694 THE UNIVERSE. 



This division of the celestial sphere, though very ancient, 

 has been successively adopted by the learned of all epochs, 

 notwithstanding the attempts which have been made to 

 reform it. Towards the eighth century some theological 

 .astronomers, scandalized at seeing all the divinities of Olym- 

 pus scattered over the vault of heaven, attempted to depose 

 them, and to substitute for mythological designations names 

 borrowed from the sacred writings. But this attempt, of 

 which Bede was the promoter, failed completely. However, 

 those curious in such matters quote calendars wherein St. 

 Peter replaces the Ram, St. Andrew the Bull, while David, 

 Solomon, and the three kings of the Magi have also their 

 places. Sir John Herschel, more exact, looking at the dif- 

 ficulties presented by attempts to settle the boundaries of 

 the constellations with accuracy, proposed to trace simple 

 quadrilaterals on the celestial sphere, and to class the stars 

 in each of them. But this system met with no success. 



Guided by calculations and instruments of admirable pre- 

 cision, the astronomer in our days boldly penetrates to the 

 spheres scattered towards the confines of immensity. He 

 weighs them, and calculates their volume and density, as if 

 they were placed on the scale of his balance. 



Modern science draws ample supplies from its splendid 

 storehouses, whilst in its cradle all was wanting but genius ! 

 Hipparchus and Ptolemy had no instrument to scrutinize 

 the heavens with. The astronomers of the Renaissance, 

 such as Regiomontanus, Copernicus, Tycho-Brahe, and Kep- 

 ler, were scarcely more favored, and yet how many imrnor- 



days and nights are of equal length. The sign of the Archer doubtless recalls the 

 season for hunting. J. Coulier, Dictionnaire d' Astronomic. Paris, 1824. 



