It is a question among the learned, whether those stones which have, at different periods, fallen upon the earth from the air, and are called corolites, are thrown from these volcanoes. The existence of volcanoes in the moon being admitted, it is thought, by some astronomers, that a stone might be projected from one of them with sufficient force to carry it beyond the attraction of the moon, and within that of the earth. Indeed, it is estimated that no greater force is requisite to accomplish it than that of five and a half times that of a cannon ball; and our volcanoes have thrown out masses of stone which must have issued from their craters with a greater velocity than that, to reach the distance at which they fell. This opinion is combatted, however, by many learned men, though M. Arago says: "It is the most probable of all, and hitherto the only one that satisfies all the phenomena observed." The surface of the moon must present to the eye of the spectator far more varied, romantic, and sublime scenery, than is presented to the beholder anywhere on the surface of the sublunary sphere. The better to form an idea of some of these scenes, let us exercise our imagination in placing us in the midst of a vast plain, 100 miles in circumference, surrounded on all sides by a vast amphitheatre of mountains, of various forms, and rising two or three miles above us, piercing the very vault of heaven as it were, and from the centre of this plain rising a mile and a half above its level a conical mountain. From the summit of this central mountain, still towering far above our heads, we might contemplate, spread out on every side of us, an extensive plain, bounded by one continuous range of mountains, rearing their summits to the sky. Another, and almost entirely different scene, and no less romantic and sublime, would be presented to our view from the top of the surrounding mountains; these vast plains, craggy precipices, rugged, mountains and immense caverns, sinking, seemingly into the bowels of the planet, from without the opposite circular range, the plains below and the mountain rising perpendicularly from its bosom, would be distinctly visible. Here, our conceptions of the power and resources of the Almighty are enlarged, and we perceive that our former ideas of our Creator, were exceedingly limited. After surveying the earth, its vast oceans and the numerous islands interspersed over their surfaces, its extensive continents, the towering and unbroken chains of mountains, of every size and shape, the vales and dells, hills and plains, the innumerable gradations in the vegetable kingdom, from the lofty sycamore to the microscopic parasite on the leaves of roses, the dark hues of forests, the verdure of the meadows, the towering cliffs, rugged precipices, and the curved surfaces of every landscape; the rills, rivers, cataracts, lakes, and seas; and the innumerable shades of coloring appearing in every part of sublunary nature, which diversify their surfaces, and the immense space in the scale of animal life which intervenes, between an animalcule magnified 500,000 times, and a whale one hundred feet long and twenty broad; its atmosphere diversified by huge and variegated clouds, we find that the Creator's resources are not yet exhausted. For, on lifting our eyes to the firmament of heaven, and beholding that glorious orb, suspended in illimitable space, appropriately denominated the "Queen of Night," we behold other works, equally displaying the mechanism of their Divine Author, emanating from the same great Source; we may, indeed, say, exceeding in magnificence and sublimity, the displays of divine workmanship, on this terrestrial sphere.On the earth, the mountains stretch in nearly a direct line from north to south, or from east to west; while on the lunar planet, they are, for the most part, of a cup-shaped form, enclosing like a mighty rampart, plains of various dimensions, from 3 to 40 miles in diameter. While on our globe, the plains are nearly level, on the surface of the moon, there are hundreds of plains, sunk as it were, two miles below the general level of the surrounding country. On this orb, we perceive insulated mountains, rising from the midst of vast plains, more than two miles in elevation-circular basins or caverns, both in the plains, and on the summits and declivities of mountains, and these caverns, again indented with smaller ones of similar forms; and there are also plains far more level and extensive, than on the earth. In a word, the mountain scenery and general appearance of the moon's surface differs as much from our globe, as the wastes and wilds of Southern Africa, from the cultivated plains of Western Europe. The quantity of light derived from the moon, as estimated by Mons. Boyuer, as stated by La Place, is 300,000 times less than that of the sun; as by Professor Leslie 150,000. It was formerly reckoned 100,000 times less. says, The moon has no clouds, rain, or snow; but from the observations of Schroeter, it seems highly probable it has an atmosphere, but it is much less dense than ours. Hence, its climate must be very extraordinary, changing at once from a scorching sunshine, uninterrupted for a fortnight, to the keenest cold of a biting frost, far exceeding in intensity our Artic winters, for the same space of time. Sir John Herschell "that owing to the small density of the materials of the moon, museular force will go there six times as far as it will on the earth." The moon has no large collections of water, like the seas and oceans on the earth, but it is thought probable that it may have small lakes and rivers. Astronomers of the first order tell us, that the dusky spots, commonly called seas, when closely examined, present appearances not to be reconciled with deep water, refuting the old opinion, that water could be seen in the moon. It is supposed that the immense excavations called cavities, may once have been the beds of oceans, seas, lakes and rivers. Telescopes must be improved, before we shall be able to ascertain whether the moon is inhabited or not. But from a consideration of the sublime scenery, and the beneficence of the Creator, it is to be presumed that it is inhabited by sentient and intelligent beings. Professor Frauenhover, of Munich, announced some time since, the discovery of a lunar edifice, resembling a fortification, and of several lines of roads. From the observations of Prof. Gruithausen and Schroeter, they conclude that vegetation extends, on the surface of the moon, from 55 deg. of latitude south, to 65 deg. of latitude, north. They also conjecture the existence of a great city to the north of Marius, (a spot in the moon,) of an extensive canal near Hygena, (another spot) and represents part of the spot, Mare Imprium, to be as fertile as the Campania. A telescope which magnifies 100, 1223 yards in diameter, and one magnifying 1,000 times, will show any object on her surface whose dimensions are only 122 yards; not much exceeding the dimensions of some of our public edifices. Herschell's forty feet reflector, which magnifies 6,000 times, would enable us to view the moon, as though it were situate at no greater distance than 40 miles. The number of remarkable spots on the Moon, whose latitude and longitude have been accurately ascertained, exceeds two hundred. The number of seas and lakes, as they were formerly considered, whose length and breadth are known, is between 20 and 30; and the number of peaks and mountains, whose elevation varies from one-fourth of a mile to five miles in height, and whose bases are from one to seventy miles in length, is not less than one hundred and fifty. It is asserted by Lord Ross, that if there are any structures one hundred yards high, by means of his monster telescope they will be visible. Such is the newspaper story, but newspaper tales are not always to be trusted. Such ideas fill the mind with reverence, veneration and adoration, for that incomprehensible and omnicient Being, who, from nothing, brought such stupendous bodies into existence. "The mind," says a profound philosopher and devout christian, "is bewildered and confounded when it attempts to dwell on such subjects; it feels the narrow limits of its present faculties; it longs for the power of a seraph, to enable it to take a more expansive flight into those regions which the eye hath not seen;"" and while destitute of these, and chained down to this obscure corner of creation, can only exclaim: "Who can, by searching, find out God? Great is our Lord, and of great might; His understanding is infinite! Great and marvelous Lord God Almighty!" Let us, in the meanwhile, from the study of such subjects, catch the sentiment of one of old, who says: "When I consider the Heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and stars, which thou hast ordained, what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? "Whether we choose to indulge in ignorance, or to prosecute the path of knowledge; to loiter in indolence, or to exert our active powers with unremitting energy; to mingle with social beings, or to fly to the haunts of solitude-we feel a vacuum in the mind which nothing around us can fill up; a longing after new objects and enjoyments, which nothing earthly can fully satisfy. Regardless of the past and unsatisfied with the present, the soul of man feasts itself on the hope of enjoyments it never yet possessed." Hope springs eternal in the human breast, MUSINGS. Original. BY FRANCES D. GAGE. When day is declining, and calmly and still, When lov'd forms come stealing in throngs to the heart, Life may be compared to a garden in bloom, And these soon withholding their sweets from the sight, Then why sit repining o'er loves that are past, While we bless the true-hearted that cling to us still. |