DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6095#0175
SICILY AND MALTA. 157
Comets with tails have seldom been vi-
sible, but on their recess from the sun. It
is he that kindles them up, and gives them
that alarming appearance in the heavens.
—-On the contrary, those without tails have
seldom, perhaps never, been observed, but
on their approach to him. I don't recol-
lect any whose return has been tolerably
well ascertained. I remember, indeed, a
few years ago, a small one, that was said
to have been difcovered by a telescopc,
after it had passed the sun^ but never race
became visible to the naked eye. This
assertion is easily made, and nobody can
contradicT: it ; but it does not at all appear
probable, that it should have been so much
less luminous after it had pasied the sun,
than before it approached him; and I will
own to you, when I have heard that the
return of these comets had escaped the eyes
of the most acute aslronomers, I have been
tempted to think, that they did not return
at all, but were absorbed in the body of
the
Comets with tails have seldom been vi-
sible, but on their recess from the sun. It
is he that kindles them up, and gives them
that alarming appearance in the heavens.
—-On the contrary, those without tails have
seldom, perhaps never, been observed, but
on their approach to him. I don't recol-
lect any whose return has been tolerably
well ascertained. I remember, indeed, a
few years ago, a small one, that was said
to have been difcovered by a telescopc,
after it had passed the sun^ but never race
became visible to the naked eye. This
assertion is easily made, and nobody can
contradicT: it ; but it does not at all appear
probable, that it should have been so much
less luminous after it had pasied the sun,
than before it approached him; and I will
own to you, when I have heard that the
return of these comets had escaped the eyes
of the most acute aslronomers, I have been
tempted to think, that they did not return
at all, but were absorbed in the body of
the