than ours, which receive light and heat from the Sun; which are carried round him with prodigious velocities; and which may probably be inhabited by various creatures, both rational and irrational. He knows that the Stars, which seem to be so near to each other in the firmament, are at inconceivable distances from one another, as well as from us; and that, how small soever they appear, they are in reality enormous bodies; many of them not inferior to the Sun in magnitude. His glasses shew him a prodigious number of stars, which, by reason of their vast distances from us, are invisible to the unassisted eye; and the better his glasses are, the greater is the number of stars thus discovered. Hence he reasonably concludes, that there are innumerable multitudes scattered through the immensity of space, beyond the reach of any magnifying powers that have hitherto been invented.

It is an observation of a philosopher, that mathematical sciences have a tendency to purify the soul. The active principle within us must have some employment. If it be delighted with abstruse speculations, it will be less attached to sensual pleasures; but if we go no farther, we fall very short of acting up to the dignity of a rational nature. In order to attain this, we must carry our contemplations of the frame and constitution of the universe to their proper mark'; that, from beholding the wonders of the creation, we may be brought to adore the wisdom, power, and goodness, of the Creator. There is, indeed, no part of the creation which does not display these attributes to an attentive mind; but the heavens, in a more eminent manner, declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy-work.

HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY.

Astronomy is a science of such great antiquity, that some of its first principles must have been known from the beginning of the world. The rising and setting of the Sun; the variations in his altitude, in the same country, in different seasons of the year; and the distinct degrees of heat he communicates, the changes in the face of the Moon, and their periodical returns,the vast expanse of heaven diversified with a prodigious number of stars of No. 2.-VOL. I.

different magnitudes, and the apparent diurnal motion of the heavenly bodies,—are all such striking objects, as must have drawn the attention, and excited the admiration, of all reasonable beings, long before observation gave birth to science.

Some single stars, such as Sirius, Capella, Aldebaran, and others of the first magnitude; some constellations or groups of stars, such as the Great Bear, Orion, Arcturus, and the Pleiades; are so remarkable, as to be easily distinguished from the rest. Besides the fixed stars, the planets, by their different degrees of brightness and colour, but especially by changing their places, must soon have been the objects of general attention. When the lives of men were protracted to eight or nine hundred years, as in the antediluvian ages of the world, (Gen. chap. v.) one man might observe Saturn, the slowest of the planets, go through more than twenty of his periodical revolutions round the Sun. It is therefore but reasonable to suppose, that some of the antediluvians might have been tolerably good astronomers. But it is to be lamented, that if they had any written accounts of astronomical observations, or any other acquaintance with useful arts or sciences, the far greatest part of them must have perished in the general deluge, since few fragments only of their acquirements have been transmitted to posterity.

66

Josephus says, that God indulged the antediluvians with a long life, that they might bring astronomy and geometry to perfection; that the first of these could not be learned in less than 600 years; for that period" says he, "is the grand year." By this it is supposed, that he meant the period in which the Sun and Moon come again into the same situation in which they were at the creation, with regard to the nodes and apogee of the Moon. "This period," says Cassini, "whereof we find no intimation in any monument of any other nation, is the finest period that ever was invented; for it brings out the solar year more exactly than that of Hipparchus and Ptolemy; and fixes the lunar month within about one second of what it is determined by modern astronomers." If the antediluvians had in reality such a period of 600 years, it is certain that they must have known the motions of the Sun

K

no means intended, in the freedom with which it has thus examined the causes of pauperism, and suggested remedies, to encourage the expectation that the whole of these remedies can be speedily brought within the power and control of the society. A work of so much importance to the public welfare, cannot be the business of a day; but we nevertheless entertain the hope, that if the principles and design of this society shall, upon mature examination and reflection, receive the approbation of the great body of our intelligent fellow-citizens, and the number of its members be augmented accordingly, it will be able gradually to bring within its operation all the important measures suggested in this Report. By what particular mode these measures shall be encountered, whether through the agency of large and efficient committees, of this society, or by auxiliary societies, each established for a specific purpose, under the patronage of the parent institution, and subordinate to its general principles, we leave to the wisdom and future decision of the society.

On behalf of the committee,

JOHN GRISCOм, Chairman. New York, second month, 4th, 1818.

Proposed Constitution.

Article 1.-This society shall be known by the name of "The New York Society for the Prevention of Pauperism.'

"

Article 2.-Its objects shall be, to investigate the circumstances and habits of the poor; to devise means for improving their situation, both in a physical and moral point of view; to suggest plans for calling into exercise their own endeavours, and afford the means for giving them increased effect; to hold out inducements to economy and saving from the fruits of their own industry, in the seasons of greater abundance; to discountenance, and as far as possible prevent, mendicity and street-begging; and, in fine, to do every thing which may tend to meliorate their condition, by stimulating their industry, and exciting their own energies.

Article 3.- Any person signing this constitution, paying one dollar at the time of signing, and one dollar annually, shall become a member of this society.

Article 4.-The business shall be conducted by a Board of Managers, consisting of thirty members, to be chosen at the annual meeting of the society, to be held on the last Tuesday in October, in each year, and nine of whom shall constitute a quorum.

Article 5.-Its officers shall be a president, two vice-presidents, a treasurer, and secretary, to be appointed by the board of managers.

Article 6.-The corporation of this city shall be entitled to appoint any five members of their body, who, when appointed, shall, ex-officio, be members of this board of managers.

Article 7.-This constitution shall not be altered, except at an annual meeting of the society, and by twothirds of the members present.

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF

ASTRONOMY.

ASTRONOMY is a science, which, in all ages and countries flourishing in arts and politeness, has engaged the attention of the speculative and contemplative mind. It has not only employed the tongues of the most eloquent orators, and embellished the writings of men of the most elevated genius; but has also been cultivated by the greatest princes, the ablest statesmen, and the wisest philosophers, whose names have been recorded in history, and whose studies have enriched mankind.

The Astronomer has for the subject of his speculations, the whole universe of material being. He considers the nature of matter in general; and inquires by what laws its several parts act upon one another. But his thoughts are more particularly employed about those vast bodies, which compose the visible phenomena of the heavens, and which, in common speech, are comprehended under the appellation of the Sun, Moon, and Stars. He finds the magnitude of these to be vastly greater than is commonly supposed. He is able to demonstrate, that very few of them are so small in bulk as the earth on which we live ; and that the greater number far exceed it in dimensions. He is assured, that, in point of real magnitude, the Sun is equal to a million of our globe; and that his apparently diminutive bulk arises solely from that amazing distance which separates him from our planetary habitation. He discovers that there are

several other planets, some of them much larger than ours, which receive light and heat from the Sun; which are carried round him with prodigious velocities; and which may probably be inhabited by various creatures, both rational and irrational. He knows that the Stars, which seem to be so near to each other in the firmament, are at inconceivable distances from one another, as well as from us; and that, how small soever they appear, they are in reality enormous bodies; many of them not inferior to the Sun in magnitude. His glasses shew him a prodigious number of stars, which, by reason of their vast distances from us, are invisible to the unassisted eye; and the better his glasses are, the greater is the number of stars thus discovered. Hence he reasonably concludes, that there are innumerable multitudes scattered through the immensity of space, beyond the reach of any magnifying powers that have hitherto been invented.

It is an observation of a philosopher, that mathematical sciences have a tendency to purify the soul. The active principle within us must have some employment. If it be delighted with abstruse speculations, it will be less attached to sensual pleasures; but if we go no farther, we fall very short of acting up to the dignity of a rational nature. In order to attain this, we must carry our contemplations of the frame and constitution of the universe to their proper mark; that, from beholding the wonders of the creation, we may be brought to adore the wisdom, power, and goodness, of the Creator. There is, indeed, no part of the creation which does not display these attributes to an attentive mind; but the heavens, in a more eminent manner, declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy-work.

HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY.

different magnitudes, -and the apparent diurnal motion of the heavenly bodies,-are all such striking objects, as must have drawn the attention, and excited the admiration, of all reasonable beings, long before observation gave birth to science.

Some single stars, such as Sirius, Capella, Aldebaran, and others of the first magnitude; some constellations or groups of stars, such as the Great Bear, Orion, Arcturus, and the Pleiades; are so remarkable, as to be easily distinguished from the rest. Besides the fixed stars, the planets, by their different degrees of brightness and colour, but especially by changing their places, must soon have been the objects of general attention. When the lives of men were protracted to eight or nine hundred years, as in the antediluvian ages of the world, (Gen. chap. v.) one man might observe Saturn, the slowest of the planets, go through more than twenty of his periodical revolutions round the Sun. It is therefore but reasonable to suppose, that some of the antediluvians might have been tolerably good astronomers. But it is to be lamented, that if they had any written accounts of astronomical observations, or any other acquaintance with useful arts or sciences, the far greatest part of them must have perished in the general deluge, since few fragments only of their acquirements have been transmitted to posterity.

66

Josephus says, that God indulged the antediluvians with a long life, that they might bring astronomy and geometry to perfection; that the first of these could not be learned in less than 600 years; for that period" says he, "is the grand_year." By this it is supposed, that he meant the period in which the Sun and Moon come again into the same situation in which they were at the creation, with regard to the nodes and apogee of the Moon. "This period," says Cassini, "whereof we find no intimation in any monument of any other nation, is the finest period that ever was invented; for it brings out the solar year more exactly than that of Hipparchus and Ptolemy; and fixes the lunar month within about one second of what it is determined by modern astronomers.” If the antediluvians had in reality such a period of 600 years, it is certain that they must have known the motions of the Sun

K

ascertain those parts of her orbit, where it was greatest and least. We are also assured by Ptolemy, that they were not unacquainted with the motion of the Moon's nodes, and that of her apogee. They supposed that the former accomplished a complete revolution in 6585 days, or 18 years, 15 days, 8 hours ; which period containing 223 complete lunations, is usually called the Chaldean Suros: and although, as far as we can find, they did not attempt to assign the quantity of the last-mentioned motion, and differed in the former from what modern and more accurate observations shew; yet, when we consider the numberless disadvantages under which they laboured, we have great reason to admire their assiduity and skill, and to lament that so very small a portion of their labours has been handed down to us.

It has been supposed, that few only of these observations were made with any tolerable degree of accuracy; and that much the greater part consisted only of the achronical, cosmical, and heliacal risings and settings of the fixed stars and planets: some of them, however, we are assured, were of more consequence, and deserved to have been preserved with greater care than they have been.

Ptolemy, from Hipparchus, gives us several observations of lunar eclipses, which had been made at Babylon. The oldest of them is above 720 years before Christ; but we are not to conclude, that this industrious astronomer could meet with none of a more early

date; the chronology of the Chaldeans was very imperfect, before the æra of Nabonassar, which began 747 years before Christ. It would, therefore, have been very absurd in Hipparchus, to employ eclipses which had been observed before that period, in determining the motion of the Moon, when the times of such eclipses could not be ascertained on this account.

We are informed by Aristotle, that there were amongst them, many observations of the occultations of fixed stars and planets, by the Moon: and from hence, by a very natural and easy inference, they were led to conclude, that eclipses of the Sun were caused by the interposition of the same body; and so much the more so, as they were well aware, from their knowledge of the Moon's motion, that this

That the Chaldeans had a considerable share in forming the fixed stars into constellations, is allowed by every one. This indeed appears from the names of several; but more especially from those which are mentioned in the book of Job, and other parts of the holy scriptures.

Their Saros, as mentioned above, consisting of 223 lunations, is an undeniable instance of their having made considerable advances in the knowledge of the motions of the two luminaries. Geminus calls this period a revolution, and attributes it to the Ancients; by which word he means the ancient Chaldeans, or Babylonians, before the conquest of Babylon. The mean solar year of the Chaldeans, which results from this period, is 365 d. 5h. 49′ 30′′, or 30" longer than De la Hire and Cassini made it, and 33" longer than Newton ; but shorter by 6′ 25′′ than Hipparchus supposed it to be.

What has hitherto been said of the Chaldeans is much to their honour, since it shews the great proficiency which they had made in the knowledge of the nature and the motions of the heavenly bodies. But it is to be regretted, that with these vast acquirements, they should be so deluded by such a vain and senseless belief of judicial astrology, that a Chaldean became a common name for any one, who made a profession of foretelling future events by observing the position of the stars and planets.

[To be continued.]

INTERESTING TRIAL OF A BLAS-
PHEMER.

We copy the following article from an American paper of a recent date:

There is in the American code, an unrepealed Act of Assembly, of the year 1700, which punishes with a fine of ten pounds, for the use of the poor, or an imprisonment to hard labour for three months, every person, who " shall wilfully, premeditatedly, and despite