Page:The Judgment Day.pdf/29

 satellites suffered not the least perceptible derangement—a sufficient proof of the smallness of the comets mass. The reader will undoubtedly remember the large comet of 1843, which went careering across the heavens like a broad stream of light, some thirty degrees long. A remarkable fact in regard to that comet was stated by Prof. S. C. Walker, of the Philadelphia High School Observatory, who obtained the credit of having calculated its elements with more accuracy than any other observer. According to Prof. W.'s. calculations, the comet approached the sun in a very excentric parabolic orbit, and when at its perihelian distance, actually came in collision with the sun and suffered a rebound by which its orbit was changed from a parabola to a hyperbola, on which latter track it went off, in all probability, to return no more forever. It had ventured too far and suffered a repulse from which it will never recover. We may however learn a lesson of wisdom from its fate, and not rush hastily to an elevated position, for which we are unprepared, and unable to sustain. But the point to which I wish to direct attention, is that during this collision, the sun remained unaffected. It shone with as much beauty and splendor as if no such event had been transpiring. We may add, that from what we know of the extreme tenuity of these random visitors, as well as from their recorded exploits, we are certainly justified in believing that even our atmosphere would sustain and repel their shocks without any assistance, from the earth, except a "reasonable support." The most devoted misanthropist, may as well abandon all hope of our world being destroyed in this way.

But if the reader requires it, I will beg his pardon for having detained him so long with an imaginary danger, to which very few persons at present attach the slighest importance. But there has been so much zeal and ingenuity shown in trying to find some way for destroying our globe, that a little indulgence will probably be granted to our efforts to show the fallacy of such theories, and thereby to aid in