The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

TO THE PRINTERS.

Some time ago there was published in one of our News Papers an article from a London Paper, relating to the opposition of the Sun and Mars last August, in which it was observed, if I remember right, that Mars had not come so near the Earth for 200 years past; and to this was added a remark on the baleful influences of this Planet. These astrological chimeras having been so long and so justly exploded, and the futility of them made so apparent by the modern discoveries in astronomy and natural philosophy, that it is surprising to see them revived at this day; nor should I have thought it worth while to take any notice of them, if something of the same nature had not been again advanced in one of our last papers, tho' taken as the former, from a London paper.

In the first publication, we were alarmed with the dreadful apprehension of wars to be excited by this fiery Planet, as it was called; but its operations, it seems turned out very different; for now at last 'tis discovered to have produced the Hurricane at Martinico. But what can be more fanciful, than to consider phaenomena which have regular and periodical returns, as the causes of events which return irregularly, and which besides rarely coincide with these phaenomena? These oppositions happen without hurricanes, and hurricanes happen without oppositions. Mars returns to an opposition with the Sun in 2 years and 50 days, and then comes nearer the Earth than in any other part of his revolution: and nearest of all, when the opposition happens in August, as it commonly does once in 47 years. But do wars or hurricanes return in either of these periods? Indeed this Planet seldom comes so near the Earth as he did the 13th of last August; tho' he approached as near, within a trifle, in the Year 1719, on the 27th of August N. S. What dire events that approach was attended with, I leave those who may think it worth while, to point out; which they may easily do. For in a world like this, where evils of every kind are so frequent, there can be no difficulty at any time in finding events that will correspond to the most threatning omens.

'Tis pity, such trifling imaginations should be any longer kept in sight, as they tend to take off the attention of people from real knowledge. The truth of the Matter is, Mars, when nearest, is much too far from this Globe, to have any sensible influence upon it; and least of all, such influences as are here pretended. I am, &c.