Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 39.djvu/860

840 which Jupiter inflicted upon its orbit," and contributed accounts of the phenomena to the Boston newspapers.

Like the earthquake already mentioned, the comet of 1759 aroused considerable popular apprehension, and the following passage from one of his lectures, in which the professor essayed to calm this feeling, will serve as a good sample of his style: "It may not be unseasonable to remark, for a conclusion, that as, on the one hand, it argues a temerity unworthy a philosophic mind, to explode every apprehension of danger from comets, as if it were impossible that any damage could ever be occasioned by any of them, because some idle and superstitious fancies have in times of ignorance prevailed concerning them; so on the other, to be thrown into a panic whenever a comet appears, on account of the ill effects which some few of these bodies might possibly produce, if they were not under a proper direction, betrays a weakness equally unbecoming a reasonable being."

The transits of Venus, which were not to occur again until 1874 and 1882, were precious opportunities for astronomical work, and preparations were widely made to take advantage of them. The governor of the province, Francis Bernard, was interested in the matter by Prof. Winthrop, and sent a message to the House of Representatives, stating that the King of England had sent "a Man-of-War with Mathematicians to be stationed in different Parts of the East Indies, etc.," to observe the transit; that the French king and other powers had taken similar action, the comparison of observations taken in different parts of the earth being important, that Prof. Winthrop had offered to go to Newfoundland for the same purpose, and he therefore recommended that the House furnish the professor transportation on the province sloop, which would be sent to Penobscot a little before the time of the transit. The House of Representatives immediately passed a vote in accordance with this suggestion.

The sloop with Prof. Winthrop on board sailed from Boston May 9th, and reached St. John's thirteen days later. The professor took with him the college instruments and two members of the senior class. Some difficulty was met with in finding a suitable station, but at last a position was taken on a considerable elevation, which was afterward named Venus Hill. The work of setting up the clock and other instruments was made arduous by persecution from swarms of bloodthirsty insects, which had possession of the hill. June 6th was the day of the transit, and the weather proved favorable. In every part of America except Labrador, the phenomenon began before sunrise. At St. John's the sun rose at 4 h. 18 m., with Venus upon its disk, from which the planet passed off at 5 h. 6 m. On his return Prof. Winthrop published an account of his voyage and his observations.