The Rhode Island Republican

COMMUNICATION.

THE COMET—Several scientific gentlemen of astronomical erudition, have lately, through the medium of newspapers, entertained us with philosophical disquisitions on the subject of the Comet, amounting in substance exactly to what every illiterate clown knows as well as they do. They have proved by ocular demonstration, that a week ago last Friday night, a comet appeared above our horizon, equally free for every one to look at. Secondly that it is W. N. W. at evening, and E. N. E. in the morning. Thirdly, that it gradually advances toward our zenith, and probably will soon be so situated that we can see it over our heads all night. Fourthly, that it has a disc. Fifthly, that it has a tail too. Sixthly, that if the moon was absent, it would appear more brilliant. Seventhly, that it can be better seen in clear evenings than in cloudy nights. Eighthly, that the comet which appeared in 1811, had a tail thirty-three millions of miles long; while others, equally good astronomers, found by exact measurement, that it was seventy millions of miles in length; making only the trifling difference of thirty-seven millions of miles in the length of the tail connected to the posteriors of the same body;—but they have not told us that, this is the same one, or that which appeared in the days of Copernicus, Newton or Ferguson. We hope their next communications will furnish us with some new scientific information on the subject.