182 Review of Professor 0/mstcd on Meteorr. 



so earnestly at a bed of gravel ? — or to tlie botanist, wliy spend so 

 iniicli time over a handful of common weeds? — or to tiie entomologist, 

 wliat can you find to interest you in the dissection of a beetle or 

 butterfly? Such idle queries are constantly asked by the ignorant, to 

 whom all things are alike — for whom tiiere are no differences. But it is 

 more to be lamented, that individuals extremely well informed upon one 

 branch of science, should dej)reciate other branches, which they do not 

 liappen to have studied. Thus a person whose attention lias not beer> 

 directed to the phajnomena of mind, and their connection with organic 

 action, may feel disposed to consider discourses on such subjects as neces- 

 sarily dull and unintelligible; or may pronounce upon them a very common 

 damnatory phrase, "mere metaphysical jargon." But it would be fair to 

 remind him, that it is far easier to condemn a science than to study it; — 

 that a landscape might possibly be beautiful, notwithstanding a persork 

 might not choose to look at it; — and that a Chinese might consider the 

 language of Homer and Plato an unmeaning gibberish. 



As it regards the particular topics of this paper, the writer begs thai 

 their capability of affording matter for interesting meditation, may not be 

 judged of bv the manner in which he has handled them. Any obscurity 

 or wearisome intricacy, should be charged less against the subject, than 

 against the choice of the expressions, and the construction of the sentences. 



REVIEW. 



Companion to the American Almanac, 1835. 8w. pp. 312. Bowen, 

 Boston ; Bennett, London. 



It is probable that many of our readers are already acquainted with the 

 Companion to the American Almanac, a work which is not at all inferior 

 in character to the very useful one of a similar denomination in this coun- 

 try : there is, however, an article in the current number, to which we are 

 particularly desirous of directing the attention of the public, partly from 

 the general interest which attaches itself to the subject of Meteors, and 

 partly on account of the views which are brought forward by Professor 

 Olmsted, the author of the paper in question. 



It appears that during the night preceding the 13th of November, 1833, 

 a remarkable series of meteors was seen throughout the United States ; 

 commencing at about nine in the evening, and increasing in brilliancy until 

 four in the morning, vhen the appearances gradually merged in the light 

 of day; a few fireballs, however, being visible, even after the sun had 

 risen. This exhibition was traced from the longitude of 61° in the Atlantic, 

 to 100° in central Mexico, and from the North American lakes, to the 

 southern side of the island of Jamaica. 



The a])pearance ivas that of fireworks of the most imposing grandenr, 

 covering the entire vault of heaven with myriads of fire-balls resembling 



