492 



KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



[Dkc. 29, 1882. 



planetary conjunction theory of the Star in the East has 

 been based. But the whole character of the narrative is 

 opposed to this interpretation, apart from the fact that 

 the taxing of the Roman Empire by Augustus, when Joseph 

 and Mary went up to Bethlehem (according to Luke's 

 account), certainly did not take jilace till two years 

 after tlie triple conjunction of J upiter and Saturn. 

 For Matthew saj-s, " Lo '. the star went before them, " 

 Ac, and " when they saw the star, they rejoiced 

 with e.\ceetling great joy." But they would not have 

 lost sight of the planets Jupiter and Saturn from the 

 time wiien tliese two planets had been visible in conjunction 

 as morning stars in ilay (ac. 7) through the time of their 

 greatest conjoined brilliancy in September, and onward 

 until the time of their third conjunction on Dec. o. We 

 had a similar triple conjunction of Mars and Saturn in the 

 year 1677. They were conjoined as morning stars on 

 July 27, conjoined when nearly at their full brightness on 

 Aug. "25, and LX)njoined again as evening stars on Nov. 3. 

 But all through those months they were both visible and 

 in tolerably close proximity. The exceetling great joy with 

 which the magi again saw the star shows that it had been 

 for a time lost to them, so that we must on this account 

 reject the planetary conjunction theory which seems other- 

 wise (and on several grounds) altogether untenable. 



I do not know whether any other astronomical interpre- 

 tation than the one I have just considered has been given 

 to the account of the Star of Bethlehem — at least in a 

 definite scientific manner. The idea has been thrown out 

 that a comet may have been the magi's celestial guide. 

 Others, again, think that the phenomenon was not astro- 

 nomical at all, but that some mysterious light made its 

 appearance in the upper regions of the air and guided the 

 magi on their way. Even if we adopted this view, though 

 the narrative seems very distinctly to imjily that the object 

 seen was some celestial body, the observed event, apart 

 from its miraculous interpretation, belongs distinctly to 

 the domain of science. 1 do not say it is to be explained 

 as a simply natural phenomenon, but even if a supernatural 

 meaning is to be assigned to it, science, though it deals 

 only in the investigation of natural phenomena, is inte- 

 rested — one may say is doubly interested— in this case 

 wherein (on tliis view) a phenomenon really super- 

 natural apjwared to ordinary observation to resemble 

 80 familiar an appearance as a star or asterism (for 

 the (Ireek word will l>ear more than one interpre- 

 tation). The narrative, like the Bible account of 

 the Creation, the description of the standing still of the 

 sun and moon at the command of Joshua, the going back 

 of the shadow on the dial of Ahaz, the account of the 

 visibility of all the kingdoms of the earth from an exceed- 

 ing high mountain, and so forth, is one which science is 

 clearly entitled to discuss in all its bearings. Even if science 

 accept the supernatural interpretation, it is still its ollice 

 to discuss the observf^l facts, for on such scientific discus- 

 sion dep<.nds our opinion of the quality and significance of 

 the miracle. 



It is not necessary for science to pretend to explain the 

 narrative in its religious Ix-aring, or even to say what that 

 l^earing may l>e. Science might fail to show why certain 

 EasU^m magi— presumably astrologers — were to be en- 

 lighU-n»-d by this new celestial object, whatever it may have 

 hetm. Tlie prophecy of Micah had, it would seem, to be 

 fulfdlwl, and it was so. That thin fulfilment should have 

 cau*Ml the slaughtir of the inno<xnts, again, when (as 

 we might imagiri.) the same result might have been 

 bronght o>x«ut without that unsatisfactory episode, is 

 a point which the theologian and not the student of 

 Kicnce is entitled to explain. But when a star is men- 



tioned in the Bible, as anywhere else, tlio astronomer, 

 following in eflect the rule which forms the motto on the 

 seal of the Astronomical Society — (jiiiiiqnitl nilel 9Wtan- 

 ilum — is bound, or is, at any rate, free, to inquire about 

 that star, its recorded movements, its probable brilliancy, 

 and so forth, so far as such points can bo inferred from the 

 narrative. Students in another department of science are 

 entitled to deal with this narrative because of the evidence 

 which it seems to alibrd respecting the i>rcvalencc in long 

 past ages of those astrological fancies -w hich remain even 

 in our own time, though with the gradual spread of infor- 

 mation respecting astronomy their influence is manifestly 

 diminishing. 



THE CRYSTAL PALACE ELECTKIC AND 

 GAS EXHIBITION. 



THIS display, which was formally opened on the 13th 

 inst., is scarcely worthy to be called an exhibition. 

 The Electric Exhibition of last winter, it will be remem- 

 liered, was several months in getting ready, and its othcial 

 opening did not take place until its course was well-nigh 

 run. Nevertheless, so far as the Palace Company was 

 concerned, it] was a groat success. The public flocked 

 in crowds unknown for years past. True, they had their 

 reward, for never had there been so gorgeous a flood of 

 light as then illuminated the length and breadth of the 

 Palace, and latterly the terrace as well. Lectures were 

 given, at first of such a character as to interest and 

 instruct uninitiated audiences ; but towards the close 

 of the course they seemed to be stamped very plainly 

 with an advcrtiser'.s brand. Outside the lecture- 

 room, several of the e.xhibitors wisely appointed gentle- 

 men to explain their apparatus. Vast sums of 

 money were thus expended, although, we fear, in many 

 cases, with little chance of return. To an outsider, all 

 seemed to be working harmoniously towards a common end, 

 but close beneath the brilliant surface was flowing an 

 undercurrent which has told terril)ly upon the present 

 exhibition. A gold-thirsty company could only drain its 

 goblet once, and many were the murmurs of discontent 

 which wafted themselves upon the ears of a watchful 

 listener. 



To crown all this, a jury of gentlemen was formed 

 (amongst whom were many more or less intimately asso- 

 ciated with various exhibits), who to drown the voice of 

 jealousy, and, at the same time, to give a .sprat for the 

 whale that had been caught, appear to have bestowed 

 medals and honours broadcast. "\Vhat is the nmult? This 

 year the electric exhibitors, which at one time were ex- 

 pected to be sufficiently numerous to fill aiiother electric 

 exhiljition, are exceedingly few, and, nominally, cover 

 considerably less than half the space occupied last year. 

 Wii search the catalogue in vain for such naiiii^.s as Edison, 

 Brush, Hammond, Siemens, Swan, Maxim-Weston, lI.iM. 

 (Jovernment, the Cable Companies, and a ho.st of others 

 who contributed so considerably towards last year's suc- 

 cess. In the Electrical section, therefore, ^vn must 

 this year be satisfied with small mercies. The Mackenzie 

 lamp is again displayed, there being three of these arc 

 lights exhibited by Messrs. Strode <t Co., who also possess 

 one of the most tastily-arranged displays of incandescent 

 lamps (Swan's) it has ever been our i)]easuro to behold. 

 Jn the Alhambra Court, which, it will be remembered, was 

 prettily illurainaUd last year by Lano-Eox lamps, there 

 are some Werdermann lamps. They were not going well 

 while we watched their performance, and the cause was 

 not far to seek, for on adjourning to the dynamo room (the 



