Combination of the Zodiacal and Cometical Systems. Printed for the
London Society, Exeter Hall. Price Sixpence. (n. d. 1843.)
What this London Society was, or the "combination," did not appear. There
was a remarkable comet in 1843, the tail of which was at first confounded
with what is called the _zodiacal light_. This nicely-printed little tract,
evidently got up with less care for expense than is usual in such works,
brings together all the announcements of the astronomers, and adds a short
head and tail piece, which I shall quote entire. As the announcements are
very ordinary {351} astronomy, the reader will be able to detect, if
detection be possible, what is the meaning and force of the "Combination of
the Zodiacal and Cometical Systems":
"_Premonition._ It has pleased the AUTHOR _of_ CREATION to cause (to His
_human and reasoning_ Creatures of this generation, by a '_combined_'
appearance in His _Zodiacal_ and _Cometical_ system) a '_warning Crisis_'
of universal concernment to this our GLOBE. It is this '_Crisis_' that has
so generally 'ROUSED' at this moment the '_nations throughout the Earth_'
that no equal interest has ever before been excited by MAN; unless it be in
that caused by the 'PAGAN-TEMPLE IN ROME,' which is recorded by the elder
Pliny, '_Nat. Hist._' i. 23. iii. 3. HARDOUIN."
After the accounts given by the unperceiving astronomers, comes what
follows:
"Such has been (_hitherto_) the only object discerned by the '_Wise of this
World_,' in this _twofold union_ of the '_Zodiacal_' and '_Cometical_'
systems: yet it is nevertheless a most '_Thrilling Warning_,' to _all_ the
inhabitants of this precarious and transitory EARTH. We have no authorized
intimation or reasonable prospective contemplation, of '_current time_'
beyond a year 1860, of the present century; or rather, except '_the
interval which may now remain from the present year 1843, to a year 1860_'
([Greek: hemeras HEXEKONTA]--'_threescore or sixty days_'--'_I have
appointed each_ "DAY" _for a_ "YEAR,"' _Ezek._ iv. 6): and we know, from
our '_common experience_,' how speedily such a measure of time will pass
away.
"No words can be '_more explicit_' than these of OUR BLESSED LORD: viz.
'THIS GOSPEL _of the Kingdom shall be preached in_ ALL the EARTH, _for a
Witness to_ ALL NATIONS; AND THEN, _shall the_ END COME.' The '_next 18
years_' must therefore supply the interval of the '_special Episcopal
forerunners_.'
(Matt. xxiv. 14.)
"See the 'JEWISH INTELLIGENCER' of the present month (_April_), p. 153, for
the '_Debates in Parliament_,' respecting {352} the BISHOP OF JERUSALEM,
_viz._ Dr. Bowring,[731] Mr. Hume,[732] Sir R. Inglis,[733] Sir R.
Peel,[734] Viscount Palmerston.[735]"
I have quoted this at length, to show the awful threats which were
published at a time of some little excitement about the phenomenon, under
the name of the _London Society_. The assumption of a corporate appearance
is a very unfair trick: and there are junctures at which harm might be done
by it.