364 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [14:9— Dec, 1918 



Besides giving us light at night, the moon, like a dutiful servant, 

 performs for us other important services! It raises and lowers 

 the waters of our oceans and seas by its attraction, thus giving 

 to us the tides. Were it not for the cleansing wash of the rising 

 and falling of the water twice a day you can easily see that our 

 seacoasts would soon become unwholesome places through the 

 decay of animal and plant substances. What a valuable service 

 this is, to be sure ! But the moon has a helper in this task, for the 

 sun also aids in regulating the tides. 



The forces of the attraction of the earth, as you know, is what 

 gives to bodies their weight. This force is called gravitation. 

 Now astronomers tell us that the smaller a heavenly body the less 

 gravitation it possesses. The gravitational force on the moon is 

 only one-sixth of what it is on the earth. That means that a body 

 weighing sixty pounds on the earth would weigh only ten pounds 

 on the moon ! If you could go to the moon you would weigh only 

 one-sixth of your present weight. What would you weigh there, 

 Reader? How much farther you could jump there! And think 

 of harnessing a Shetland pony to a great two-horse load of coal 

 and seeing him amble away with it as easily as if he were drawing 

 a basket-gig load of children to a picnic ! 



Truly the moon is a wonderful companion for us earth people, 

 for even if we cannot make a visit to it at present (and who will 

 say that a journey to the moon will never be possible) still it 

 furnishes us with the only silver light that we have, besides pre- 

 senting us with a wonderful landscape of mountains and volcanoes, 

 and doing many little tasks for us, such as I have suggested in 

 the matter of the tides. 



The ancients regarded the moon as a symbol of steadfastness 

 and unchanging devotion to purpose, and to swear by the moon 

 has come down, almost to our own day as the custom of those who 

 wish to give assurance of their loyalty and fidelity. 



"A globe of silver on a velvet sky 

 Of sable hue, rolls slowly year by year 

 About our earth, and ever from on high 

 Sends down her argent light for mortal cheer. 

 Oh moon, throughout our life's short span, may we 

 Be firm, unchanging, constant, pure, like thee!" 



