﻿INTRODUCTION. 



That this is mere assumption, let who will pretend to know . 



That real proofs there are none (or they never have been found), 



And, this massive theory, undermined, must topple to the ground ; 



The " proofs" of the astronomers have sound but little sense, 



And those with Reason in their minds must banish them from thence. 



TRUTH is no more nor less than in itself persistent ; 



And he who urges aught beside must needs be inconsistent. 



The Truth is mighty, and shall win the crown, and then shall wear it, 



No matter who shall scoff and frown, and say they cannot bear it. 



Eeform begins outside the Institutions that require it, 



And springs of honest hearts that love the Truth and most desire it. 



A change is coming o'er the minds of men who have been slaved ; 



And from piteous delusions many spirits shall be saved. 



Astronomers who say ' the Earth 's a globe' must prove it, 



Or else for ever from the books for youth must they remove it. 



Here, then, we have a riddle, to the wise to be propounded : 

 And let it not be cast aside till its depths be fairly sounded : — 



Gome ! tell us, first, then, how it is, whatever else betide, 



That "WATER can be LEVEL and yet CONVEX beside! 



How 't is that rivers always flow to the level of the sea, 



And yet the Earth, o'er which they run, in form a globe can be ! 



Then tell us how it is that — having sides and bottom — 



This " globe''' retains the people who are elsewhere than the top on! 



How ships, a few miles off, behind the water aught can be, 



When telescopes ten times the distance will enable us to see ! 



How 't is that ■ ' lights'" in distance can at night be truly seen 



When, if the Earth were globular, deep space would intervene, 



And they could not be seen at all, as they may be, in the gloaming, 



On a level with the eye, in the distance faintly looming ! 



How 'tis that sailors, bound to sea, with a " globe" would never start, 



But, in its place, will always take Mercators level chart ! 



How 'tis that language always tells of the motion of the Sun, 



If really 'tis the Earth that speeds her journey ever on! 



How 'tis — but, there ! — or soon or late there'll come an end to 't. 



And so we bid, in friendship, one and all attend to 't. 



And if to solve each mystery you should be inclined to try it, 



You will gain a prize so valuable that money shall not buy it. 



"THEORETICAL ASTRONOMY," with other works on the same subject, 

 can be had, post free, on application to John Hampden, Esq., Swindon, 

 Wilts ; or through any Bookseller in town or country. 



