The Terrible Scenery Of The Moon

Among the many terribly sublime scènes with which the nioou's euriaee must abound, none can be grander thun ttat v.'hich would present itself to the spectator if he vvas placed inside one of those vast volcanic craters- " Tycho," for instance - surroundod on every side by the most territic ecidences oí volcanio force in its wildest features. In such a position he would have before him, starting up from the vast plain bolow, á tmghty obehsk-shaped mouutaiu of somo 0 OCU fëët in hight, casting its intenso black . shndow over the plateau; and partly up its slope he would sce an amphitheatrieal range of mountains beyond, whieh, in splte oF their being about forty miles distant, would appear almost in his ïinmediate proximity (owing to the absence of that "aerial perspectiva " which in terrestrial seenery imparta a softened aspect to all distaut objects)- so oear, indeed, as to revettl every eloft and chasm to the naked eyo. This strango oommingüng of near and distaut objects, tho inevitable visual cousequenoe of the absence of atmosphere or water, must impart to lu iar seenery a terrible aspect, a stern wildness, which may aptly be tormed " unearthly." Aod when we geek to picture to oursolves, in addition to the lineameuts and condition of the lunar landscape, and tho awful ofiect of an absolutely black finnaiout in which every star visible above the horizon would shine with a steady brilliancy (all causes of scintílfátioú or twiukling - an effect duo to the presenco of variously heatod strata, or ourrents in our atmosphere - being absent), or of tho vivid and glariug dunshine with whioh we have nothing to compare in our subdued solar Uumiuation, raado more striking by tho contrast of an iutensely black sky ; if, vve say, we would picture to üurselvos the Wiil Beono that would thus be presomed to gaze, we must setlrch for it iu the recollection of somo fcaiful drèam. - Qmrterbj Journal of Science. - - - i -- - ■-■