the second is, because its proper motion is not in the plane of the apparent revolution of the heavens, owing to the obliquity of the ecliptic. To make the inequality of the proper motion arising from the eccentricity of the orbit disappear, we imagine a second sun to move uniformly in the ecliptic, and to arrive at the extremity of the major axis, at the same instant with the true sun. To make the inequality arising from the obliquity of the ecliptic disappear, we imagine a third sun to move uniformly in the equator, so as to pass the equinoxes at the same moment with the second sun. The interval between the transits of the third sun constitutes the mean solar day; that between any two consecutive transits of the true sun, the true solar day; and the difference between these days is the equation of time. It is to the motion of this third sun, or to mean time, we adjust our clocks and watches; and we obtain it always from the true time by applying the equation of time, which is beforehand accurately calculated for every day and hour of the year. In these remarks, we have supposed the position of the equinoxes and the obliquity of the ecliptic to be constant. They both however are variable; and it is important to ascertain the effect which their variations will have on the length of the mean day. This has been done by Laplace, who has proved that its length will be altered only a few seconds in the course of many millions of years. (Méchanique Celeste. B. V. Ch. 1.) The return of the second sun to the vernal equinox determines the tropical year. I ought properly to say something here relative to the determination of the length of the year, and to the several revisions which have been had of the calendar. I have already, how ever, unduly extended my remarks upon this branch of our subject, and must pass on to others. In the third place: although the appearances both on land and sea, and particularly the changes in the zenith distances of the stars, which are so very observable in travelling towards either pole, did at an early period suggest the idea of the earth's surface being in some manner curved; yet the notions entertained were generally fanciful and incorrect; as that of Aristotle's, for instance, who supposed the curvature to extend but in one direction, or in other words, that the earth was shaped like a drum. Further observation soon, indeed, corrected this, and other equally absurd notions, and induced the scientific of those early ages to settle down in the opinion that its shape was a perfect sphere. Under this supposition, we find Anaximander, Eratosthenes and Posidonius, making rude attempts at its measurement and the location of places upon its surface. It was not, however, until astronomy had attained a greater degree of perfection, that the true figure and size of the earth beceme known. Modern astronomy furnishes four methods by which this important problem may be solved. The first is, by the actual measurement of arcs of meridians and of parallels on different parts of its surface. The principle on which this method is founded, is extremely simple. The difference between the zenith distances of the same star observed at any two places on the same meridian, is the celestial arc which measures the distance between the zeniths of these places; and the distance between the places themselves is the length of the corresponding terrestrial arc; and as this celestial arc is to 360 degrees, so is the length of the terrestrial arc to the whole circumference of the earth. Thus, on the day of the summer solstice, Eratosthenes observed at Syene, that the sun shone perpendicular into a well, and that the tallest objects had no shadow. The sun, therefore, was in the zenith of that place. On the same day the sun was observed at Alexandria to be 7° 12′ to the south of the zenith, and consequently this was the difference between the zeniths of the two places. Then as 7° 12′: 360°:: 5000 stadia (the measured distance between Alexandria and Syene) 250,000 stadia nearly, the circumference of the earth. This method as applied by Eratosthenes was very de fective. The zenith distance of the sun at Alexandria, was observed with a very imperfect instrument; no allowance was made for atmospheric refraction-for the parallax and semi-diameter of the sun-and the dis tance between Alexandria and Syene was rudely measured along the surface of the earth. But modern science has brought this method to a great degree of perfection, and as conducted in England by Colonel Mudge, in France by Delambre and Mechain, in Peru by Bouguer and La Condamine, and in Lapland by Clairaut and Maupertuis, is one of the proudest monuments of the scientific character of the age. lengths of a degree of the meridian, when thus measured under different latitudes are found to be unequal. They increase from the equator to the pole, and very nearly in the ratio of the squares of the sines of latitude. These data being ascertained, it is a simple mathematical problem to determine the solid of revolu tion which is best adapted to them. We thus find the earth to be an elliptic spheriod, whose equatorial radius is equal to 3962.6 miles, and polar radius to 3949.7 miles; its compression being represented by the fraction 1-309 nearly. The The second method is, by observing the intensity of gravitation at different points on the earth's surface; which is done very accurately by means of the seconds pendulum. The length of a pendulum vibrating seconds is found to increase from the equator to the poles in the ratio of the squares of the sines of latitude. Instead then of the measured length of a degree on different parts of a meridian, as in the former case, we may employ the lengths of a pendulum which vibrates seconds at these same points; since they increase according to the same law. And this method indeed is to be preferred somewhat to the former one, because it is easier of application, and the irregularities of the earth, affect the observations in a much less sensible manner. The third method is, by observing the inequalities in the motion of the moon, which result from the want of perfect sphericity in the earth, and comparing the values derived from observation, with those which result from theory, on the supposition that the earth is an elliptic spheriod, which exerts upon the moon an action modified by its figure. Pontécoulant considers this as the most wonderful result of the application of analysis to the law of universal attraction, and as meriting a very important place in the history of the progress of the human mind. Laplace first conceived the idea, and in his immortal work, the Mechan que Celeste, has developed it in all its details. Employing the observations of Burg, he finds the compression of the earth equal to 1-304; which, considering the difficulties encumbering every other method, is to be relied on as the most correct determination. The fourth and last method is, by the nutation of the earth's axis, and the precession of the equinoxes. This does not determine the ellipticity of the earth precisely, but defines limits within which its value must of necessity lie. These limits are 1-279 and 1-578. (See Theorie Analytique du Systeme du Monde, par Pontécoulant. T. II, p. 475.) In the fourth place: how may we ascertain our true position on this globe of ours? In principle just as we should ascertain the position of any point upon that floor. By measurement we should obtain its perpendi cular distance from two adjacent walls. This would perfectly define the point, so that we could locate it accurately upon a plot of the floor, were it required. So it is with regard to places upon the surface of the earth. We refer them to two fixed circles at right angles to each other; the one, any assumed meridian, and the other, the equinoctial line. The only difference is, that instead of measuring, as in the instance of a point on the floor, in a straight line, and reckoning in feet and inches; we measure along circles, and reckon in degrees, minutes and seconds. The distance of a place from the equinoctial line we call latitude, and its distance from the assumed meridian we call longitude. I can here but breifly allude to some of the simplest methods of find ing these two elements; and shall confine myself entirely to the principles upon which they are based. During the apparent revolution of the heavens, there are two points which have no motion. These are called poles of the heavens, and the one which is visible to us is the north pole. Upon any clear night the stars near this pole may be seen to describe circles whose circumferences are greater in proportion to their distances from it; and all, whose distances are less than the altitude of the pole above the horizon, will never set. Such are called circumpolar stars. It may be readily proved that the latitude of any place is equal to the altitude of the pole above the horizon of that place. If then the pole were a point visibly marked out in the heavens, we should only have to take its altitude with a suitable instrument and apply the correction for refraction, nutation, &c. to obtain the latitude of a place. But the pole is not thus visibly marked, though there is a star of the second magnitude very near to it. It however will add but little to the difficulty of the problem, to observe the greatest and least altitudes of a circumpolar star: the mean between which will be evidently the altitude of the pole, or which is the same thing, the latitude of the place. Again, the distance from the zenith to the equator (which is the latitude,) is equal to 90° minus the altitude of the plane of the equator above the horizon. But the meridian altitude of the sun, plus or minus its declination, according as it is south or north, is equal to the altitude of the equator. This then is another very ready method of observing the latitude of a place; and is by no means confined to the sun. Any planet or fixed star will serve our purpose as well. Other methods, as by the altitudes of any two fixed stars-by two altitudes of the same star-by the hour angle and azimuth of the sun, while they are simple enough in practice, are too complicated to explain in a popular way. the night of the 28th it is agreed to explode a sky-rocket in the neighborhood of Cumberland Court House, and that it may be seen from both this place and Richmond. On the appointed night, two observers, the one in Lynchburg and the other in Richmond, take their stations at clocks nicely adjusted to the local times of the two places, and keep a look out for the expected explosion. On account of the great velocity of light, they will both see it at the same instant of absolute time; and each notes down the moment of its occurrence as indicated by his clock. By comparing these moments with each other, the difference of longitude in time is at once determined. Now in place of the sky-rocket, substitute an eclipse of one of Jupiter's satellites, or an immersion of one of them into the shadow of its primary, or the beginning or ending of an eclipse of the moon, or the true conjunction of the sun and moon in an eclipse of the sun, and you will have the principle of several valuable and practical methods of finding the longitude. But the phenomena just spoken of, occur but occasionally, and require a telescope of moderate power. And considering how frequently the longitude is required at sea, it is highly desirable to devise a method which may be employed daily if circumstances demand. Such a method we have in lunar distances, first hinted at by Werner, and applied by Frisius; and afterwards perfected by Halley, La Caille and Maskalyne. The principle of this method is simple, though its application is laborious. If the face of a clock were visibly traced out in the heavens in characters so legible that all the world could read them, (See Herschel,) and were nicely adjusted to Greenwich mean time; from the remarks which I have made it is obvious, that by the comparison of the local time of any place with that indicated by this celestial clock, we should at once obtain the difference of longitude between Greenwich and The problem of finding the longitude of a place is not that place. Such a clock we have, unlike indeed our quite so easily resolved, although several methods have artificial ones in its construction, yet free from their been devised for this purpose. They all, however, are errors and derangements, and therefore greatly to be based upon a common principle, to explain which, we preferred, although a little more difficult to be interpreted. must first draw a distinction between absolute and local The apparent concave sphere is the dial-plate-the time. Absolute time is reckoned from some epoch com- fixed stars are the figures engraven upon its face-and mon to the whole earth, as for instance, the arrival of the moon is the moveable index, which points out by the sun at the equinox; while local time is reckoned its position among the stars the local time of that place from some epoch peculiar to a place, such for example, to which this celestial clock is set. It is adjusted to as the arrival of the sun to the meridian of a place, and Greenwich time in the following manner. The lunar is different for different places. Every well adjusted tables have been brought to such a degree of perfection clock shows local mean time, and without alteration, by the analytical researches of Laplace and the nuwould not answer for any other place under a different merical calculations of Delambre, that we may ascermeridian. A watch, for example, adjusted to the mean tain years before hand and for any given moment the time of Lynchburg, would not answer for Richmond or precise angular distance of the moon from any fixed Nashville. Now, in what does this difference between star. These calculations are made for very short interthe local times of any two places, consist? In nothing vals of time and for the meridian of Greenwich and more than the lapse of time which the sun requires to inserted in the nautical almanac. Then if at any place, pass from the meridian of the one place to that of the as at this for instance, by means of a suitable instruother; and since it passes over 360° in 24 hours, it will ment, we observe the distance of the moon from any pass over 150 in one hour, and so on proportionally for noted fixed star near to and in the direction of its path, shorter intervals of time. So that if we knew the dif- together with the altitudes of the moon and star, we ference of the local times of any two places, we should have the data necessary for calculating the precise hour know their difference of longitude, by simply converting of the observation and the true distance corresponding the difference of their times into degrees, minutes and to that hour. Opposite this true distance in the nautiseconds, on the principle above explained. If a watch cal almanac, the corresponding Greenwich time is tabuthen, perfectly regular in its motion, were adjusted to lated. The difference of these times, is the difference Lynchburg time, and being transported to Richmond, of longitude, as in the former methods. It may be well were placed by the side of one equally regular and adjusted to the time of that place, a simple comparison of their faces would give us the difference of the longitudes of the two places. But watches and clocks cannot be made to run with perfect regularity. Much indeed has been done to bring them to a considerable degree of perfection, and for the space of a few hours their irregularity may be rendered quite imperceptible. To have the full advantage, however, of a time-piece, it must be stationary and its rate of going tested frequently by delicate observations. This is incompatible with its removal from place to place, as above spoken of;-but this difficulty may be thus obviated. Suppose, that on to remark here, that though the details of this method are numerous and tedious, its accuracy in the hands of skilful observers, has been abundantly tested-especially in the voyages of Maskelyne and Rossel. These are the most important methods of calculating the position of places on the earth. And of what immense advantage are they to the interests of mankind! Without them, each one's knowledge of the earth would have been limited to his own narrow observations and the vague and uncertain information of itinerants. Maps and charts, and a science of geography, would have been unknown. No whitening sail would have been seen upon that vast expanse of waters which separates our continents: and no country could have had any other commerce than such as might be carried on along its winding shores and its inland streams. In the fifth place: the interests of every commercial people, require that all measures of length, weight and capacity in use among them be uniform. They cannot be so rendered unless proper units be assumed, by comparison with which all others may from time to time be tested, and if erroneous, corrected. New measures are not generally taken immediately from these assumed units, but from others which have been so taken; and as it is extremely difficult, if not impossible to cut two rods of precisely the same length, after a while, errors of a considerable magnitude arise: as one may convince himself by referring to a Report made to the U. S. Senate in 1821, on "Weights and Measures," by J. Q. Adams; or to one more recently made in accordance with a resolution of Congress by F. S. Hassler. For example, the Winchester bushel was made, by an act of Congress, the standard dry measure of capacity, and ordered to be used in all the custom houses throughout the Union. But in Hassler's "Report," we find the bushel measure at Newburn, N. C., containing 87lbs. 8oz. of distilled water at 400 of Fahrenheit, while that at Washington, N. C. contained only 72lbs. 12oz. Here we have a difference of 14lbs. 12oz. between these two measures purporting to be the same. Again, the capacity of the bushel at Bath, Me., is recorded as being 1925 cubic inches-that at Norfolk, Va., 22254 cubic inches-and that at Plymouth, Mass., 2359 cubic inches. Between the two former, there is a difference of 300 cubic inches; and between the first and third, a difference of no less than 434 cubic inches. These reports show similar diversities among the measures of length and weight. With a view to correct these errors, proceedings were instituted by Congress in 1831, under the personal supervision of Mr. Hassler, by whom the necessary units were procured and laid up in the Department of State, and correct copies distributed to the various custom houses. The units of measure to be employed in this adjustment, were declared by an act of Congress to be as follows; viz: the troy pound, made by Capt. Kater, in 1824, for the U. S. Mint, and at the special request of Mr. Gallatin, was adopted as the unit of weights. This pound is subdivided into 5760 grains, and the pound avoirdupois made to consist of 7000 such grains. The bushel was made the unit of dry measure, and contains 77.6274lbs. avoir. of distilled water at 40° Fahrenheit. The gallon was made the unit of liquid measure, and contains 8.33888lbs. avoirdupois of distilled water at the same temperature. A copy of the yard laid up in the Exchequer of England, and made by Thomas Jones of London at the request of our State Department, was made the unit of length. cation of the pendulum, depends upon two principles immediately deduced from the law of gravitation. The first is, that the vibrations of a pendulum are isochronal, provided the arcs of vibration be extremely small. The second is, that the same pendulum will perform an equal number of vibrations in equal portions of time, provided its length remains unaltered. The immediate deduction from the last mentioned property is, that the length of a pendulum made to virbrate seconds at any place is an invariable quantity. Now by an act of Parliament, the yard is declared to be made up of 36 equal parts, the length of each of these being such, that 39 of them and 134-1000 of a part shall constitute the length of a seconds pendulum vibrating under the circumstances above mentioned. Should every measuring rod in the kingdom, together with all measures of weight and capacity, be destroyed, how easy would be the task to restore them. For this purpose, we have only on the prescribed latitude, in the vacuum of an air pump and at 600 F., to so adjust the length of a pendulum, that it shall perform 86,164 oscillations during the revolution of a fixed star. Then if the length of this pendulum be divided into 39.134 equal parts, thirty six of these will be the yard. Having thus restored the unit of linear measures, those of weight and capacity follow of course, since by the act of Parliament above referred to, they are made to depend upon linear measurement. It may be well just here to remark, that the mutual convertibility of the points of suspension and oscillation in the compound pendulum, as practically applied by Capt. Kater, enables us to measure the length of the seconds pendulum with extreme accuracy. The standard above explained is not without its objections. One far more elegant and scientific, though not so readily applied, is that employed by the French. The 1-10,000,000th part of the quadrant of a meridian they assumed to be the metre-their unit of linear measure. In order to recover it at any time, it is only necessary to measure the quadrant of the meridian with a rod of any arbitrary and unknown length. Suppose the length of the meridian proves to be 8,000,000 of this arbitrary rod. This rod then is to the metre as 10,000,000 to 8,000,000, or as 10 to 8. In other words, if this rod be divided into 10 equal parts, 8 of them will be the length of the metre. Doubtless an error will occur in measuring the quadrant of the meridian: but only the 1-10,000,000th part of this can effect the metre. (For fuller details see Base du Systeme Metrique.) In the sixth place: the application of astronomical science to the determination of chronological dates, is one in which the learned have always been deeply interested. To such a degree of perfection have the solar and lunar tables been brought, that the state of the heavens at any former period may be ascertained with great precision. Any well attested observation, therefore, made by ancient astronomers, enables us to ascertain the time at which the observation was made. I must limit myself to two or three illustrations It is evident that all our measures of length, weight and capacity are referred to these particular units, and by comparison with them, are to be corrected. But these units are liable to be lost by fire, by foreign inva- In an ancient volume, which escaped the general consion, or by some other accident. And if not so; yet by flagration of the Chinese books by order of the emperor use and by corrosion, the metals of which they are Tsin-chi-hoang, 246 years before the christian era, there composed may perceptibly wear away. How important is recorded an observation of Tcheou-Koung: by which then is it to fix some standard of measures, which will he ascertained that at the city of Loyang, a gnomon of be independent of moral revolutions, so that it may be 8 Chinese feet cast, on the day of summer solstice, a consulted centuries hence with the same results we ob- shadow of 1.5 feet: and on the day of winter solstice a tain now; and to which the units above spoken of may shadow of 13 feet. These measured lengths of the themselves be referred for correction if erroneous, or for shadows at the two solstices, enable us to deduce the restoration if lost. In not containing a provision of extreme distances of the sun from the zenith of Loyang. this sort, the act of Congress on " Weights and Mea- Indeed, in each case the zenith distance is nothing more sures" is manifestly defective. The governments of than the angle which the solar rays made with the England and France have paid very special attention to axis of the gnomon, the tangent of which in the first, is this point. The former has adopted as a standard, the expressed by 1.5-8, and in the second by 13-8. After length of a pendulum vibrating seconds on the parallel of making the necessary corrections for the semi-diameter London in the vacuum of an air-pump and at 60° of F. of the sun, parallax and refraction, we find the zenith The latter the one-10,000,000th part of the quadrant of distance at the summer solstice to be 10° 53′ 7.51; a meridian. These are the only standards as yet and the zenith distance at the winter solstice to be known; and their accuracy depends upon the improved 580 41' 13.81. The half sum of thes distances, viz: state of astronomy and the arts. This beautiful appli- | 34° 47′ 10′′.66, is the latitude of Loyang ;—the half dif ference, viz: 23° 54′ 3′′.15, is the obliquity of the ecliptic | the magnitudes and distances of the heavenly bodies, at the time of observation. But this obliquity is a va- are fanciful and false. This, however, is a mistake. riable quantity, whose law of variation is well known, By measuring the height of the building we now occupy, and by which we can determine what the obliquity was and by taking the angles at its summit and base beat any given time past, or at what time the obliquity tween a vertical line, and an imaginary oue drawn to was of a given value. The time corresponding to its any distant point, as for example to the top of the value as deduced from the above observation, is 1100 Peaks of Otter, every schoolboy knows that the distance years B. C. This determination is altogether accurate, of that point from us becomes known. Such precisely provided the observation of the Chinese philosopher be is the solution of the problem for find ng the distance of so. This, however, can be tested; and as follows. the earth from the sun. And I venture to assert, that Geographers agree that the place formerly called Loy- a mechanic could not by means of a foot rule, ascertain ang, is now called Hou-an-fou. Three observations on the length of this floor, without making a proportionathe latitude of this place, performed by Father Gaubie, ble error greater than that which enters into our estia learned missionary to China, give for its value 340 mated distance from the sun. For, if in applying the 47/ 13; which differs but 2/ from the result of Tcheou-rule successively along the floor about 50 times, he Koung. (See Biot or Freret.) should make an error of only the one fiftieth of an inch, The next example I will introduce in the words of this will allow an error of 3,200 miles in an equally Bailey as quoted by Brayley. "There is probably no accurate measurement of the distance of the earth from fact in ancient history, that has given rise to so much the sun-an error so great, that it is excluded by the interest as the solar eclipse, mentioned by Herodotus, perfection of modern astronomical instruments. This and which, owing to a singular coincidence, put an end distance is thus found to be about 96,000,000 of miles: to a furious war that raged between Cyaxares, king of and its diameter, which is readily deduced from its disMedia, and Alyattes, king of Lydia. According to the tance, such that if its centre coincided with that of the account given by that historian, the contest had con- earth, its radius would extend to nearly double the distinued five years: in the sixth, there was a sort of noctur-tance of the moon from us, although the distance of this nal combat. For, after an equal fortune on both sides, satellite is not less than 237,000 miles. Far as the and whilst the two armies were engaging, the day sud-earth seems to be from the sun, yet it is near compared denly became night. The Lydians and the Medes, see- with the distance of the planet Uranus. At this point ing that the night had thus taken the place of the day, our progress is stayed-a point, seen from which, our own desisted from the combat, and both parties became sun is reduced to a mere speck. Beyond this utmost desirous of making peace. The fact is here very clearly verge of our own system, and between it and the nearrelated; but, unfortunately, there is nothing, either in est star, "there is a great gulf fixed," which it is impos the statement itself, or in the contiguous passages to sible for calculation to pass. Forsaking the infinitesidetermine, with any degree of accuracy, the time mal dimensions of our own globe, we eagerly seize wherein this singular phenomenon took place. And upon the diameter of our orbit as the base of a triangle this is the more to be regretted, because the dates of whose apex shall extend to the stars. But sublime as several other events, might be determined if the era of the assumption is, it proves ineffectual: for our orbit this eclipse were correctly known." itself, whose diameter is 192,000,000 of miles, dwindles to a mere point compared with the distance of the nearest fixed star. But there is abundant reason to believe that the fixed stars are of the same nature with our sun, and made to fulfil similar offices of shedding light and heat to attendant planets; and from what we know of our own system, we cannot put from us the conclusion that all of the others are contrived for the abode of animated and rational creatures. How magnificent is the scale of creation here presented to us! Where shall we find a parallel? Whether we consider the number--the magnitude-the distances of the heavenly bodies-or the ends they probably subserve, we are at once elevated to conceptions by far too vast for the grasp of a finite mind. Here is an exhibition which overwhelms us with the omnipotence of Him who spake, and it was done! I cannot forbear to add, that the use made of such contemplations by the eloquent Psalmist, was no less philosophical than devout. Feeling the full force of the argument of the existence and the power of God drawn from the grandeur of the universe, he exclaims--"The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard." That many very eminent cultivators of this science have been infidels, and some of them atheists, I am ready to admit. But this is only another confirmation of the well established truth: that without These instances will serve to show, in what manner the light of Revelation and those corresponding affechistory owes its best established dates to astronomy. tions of heart which it is intended to produce, man sees In the sixth and last place: passing by many very not God in the works of his power. The whole history interesting relations which astronomy bears to other of our species abundantly confirms this remark. To sciences, I will conclude this lecture with a few remarks take but one instance, and that a very familiar one: in upon the vast conceptions of the power of God, which what age or portion of the world, was there ever exthis science above all others impresses upon the mind-hibited a development of mental energy, surpassing to say nothing of his wisdom and goodness which we find everywhere displayed in the laws which he has chosen for the government of all those various motions which we observe in the universe. It is too frequently supposed that the estimates of astronomers relative to From other sources we know that this eclipse must have occurred between the years 580 and 650 B. C. It is only necessary then to calculate all the solar eclipses visible in Asia Minor during this interval of 70 years: a labor which has been performed with ability by Bailey. And in all this time, he found only one eclipse which fulfilled the conditions required. This happened on Sept. 30th, 610 B. C. It was total, to part of Asia Minor, Armenia and Media; "and the path of the moon's umbra lay in the very track in which the two hostile armies probably met. For it passed over the mouth of the Halys, just at the point at which Crasus, the immediate successor of Alyattes, crossed that river in order to attack the Median empire." The last illustration I shall give, under this head of our subject, is the detection of an error of upwards of four years in the vulgar era of our Saviour's birth-an era which owes its origin to Dionysius Exiguus, a Roman abbot. Josephus records an eclipse of the moon as happening during the last illness of Herod. This eclipse by computation, must have occurred on March 13th, 4710 of the Julian period. Our Saviour was born at that time; for Herod sought the life of the young child. The latest time, therefore, at which we can fix the era of his birth, is about the end of the year 4709 of the Julian period; whereas our vulgar era places it in the year 4713-at least four years too late. that which adorned the republic of Greece? It was the country of a line of heroes from Codrus to Philopemen There, the sculptured marble and the painted canvass were well nigh made to breathe. There flowed the majestic numbers of a Homer, and the exquisitely po VOL. IV.-17 lished measures of a Sophocles. There the spirit was Find tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, SOMETHING ON SONNETS. "Scorn not the Sonnet! Critic, you have frown'd His visionary brow: a glow-worm lamp, It cheered mild Spenser, called from Faery-land To struggle through dark ways: and, when a damp The thing became a trumpet, whence he blew Wordsworth. "ON MY BLINDNESS. "When I consider how my light is spent Nor can I quite agree with the critic when he describes the merits of Shakspeare's sonnets as "independent, if not in despite, of their form." I had occasion to turn over Steevens the other day to find some clue to one of Shakspeare's disputed passages, while preparing an article upon the Text of Shakspeare for the Messenger, and I remember to have met, among the notes of that critic, this same idea, in a more extended form: and I could not help turning to the following, as pregnant proofs of the invalidity of the criticism. He is addressing an imaginary mistress, the eidolon of nearly all his sonnetizing. "Oh how much more doth beauty beauteous seem, Of their sweet deaths are sweetest odors made: But if that be all a Sonnet should be, what degree of I summon up remembrance of things past, I sigh for lack of many a thing I sought, A most admirable review of the poetry of William worth shall this be measured by, that follows? Wordsworth, in the first pages of the December Mes-"When to the sessions of sweet silent thought senger, contains some reflections upon the Sonnet, which have set me upon the whim-wham of weaving a chaplet of those delightful poems for the pages of the February number. I do not mean to prove, or disprove anything in this undertaking, more than to prove my own love of that species of verse, and to disprove, if I can, the validity of the arguments which critics are too much in the habit of using, while attempting to decry it. The remark, for instance, of the Wordsworth critic in the Messenger, in relation to Milton, that his sonnets "have been nobly redeemed from oblivion by a few happy ideas, grand thoughts, and eminently poetical lines: but-not wrought with the fine polish and artist-like finish which become the Sonnet;"-is one to which I must begin this (anything I have in my possession a beautiful edition of "Spebut critical) article, with taking a decided exception.cimens of English Sonnets," dedicated to Mr. WordsAnd I shall transcribe one of the great poet's Sonnets worth, in the notes of the editor of which, the Rev. to bear me out. Mr. Dyce, I observe the Sonnets of Wordsworth clas |