_The Hailesean System of Astronomy._ By John Davey Hailes[237] (two
pages duodecimo, 1860).
He offers to _take_ 100,000l. to 1,000l. that he shows the sun to be less
than seven millions of miles from the earth. The earth in the center,
revolving eastward, the sun revolving westward, so that they "meet at half
the circle distance in the 24 hours." The diameter of the circle being
9839458303, the circumference is 30911569920.
The following written challenge was forwarded to the Council of the
Astronomical Society: it will show the "general reader"--and help him
towards earning his name--what sort of things come every now and then to
our scientific bodies. I have added punctuation:
_Challenge._
1,000 to 30,000.
"Leverrier's[238] name stand placed first. Do the worthy Frenchman
justice.
By awarding him the medal in a trice.
Give Adams[239] an extra--of which neck and neck the race.
Now I challenge to meet them and the F.R.S.'s all,
For good will and _one_ thousand pounds to their _thirty_ thousand
withall,
That I produce a system, which shall measure the time,
When the Sun was vertical to Gibeon, afterward to Syene.
To meet any time in London--name your own period,
To be decided by a majority of twelve persons--a President, _odd_.
That mean, if the twelve equally divide, the President decide,
I should prefer the Bishop of London, over the meeting to preside.
JOHN DAVY HAILES."
Feb. 17, 1847."
Mr. Hailes still issues his flying sheets. The last I have met with
(October 7, 1863) informs us that the latitude of {136} England is slowly
increasing, which is the true cause of the alteration in the variation of
the magnet.
[Mr. Hailes continues his researches. Witness his new Hailesean system of
Astronomy, displaying Joshua's miracle-time, origin of time from science,
with Bible and Egyptian history. Rewards offered for astronomical problems.
With magnetism, etc. etc. Astronomical challenge to all the world.
Published at Cambridge, in 1865. The author agrees with Newton in one
marked point. _Errores quam minimi non sunt contemnendi_,[240] says Isaac:
meaning in figures, not in orthography. Mr. Hailes enters into the spirit,
both positive and negative, of this dictum, by giving the distance of
_Sidius_ from the center of the earth at 163,162,008 miles 10 feet 8 inches
17-28ths of an inch. Of course, he is aware that the center of _figure_ of
the earth is 17.1998 inches from the center of _gravity_. Which of the two
is he speaking of?]
The Divine Mystery of Life. London [1861], 18mo. (pp.32).
The author has added one class to zoology, which is printed in capitals, as
derived from _zoe_, life, not from _zoon_, animal. That class is of
_Incorporealia_, order I., _Infinitum_, of one genus without plurality,
_Deus_: order II., _Finita_, angels good and evil. The rest is all about a
triune system, with a diagram. The author is not aware that [Greek: zoon]
is not _animal_, but _living being_. Aristotle had classed gods under
[Greek: zoa], and has been called to account for it by moderns who have
taken the word to mean _animal_.