TKIBUNE POPULAK SCIENCE. 



PAR!.' I. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

 PROCTOR'S LECTURES ON ASTRONOMY. 



PAGE. 



THE SUN 1 



THE SUN'S FAMILY OF 1 'LANETS 10 



COMETS AND METEORS . 18 



TRANSIT ov VENUS AND THE MOON 25 



WONDERS OF THE STAR-DEPTHS 33 



BIRTH AND GROWTH OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM 40 



THE PRAYER OF AGASSIZ. 

 A POEM BY JOHN G. WHITTIER 46 



AGASSIZ'S LECTURES AT PENIKESE. 



FIRST LESSONS TO THE ANDERSON SCHOOL 47 



THE A RT ( >F TEAI KING 48 



THE BIIST BOOKS TO STUDY 49 



CLASSIFICATION F/ NATURAL HISTORY 50 



GLACIAI HISTORY OF THIS CONTINENT 53 



MEMORABLIC \VORDS OF PROF. AGASSIZ 60 



A RAINY DAY AT PENIKESE 62 



* 



PIIOCTOR AGASSIZ. 



There is no science that has been more 

 illuminated than astronomy, by the discov- 

 eries of th<> last ten or fifteen years. Mr. 

 Proctor, in the course of lectures which is 

 here presented, exhibits the most recent theo- 

 ries warranted by the facts. Hence the fresh- 

 ness and charm of these lectures, their free- 

 dom Iron i what is now the common-place 

 knowledge of the text-books ; and a certain 

 rush and vitality about them, as if which was 

 the case -there were not time enough to tell 

 their mighty tale. 



To this story of the heavens we have added 

 some chapteis from the teachings of one who 

 knew more of this globe and the life that 

 dwells and has dwelt upon it, than any other 

 man of this generation. We feel assured that 

 thousands will welcome our uublication of 



several of the lectures of Prof. Agassiz to the 

 students of the Anderson School of Natural 

 History on Penikese Island. Very little that 

 was there said by that great teacher has hith- 

 erto found its way into print. The latest words 

 of the old man eloquent will be found pregnant 

 with the wisdom of his accumulated years. 



SIX LECTURES BY It. A. PROCTOR. 



A STUDY OF THE SUN. 



THE FIRST LECTURE. 



DISTANCE, SIZE, AND MASS OF THE SUN ; MARVELOUS 

 AMOUNT OF HEAT AND LIGHT EVOLVED ; WHAT IS 

 KNOWN ABOUT THE SOLAR SPOTS AND ATMOS- 

 PHERE. 



The first of the series of six lectures was given on 

 January 9, at Association Hall, by Prof. Richard A. 

 Proctor, Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society, 

 London, and author of several noted works upon 

 astronomical topics. The audience packed the capa- 

 cious hall to its utmost limits. The treatment of the 

 subject was largely facilitated by views illuminated 

 with the oxy-hydrogen light. 



THE LECTURE. 



LADIES AND GENTLEMEN : I need hardly tell you 

 that a subject so wide as astronomy cannot be dealt 

 with in a single course of lectures, except by way of 

 survey. Every one of the subjects of my lectures 

 might very well occupy a whole course. I have 

 myself twice given a course of lectures on the Sun ; 

 two years ago on the stars ; and I expect next May 

 to give a course of lectures at the Royal Institution 

 on the planets the subject of the next lecture in 

 my covirse in New York. Therefore you will readily 

 understand that all of my lectures will be mere sur- 

 veys. I only aim to present the leading features and 

 those characteristic of modern research. 



The subject of our lecture to-night is the Sun not 

 the most magnificent of all created- objects, as indeed 

 I shal 1 ^ able to show you when I deal with the 



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