Salamanca　when　young；　and　have　since　forgotten。〃
  Notwithstanding　the　blunders　italicized；　the　book　is　not　without　some
  claim　to　attention；　as　affording　a　naive　specimen　of　the　current
  astronomical　notions　of　the　time。　One　of　these　assumed；　that　the
  〃gravitating　power〃　extended　but　a　short　distance　from　the　earth's
  surface；　and；　accordingly；　we　find　our　voyager　〃carried　insensibly
  around　the　globe；〃　etc。
  There　have　been　other　〃voyages　to　the　moon；〃　but　none　of　higher　merit
  than　the　one　just　mentioned。　That　of　Bergerac　is　utterly　meaningless。
  In　the　third　volume　of　the　〃American　Quarterly　Review〃　will　be　found
  quite　an　elaborate　criticism　upon　a　certain　〃journey〃　of　the　kind　in
  questiona　criticism　in　which　it　is　difficult　to　say　whether　the
  critic　most　exposes　the　stupidity　of　the　book；　or　his　own　absurd
  ignorance　of　astronomy。　I　forget　the　title　of　the　work；　but　the
  _means　_of　the　voyage　are　more　deplorably　ill　conceived　than　are　even
  the　_ganzas　_of　our　friend　the　Signor　Gonzales。　The　adventurer；　in
  digging　the　earth；　happens　to　discover　a　peculiar　metal　for　which　the
  moon　has　a　strong　attraction；　and　straightway　constructs　of　it　a　box；
  which；　when　cast　loose　from　its　terrestrial　fastenings；　flies　with
  him；　forthwith；　to　the　satellite。　The　〃Flight　of　Thomas　O'Rourke；〃　is
  a　_jeu　d'　esprit　_not　altogether　contemptible；　and　has　been
  translated　into　German。　Thomas；　the　hero；　was；　in　fact；　the
  gamekeeper　of　an　Irish　peer；　whose　eccentricities　gave　rise　to　the
  tale。　The　〃flight〃　is　made　on　an　eagle's　back；　from　Hungry　Hill；　a
  lofty　mountain　at　the　end　of　Bantry　Bay。
  In　these　various　_brochures　_the　aim　is　always　satirical；　the　theme
  being　a　description　of　Lunarian　customs　as　compared　with　ours。　In
  none　is　there　any　effort　at　_plausibility　_in　the　details　of　the
  voyage　itself。　The　writers　seem；　in　each　instance；　to　be　utterly
  uninformed　in　respect　to　astronomy。　In　〃Hans　Pfaall〃　the　design　is
  original；　inasmuch　as　regards　an　attempt　at　_verisimilitude；　_in　the
  application　of　scientific　principles　（so　far　as　the　whimsical　nature
  of　the　subject　would　permit）；　to　the　actual　passage　between　the　earth
  and　the　moon。
  ｛*2｝　The　zodiacal　light　is　probably　what　the　ancients　called　Trabes。
  Emicant　Trabes　quos　docos　vocant。　　Pliny；　lib。　2；　p。　26。
  ｛*3｝　Since　the　original　publication　of　Hans　Pfaall；　I　find　that　Mr。
  Green；　of　Nassau　balloon　notoriety；　and　other　late　aeronauts；　deny
  the　assertions　of　Humboldt；　in　this　respect；　and　speak　of　a
  decreasing　inconvenience；　　precisely　in　accordance　with　the　theory
  here　urged　in　a　mere　spirit　of　banter。
  ｛*4｝　Havelius　writes　that　he　has　several　times　found；　in　skies
  perfectly　clear；　when　even　stars　of　the　sixth　and　seventh　magnitude
  were　conspicuous；　that；　at　the　same　altitude　of　the　moon；　at　the　same
  elongation　from　the　earth；　and　with　one　and　the　same　excellent
  telescope；　the　moon　and　its　maculae　did　not　appear　equally　lucid　at
  all　times。　From　the　circumstances　of　the　observation；　it　is　evident
  that　the　cause　of　this　phenomenon　is　not　either　in　our　air；　in　the
  tube；　in　the　moon；　or　in　the　eye　of　the　spectator；　but　must　be　looked
  for　in　something　（an　atmosphere？）　existing　about　the　moon。
  THE　GOLD…BUG
  What　ho！　what　ho！　this　fellow　is　dancing　mad　！
  He　hath　been　bitten　by　the　Tarantula。
  _All　in　the　Wrong。_
  MANY　years　ago；　I　contracted　an　intimacy　with　a　Mr。　William
  Legrand。　He　was　of　an　ancient　Huguenot　family；　and　had　once　been
  wealthy；　but　a　series　of　misfortunes　had　reduced　him　to　want。　To
  avoid　the　mortification　consequent　upon　his　disasters；　he　left　New
  Orleans；　the　city　of　his　forefathers；　and　took　up　his　residence　at
  Sullivan's　Island；　near　Charleston；　South　Carolina。　This　Island　is　a
  very　singular　one。　It　consists　of　little　else　than　the　sea　sand；　and
  is　about　three　miles　long。　Its　breadth　at　no　point　exceeds　a　quarter
  of　a　mile。　It　is　separated　from　the　main　land　by　a　scarcely
  perceptible　creek；　oozing　its　way　through　a　wilderness　of　reeds　and
  slime；　a　favorite　resort　of　the　marsh　hen。　The　vegetation；　as　might
  be　supposed；　is　scant；　or　at　least　dwarfish。　No　trees　of　any
  magnitude　are　to　be　seen。　Near　the　western　extremity；　where　Fort
  Moultrie　stands；　and　where　are　some　miserable　frame　buildings；
  tenanted；　during　summer；　by　the　fugitives　from　Charleston　dust　and
  fever；　may　be　found；　indeed；　the　bristly　palmetto；　but　the　whole
  island；　with　the　exception　of　this　western　point；　and　a　line　of　hard；
  white　beach　on　the　seacoast；　is　covered　with　a　dense　undergrowth　of
  the　sweet　myrtle；　so　much　prized　by　the　horticulturists　of　England。
  The　shrub　here　often　attains　the　height　of　fifteen　or　twenty　feet；
  and　forms　an　almost　impenetrable　coppice；　burthening　the　air　with　its
  fragrance。
  In　the　inmost　recesses　of　this　coppice；　not　far　from　the　eastern
  or　more　remote　end　of　the　island；　Legrand　had　built　himself　a　small
  hut；　which　he　occupied　when　I　first；　by　mere　accident；　made　his
  acquaintance。　This　soon　ripened　into　friendship　…　for　there　was　much
  in　the　recluse　to　excite　interest　and　esteem。　I　found　him　well
  educated；　with　unusual　powers　of　mind；　but　infected　with　misanthropy；
  and　subject　to　perverse　moods　of　alternate　enthusiasm　and　melancholy。
  He　had　with　him　many　books；　but　rarely　employed　them。　His　chief
  amusements　were　gunning　and　fishing；　or　sauntering　along　the　beach
  and　through　the　myrtles；　in　quest　of　shells　or　entomological
  specimens；　…　his　collection　of　the　latter　might　have　been　envied　by　a
  Swammerdamm。　In　these　excursions　he　was　usually　accompanied　by　an　old
  negro；　called　Jupiter；　who　had　been　manumitted　before　the　reverses　of
  the　family；　but　who　could　be　induced；　neither　by　threats　nor　by
  promises；　to　abandon　what　he　considered　his　right　of　attendance　upon
  the　footsteps　of　his　young　〃Massa　Will。〃　It　is　not　improbable　that
  the　relatives　of　Legrand；　conceiving　him　to　be　somewhat　unsettled　in
  intellect；　had　contrived　to　instil　this　obstinacy　into　Jupiter；　with
  a　view　to　the　supervision　and　guardianship　of　the　wanderer。
  The　winters　in　the　latitude　of　Sullivan's　Island　are　seldom　very
  severe；　and　in　the　fall　of　the　year　it　is　a　rare　event　indeed　when　a
  fire　is　considered　necessary。　About　the　middle　of　October；　18…；　there
  occurred；　however；　a　day　of　remarkable　chilliness。　Just　before　sunset
  I　scrambled　my　way　through　the　evergreens　to　the　hut　of　my　friend；
  whom　I　had　not　visited　for　several　weeks　…　my　residence　being；　at
  that　time；　in　Charleston；　a　distance　of　nine　miles　from　the　Island；
  while　the　facilities　of　passage　and　re…passage　were　very　far　behind
  those　of　the　present　day。　Upon　reaching　the　hut　I　rapped；　as　was　my
  custom；　and　getting　no　reply；　sought　for　the　key　where　I　knew　it　was
  secreted；　unlocked　the　door　and　went　in。　A　fine　fire　was　blazing　upon
  the　hearth。　It　was　a　novelty；　and　by　no　means　an　ungrateful　one。　I
  threw　off　an　overcoat；　took　an　arm…chair　by　the　crackling
  logs；　and　awaited　patiently　the　arrival　of　my　hosts。
  Soon　after　dark　they　arrived；　and　gave　me　a　most　cordial　welcome。
  Jupiter；　grinning　from　ear　to　ear；　bustled　about　to　prepare　some
  marsh…hens　for　supper。　Legrand　was　in　one　of　his　fits　…　how　else
  shall　I　term　them？　…　of　enthusiasm。　He　had　found　an　unknown　bivalve；
  forming　a　new　genus；　and；　more　than　this；　he　had　hunted　down　and
  secured；　with　Jupiter's　assistance；　a　scarab鎢s　which　he　believed　to
  be　totally　new；　but　in　respect　to　which　he　wished　to　have　my　opinion
  on　the　morrow。
  〃And　why　not　to…night？〃　I　asked；　rubbing　my　hands　over　the　blaze；
  and　wishing　the　whole　tribe　of　scarab鎖　at　the　devil。
  〃Ah；　if　I　had　only　known　you　were　here！〃　said　Legrand；　〃but　it's
  so　long　since　I　saw　you；　and　how　could　I　foresee　that　you　would　pay
  me　a　visit　this　very　night　of　all　others？　As　I　was　coming　home　I　met
  Lieutenant　G；　from　the　fort；　and；　very　foolishly；　I　lent　him　the
  bug；　so　it　will　be　impossible　for　you　to　see　it　until　the　morning。
  Stay　here　to…night；　and　I　will　send　Jup　down　for　it　at　sunrise。　It　is
  the　loveliest　thing　in　creation！〃
  〃What？　…　sunrise？〃
  〃Nonsense！　no！　…　the　bug。　It　is　of　a　brilliant　gold　color　…　about
  the　size　of　a　large　hickory…nut　…　with　two　jet　black　spots　near　one
  extremity　of　the　back；　and　another；　somewhat　longer；　at　the　other。
  The　antenn？are　…　〃
  〃Dey　aint　no　tin　in　him；　Massa　Will；　I　keep　a　tellin　on　you；〃
  here　interrupted　Jupiter；　〃de　bug　is　a　goole　bug；　solid；　ebery　bit　of
  him；　inside　and　all；　sep　him　wing　…　neber　feel　half　so　hebby　a　bug　in
  my　life。〃
  〃Well；　suppose　it　is；　Jup；〃　replied　Legrand；　somewhat　more
  earnestly；　it　seemed　to　me；　than　the　case　demanded；　〃is　that　any
  reason　for　your　letting　the　birds　burn？　The　color〃　…　here　he　turned
  to　me　…　〃is　really　almost　enough　to　warrant　Jupiter's　idea。　You　never
  saw　a　more　brilliant　metallic　lustre　than　the　scales　emit　…　but　of
  this　you　cannot　judge　till　tomorrow。　In　the　mean　time　I　can　give　you
  some　idea　of　the　shape。〃　Saying　this；　he　seated　himself　at　a　small
  table；　on　which　were　a