Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 64.djvu/340

336 The Study of Language.—The quality of one language can never be perfectly reproduced in another; Latin altogether lacks many necessary words; a translator must not only be perfectly acquainted with his subject, but also with the two languages with which he deals; the translators of Aristotle have not fulfilled this condition; errors remain in the Vulgate; Hebrew, Chaldean, Latin, Greek (and Arabic) should be studied.

Mathematical Science is the key to all sciences; astronomy depends on mathematics; things terrestrial no less, since they are governed by things celestial.

Rays issuing in infinite number from a point in every direction find their termination on the hollow surface of a sphere. Light and other forces propagate themselves in this way. By the foregoing principles and others akin to them all natural actions are to be explained—as, for example, eclipses. (The moon and planets are self-luminous.) Refraction is discussed. The varying heat of different regions of the earth at difl'erent seasons is explained.

The emanations from the stars affect not merely climate but character; implanting in the new-born child dispositions to good and evil: though freewill, God's grace, temptations of the devil, or education may modify these innate tendencies. (Temperament is itself a result of the influence of the stars.)

The theory of (radiations of force) may be applied to the tides. These evidently depend on the moon. It is still unexplained why tides occur in the hemisphere averted from the moon.

On geometrical grounds the shape of the universe may be inferred to be spherical. The water, air and the fire surrounding the earth concentrically are of similar form (the sphere of fire is neither luminous nor visible).

In a body falling towards the earth's center a strain is involved; from this strain, heat results; experiment shows this to be a fact.

The Application of Mathematics to Sacred Subjects.—Astronomy shows the insignificance of the earth as compared with the heavens. The smallest of the stars is larger than the earth. Chronology is dependent upon astronomy. The lunar periods are discussed.

The rainbow is produced by the solar rays striking on the raindrops and being refracted or reflected thence.

One degree of latitude is 56 miles. The semi-diameter of the earth is 3,250 miles. The distance of the starry sphere (according to Alfraganus) is 130,715,000 miles. The distances of the planets are given—Saturn's as 65,357,500 miles (it is in fact 886,000,000) and the moon's 208,541 (it is in fact 238,840).

There are 1,022 fixed stars catalogued. The largest are 107 times as large as the earth; the smallest 18 times. Besides these there are infinite numbers of other stars.

Astrology as it relates to church government is discussed. Christianity is associated with the conjunctions of the planets Jupiter and Mercury; the extinction of religions is related to the conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn with the moon.

The correction of the Church Calendar is discussed. At the present time its errors are so great as to attract the ridicule of Jewish and Arab astronomers.

Geography is discussed at length. The space of ocean separating Spain and India is inconsiderable; the seven climates of Ptolemy.

Astrology.—The sun may be said to beget no less than the parent. Each planet has an influence. Special parts of the body are affected by different constellations. The bearing of this on medical art is obvious. The comet of 1264 was due to Mars, and it was related to the European wars of that year.

Optics.—The organs of vision, psychical and cerebral; the organs of the sensitive soul are in the brain; threefold division of the brain; the heart is the