There is nothing in the heavens, nor in the earth, that proves to
us positively that the sun holds the planets, and the planets their
satellites, by attraction, as we are taught that the moon attracts the
water of our world. We see that all terrestrial bodies tend toward the
center of the earth, and we call this gravitation; but we cannot see how
a body moves around the earth without falling on it, by this law. We
say in dynamic philosophy, that bodies move in the direction of least
resistance, and _that_ we can positively understand; but what force _per
se_ is, we do not know. It is always better for us to explain phenomena
by positive known laws and motions, than by any that rest merely upon
conjecture.
Lancaster, Pa. JNO. WISE.
* * * * *
The Great Hoosac Tunnel.
Messrs. Editors:--In No. 23, Vol. XVII., of your paper, is an article
upon the Hoosac Tunnel, but made up from data nearly a year old, and
consequently not correctly representing the tunnel as it is at the
present time. Your conclusions of course were based upon the same data;
but during the past year, and especially during the past five months,
much greater progress has been made than ever before upon the work, and
a knowledge of what has been done since the last report was issued will,
I think, give you a different impression of the time required for its
final completion.
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