DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT, #.

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the eighteenth day of August, in the fifty. fourth year of the independence of the United States of America, HERVEY WILBUR, of the said District, hath deposited in this Office the title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as Author, in the words following, to wit:

"Elements of Astronomy, descriptive and physical: in which the general phenomena of the heavenly bodies and the theory of the tides, are familiarly explained and illustrated, by numerous diagrams from engravings on copper plates. The work is designed to facilitate the study of a science peculiarly useful, interesting, and sublime, and is intended for schools, academies, seminaries of young ladies, lyceums, and for private reading. By Hervey Wilbur, A. M. -Heaven

Is as the Book of God before us set,
Wherein to read his wondrous Works.
Milton,"

In conformity to the Act of Congress of the United States, entitled, "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned," and also to the act, entitled, "an act supplementary to an act, entitled, an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving and etching historical and other prints."

CHARLES A. INGERSOLL,

Clerk of the District of Connecticut. A true copy of Record, examined and sealed by me, CHARLES A. INGERSOLL,

Clerk of the District of Connecticu,

ADVERTISEMENT

TO THE FIRST EDITION.

WHILE engaged in the delivery of Astronomical Lectures, auxiliary to other important measures for the intellectual and moral improvement of the young, the inquiry has often been made, "What small Manual on Astronomy would you recommend to our perusal while attending your Course?" I knew of none, which exactly pleased me. I determined to take bones and sinews for a new body, from some recent English materials in my hands, and attempt to give them form, complexion and motion myself. How far this treatise will meet the necessities, or receive the approbation of the Public, the Author must leave for others to decide.

In this SECOND EDITION, grateful acknowledgements are tendered to the Public for the rapid sale of the First Edition; a sale unprecedented in the introduction of a new school book. Some improvements and additions are now introduced.

It is believed, that the present Appendix will supersede the necessity of using in schools any other work for solving problems on the globes.

Rift

Profesen L. Karkineki 4.13-1934

DEDICATION.

WHILE this MANUAL is commended to the lenity and patronage of those conducting the Literary Institutions and Lyceums of our land; and while the other numerous circles of Ladies and Gentlemen in our principal cities who have generously patronized his Lectures are not forgotten; to the OFFICERS and MEMBERS of the NEW-YORK MERCANTILE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION this small volume is affectionately inscribed.

Should it contribute in any degree, profitably to employ a leisure hour in their counting rooms, in contemplating topics to which, with an enthu siastic interest highly creditable to themselves, they have listened in the lecture room, it would give new pleasure to one, who considers those hours among the most privileged hours of his life, when permitted week after week to address more than eight hundred Gentlemen, destined in Providence to exert the highest measures of commercial influence.

With ardent desires, that they may each shine in a brighter firmament when every star of evening is blotted out,

I remain, their obliged and humble servant,

NEW-HAVEN, Aug. 18, 1829.

H. WILBUR.

Which Instructers and City Papers of the first respectability have given.

SARAH EARL AND SISTERS.

From Rec. T. H. Gallaudet, Principal of fications of the Lecturer, and the utility the Connecticut Asylum for the deaf and of his manner of impressing the memory. dumb. They desire to be included in this exThe course of Lectures on Astronomy, pression of unqualified and unsolicited by the Rev. Hervey Wilbur, which approbation. have attended in this city, (one of which by the aid of very beautiful and striking illuminated diagrams, was made both instructive and highly interesting to the From Miss C. Beecher's celebrated School, Deaf and Dumb pupils in the Asylum,) Miss Beecher is happy to avail herself is in my opinion deserving the attention of the opportunity to acknowledge the and patronage of all who wish to pro-great pleasure and benefit which has mote in a popular and perspicuous form been received by such of the teachers a diffusion of knowledge in a depart- and pupils of the Hartford Female Sement of Natural Science, tending in an minary as have attended Mr. Wilbur's eminent degree to improve the intellec- Astronomical Lectures. tual and moral character of man. Hartford, Dee. 28, 1828.

She considers the apparatus used by Mr. W., in connexion with his lectures, as being much superior to any thing of the kind she has ever known, and as eminently adapted for communicating From the Principal of a Select High School a clear and general knowledge of the of rare excellence at Utica, subject of Astronomy. She believes Mr. Wilbur,-Dear Sir, I cannot re- that all who attend these lectures will frain from expressing my entire satis- feel that no money could be more profaction with your course of Lectures. fitably spent in procuring either pleaTheir moral and intellectual effect, will sure or benefit. no doubt be salutary in the highest degree. Many of your infant auditors, as well as grayheaded, have, while listening to your truly interesting lectures, I attended, with my pupils, less than" and viewing your splendid diagrams, half Mr. Wilbur's Course of Lectures mbibed sublimer ideas of the Creator's in the winter of 1829. I was much pleas. power and wisdom, as exhibited in the ed, and favourably impressed of the admaterial universe, than they would have vantage that might have been derived had, had they not heard you, till, loosen from attention to the whole course. ed from this clay tenement, they shall view the Creator's works in the light of eternity.

Hartford Female Seminary.

New-York, January, 1830.

E. SMITH.

The moral reflections which you so! Several of the principal Schools and appropriately and eloquently introduc- Seminaries in Boston, Hartford, Newed, I trust will be the means of bringing Haven, New-York, Philadelphia, and some at least within the attraction of the Baltimore, have attended these Lectures Sun of righteousness, whose light un- with similar feelings to those already clouded they shall enjoy when the maexpressed. terial universe shall be no more.

I hope, Sir, you will traverse the United States, and lecture not only in "Astronomical Lectures.-We had the our cities and large towns, but in all our pleasure last evening of attending Mr. small villages, that all may enjoy the Wilbur's introductory lecture on As intellectual and moral light which illu-tronomy. Mr. Wilbur is master of his mines your path.

Your obedient Ser't,
C. BARTLETT.

subject, and the comparisons and illus trations by which he possesses the hear. er's mind of his own clear, just conceptions, are eminently ingenious and happy. His apparatus is admirable for his From a well conducted Seminary by Friends purpose. We are much pleased with his whole plan and manner, and for the The teachers of Mulberry Grove pleasure and advantage of our fellowBoarding School present to Hervey Wil-citizens, hope he may have crowded bur their thanks for the instruction re-audiences."-N. Y. Journ, Com. ceived by them and their pupils, in the

at Leicester, Mass.

course of Astronomical Lectures which Other papers in New-York, and the he has recently given them. While the principal papers in Boston, Philadelphia, profound attention of the pupils evinced Baltimore, and some other cities, have their interest in the lectures, their ad-spoken in terms of warm commendation, vances in the science attest to the quali-both of the Lecturer and his apparatus

THE impression has been too common, that the physical sciences must not be studied till the education was nearly completed. This error needs to be corrected. With books and instructers, adapted to the capacity of the learner, no matter how early the mind is occupied with the properties, the combinations and motions of material bodies. And we do not hesitate to say, that no study can be made more interesting to mere childhood than Astronomy. It is conversant about the earliest, the greatest, and the brightest objects of their attention. If sufficient simplicity of language were used, the mind in childhood might be scientifically turned to "the Sun shining in his strength; to the Moon walking in brightness; and to the stars, differing one from another in their glories." Children in common schools might have a new impulse given them, if this science were familiarly explained there. And the time cannot be distant, when Astronomy will be taught nearly as early and as generally as Geography. Then the leaves of a volume, ever open, will be found having legible inscriptions for the husbandman as well as the scholar; and the shepherd-boy will again know and sing, "The heavens declare the glory of God."

To facilitate this object was the design of this treatise. Its style will be found intelligible to every attentive reader. Its illustrations, it is believed, have more simplicity, on some of the more difficult topics of this science, than any other astronomical work. And while it carries forward the pupil through all that is important in descriptive and physical astronomy, (much farther than other treatises for schools have done,) it is afforded at about one half or two thirds of their prices.

The use of this work is not intended as a substi

tute for attendance on Lectures where practicable. For it is believed that no method of teaching and learning Astronomy, is so interesting and useful as in the form of Lectures, accompanied with instruments and diagrams. The expression of the Lecturer's countenance, the intonations of his voice, and appropriate gestures, will rivet attention more than mere paper and ink can do: the more fixed our attention, the more deep and abiding the impressions made on our minds.

APPARATUS will enable us to acquire ideas clearly, and almost instantly, on some topics, where it would be difficult otherwise to obtain them. For instance, the influence of gravitation among the planets, in accelerating or retarding their motions, is better understood in five minutes examination of an Orrery in motion, than in hours or weeks, or perhaps months of mere reading. The use of DIAGRAMS is often indispensable to the acquisition of correct ideas in some of the sciences. The most able lecturers in our colleges, have in Natural Philosophy, and particularly in that branch of it called Astronomy, always used diagrams. But ILLUMINATED DIAGRAMS are of recent invention; and though considerable expense attends their use, they are incomparably superior to others. Nothing will so irresistibly attract and rivet our atten tion as these illuminated diagrams. Indelible images of them will be transferred through the eye to the memory, and borne with us to our firesides, and to our pillows. These images will powerfully aid us in recollecting the facts and illustrations given in the lecture room. And habits of rivetted attention may thus be formed or invigorated, that will be of great utility to us in every other path of science or pursuit of life.