Lesson v.] VENUS. 2JL 



23 hours ; and this assertion is supported by some 

 late observations accurately made by Shroeter, 

 from which he has determined the time of one ro- 

 tation to be nearly 24 hours. Delamlre assigns it 

 at 24 hours 5| minutes. 



Venus when viewed through a telescope, is 

 rarely seen to shine with a full face ; but has phases 

 changing in like manner with the moon : being 

 now gibbous, now horned ; and her illumined 

 part is constantly toward the sun. To the naked 

 eye this planet is easily distinguishable, on ac- 

 count ot her brightness and whiteness, which ex- 

 ceeds that of any other planet ; nay, her lustre 

 is so considerable, that when she is about 40 de- 

 grees removed from the sun, it is hardly equalled 

 by that of the moon, which is frequently a dull 

 light when compared with the vigour and bright- 

 ness of the beams of the planet. In this state she 

 has been often mistaken for a comet, and is fre- 

 quently seen in the day time when the sun shines : 

 a phenomenon which is taken notice of by some 

 of our philosophical poets. 



No stars besides their radiance can display 

 In Phoebus' presence, the dread lord of day : 

 Ev'n Cynthia's self, though regent of the night, 

 Is quite obscur'd by his emergent light : 

 But Venus only, as if more divine, 

 With Phoebus dares in partnership to shine." 



This planet is a morning star, when she appears 

 westward of the sun, for she then rises before 

 himj at these times she is among poets called 



Phosphorus 



