In 1846, the Rev. Dr. Scoresby had the gratification of observing
the Moon through the stupendous telescope constructed by Lord Rosse
at Parsonstown. It appeared like a globe of molten silver, and every
object to the extent of 100 yards was quite visible. Edifices,
therefore, of the size of York Minster, or even of the ruins of Whitby
Abbey, might be easily perceived, if they had existed. But there was
no appearance of any thing of that nature; neither was there any
indication of the existence of water, or of an atmosphere. There
were a great number of extinct volcanoes, several miles in breadth;
through one of them there was a line of continuance about 150 miles in
length, which ran in a straight direction, like a railway. The general
appearance, however, was like one vast ruin of nature; and many of the
pieces of rock driven out of the volcanoes appeared to lie at various
distances.