THE APPROACHING COMET. 103 



about 28 millions of miles distant from us. It will rise earlier 

 every evening and more northwardly; and, towards the end of the 

 month, it will be so near to the north pole that it will cease to set, 

 and of course be visible the whole night in the vicinity of the 

 Great Bear. 



*' During the first days of October, the comet will approach 

 nearest to us in its present revolution ; it will then be more than 

 23 million miles distant from us. If the weather should be 

 favorable, its appearance will then be the most brilliant; it will 

 still be in the northern heavens, but at no great height above the 

 horizon, and of course it will not set. It will then recede rapidly 

 to the south, and towards the conclusion of tlie month, it will 

 be visible only in the south-west, where it will set earlier every 

 succeeding evening. 



*' In the month of November, at the beginning of which the 

 comet, as we have already mentioned, approaches nearest to the 

 sun, it will cease to be visible, being concealed from our view by 

 the sun's rays. 



" In the last days of December, however, about six in the morn- 

 ing, it will again be discernible in the eastern horizon. Its 

 distance from us then will be nearly 190 millions of miles. 



In January, 1836, it will again approach us and be visible, 

 after three in the morning, in the southern sky. It will rise ear- 

 lier and earlier, and, in February, soon after midnight. In March 

 it will again be visible all night in the southern heavens; it will 

 then rapidly recede from us, and in April we shall lose sight of it 

 entirely. 



" Its nearest approach to the earth, therefore, as it takes place 

 in October, will precede the transit through the point of the peri- 

 helion, which, as we have seen, will not occur till the beginning 

 of November — a circumstance that is to be regretted, because it 

 is not till after the latter that comets assume their most brilliant 

 appearance, and that phenomenon therefore will not be coincident 

 with its greatest proximity to us. Had these two circumstances 

 occurred together, that is to say, had the comet after acquiring 

 its greatest brilliancy approached us within 23 millions of miles 

 as it will do in October, we should probably have enjoyed a more 

 magnificent spectacle than will now be presented. In December, 

 on the other hand, when the comet, after acquiring its greatest 

 brilliancy, will again become visible, it will unluckily be 190 

 millions of miles distant from us, as we have already observed." 

 Dr. Fisher, (the author of the third work), next presents us 

 with the substance of all the recorded observations of this comet 

 since the year 1005, and a statement of the weather which attended 

 each of its appearances ; an interesting analysis, the results of 

 which we shall subjoin as briefly as possible. In 1005, the 

 appearance of this comet was attended by a great famine ; in 1080, 

 by an earthquake ; in 1155, by a cold winter and faiiureof crops ; 

 in 1230, by rains and inundations (part of Frieshuid was over- 



