Bigots may make thee recant it; but it moves, nevertheless. Yes, the
earth moves, and the planets move, and the mighty waters move, and the
great sweeping tides of air move, and the empires of men move, and the
world of thought moves, ever onward and upward to higher facts and
bolder theories. The Inquisition may seal thy lips, but they can no more
stop the progress of the great truth propounded by Copernicus, and
demonstrated by thee, than they can stop the revolving earth.

Close now, venerable sage, that sightless, tearful eye; it has seen
what man never before saw--it has seen enough. Hang up that poor
little spy-glass--it has done its work. Not Herschell nor Rosse have,
comparatively, done more. Franciscans and Dominicans deride thy
discoveries now; but the time will come when, from two hundred
observatories in Europe and America, the glorious artillery of science
shall nightly assault the skies, but they shall gain no conquests in
those glittering fields before which thine shall be forgotten. Rest in
peace, great Columbus of the heavens--like him scorned, persecuted,
broken-hearted!--in other ages, in distant hemispheres, when the
votaries of science, with solemn acts of consecration, shall dedicate
their stately edifices to the cause of knowledge and truth, thy name
shall be mentioned with honor.


NEW PERIODS IN ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCE.

It is not my intention, in dwelling with such emphasis upon the
invention of the telescope, to ascribe undue importance, in promoting
the advancement of science, to the increase of instrumental power.
Too much, indeed, cannot be said of the service rendered by its
first application in confirming and bringing into general repute the