130 PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 



knowledge the high acquirements of the human intellect, and even 

 feel ourselves authorized to question the character of a mind that 

 can remain indifferent to the excitement attendant on such a study, 

 even if itbe not carried beyond its outline; but if we proceed further, 

 and investigate that deep and intense industry, which has reduced 

 to the list of actual observation, revolutions and motions, assumed 

 on the principles of universal gravitation and attraction ; when 

 we further reflect that this science has not only extended our ideas 

 of the extent of creation into incomprehensible space, but has also 

 demonstrated the probability, I might almost add the certainty, 

 that the inhabitants of our globe, past, present and to come, form 

 but an inconsiderable portion of created beings ; we cannot esti- 

 mate too highly the value or the importance of Astronomy. 



It is indeed in this section of the volume of science that tlie 

 grand characteristics of the Deity — omnipotence, and infinity — 

 stand most displayed, and mark the immensity of distance between 

 man and his Maker : man finds imperfection stamped on all his 

 efforts, and uncertainty throwing a damp on all his hopes: but 

 the page opened by Astronomy displays to his astonished view 

 immense and innumerable masses of matter, severally impressed 

 with, and obeying one universal principle of order; rolling on 

 from day to day, and age to age, with an undeviating exactness 

 which lias yet been beyond his power of mechanical imitation. 

 If Astronomy had no other object or inducement than that of an 

 intellectual nature ; simply opening an interminable field for the 

 exercise of our contemplative and reflective powers; an estimate 

 of its value and importance would challenge our compass of ex- 

 pression ; but when we take into our computation its importance 

 in navigation, its value in the correct division of time, and even 

 the benefits of the calendar to the agriculturist, the human mind 

 must acknowledge its inadequacy to raise this department of 

 science to the rank it ought to hold in our estimation. 



Of its value to the navigator we cannot be in any degree sen- 

 sible until we recal the limited intercourse and tardy communi- 

 cations of the ancient world, and compare the partial annihilations 

 of time and space effected by the navigator of the present day, 

 between nations divided by vast portions of the globe. By the 

 directing aid of Astronomy the navigator pursues his trackless 

 path, with an exactness which is only disputed by calms or tem- 

 pests, converting the impassable barrier of the ancients, to a direct 

 medium of communication with distant and long separated 

 branches of the human race : opening tliereby new channels of 



