d by
nature at 240,000 miles, and the least distance of Venus from the earth
being 24,293,000 miles, it was, of course, impossible to observe that
planet's surface with distinctness. Still she appeared greatly enlarged,
covering about one hundredth part of the heavens, and blazing with
unimaginable splendor.

Experiments upon Jupiter and Mars were equally futile, and the committee
half sorrowfully turned again to the inspection of the moon.

The report then proceeds at great length to give full descriptions of
the most noted geographical peculiarities of the lunar surface, and
corrects many errors fallen into by Herschel, Leverrier and Proctor.
Professor Secchi informs us that the surface of the moon is much better
known to astronomers than the surface of the earth is to geographers;
for there are two zones on the globe within the Arctic and Antarctic
circles, that we can never examine. But every nook and cranny of the
illuminated face of the moon has been fully delineated, examined and
named, so that no object greater than sixty feet square exists but has
been seen and photographed by means of Lord Rosse's telescope and De la
Ruis' camera and apparatus. As the entire report will be ordered
published at the next weekly meeting of the College, we refrain from
further extracts, but now proceed to narrate the results of our own
interviews with the boy.

It was on the evening of the 17th of February, 1876, that we ventured
with rather a misgiving heart to approach Culp Hill, and the humble
residence of a child destined, before the year is out, to become the
most celebrated of living beings. We armed ourselves with a pound of
sugar candy for the boy, some _muslin-de-laine_ as a present to the
mother, and a box of cigars for the father. We also took with us a very
large-sized opera-glass, furnished for the purpose by M. Muller. At
first we encountered a positive refusal; then, on exhibiting the cigars,
a qualified negative; and finally, when the muslin and candy were drawn
on the enemy, we were somewhat coldly invited in and proffered a seat.
The boy was pale and restless, and his eyes without bandage or glasses.
We soon ingratiated ourself into the good opinion of the whole party,
and henceforth encountered no difficulty in pursuing our investigations.
The moon being nearly full, we first of all verified the tests by the
committee. These were all perfectly satisfactory and reliable.
Requesting, then, to stay until after m