An introduction to astronomy: designed as a text-book for the use of students in college. By Denison Olmsted ...

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
NEARLY all who have written Treatises on Astronomy, designed for
young learners, appear to have erred in one of two ways; they have
either disregarded demonstrative evidence, and relied on mere popular
illustration, or they have exhibited the elements of the science in naked
mathematical formulae. The former are usually diffuse and superficial;
the latter, technical and abstruse.
In the following Treatise, we have endeavored to unite the advantages
of both methods. We have sought, first, to establish the great principles of astronomy on a mathematical basis; and, secondly, to render the
study interesting and intelligible to the learner, by easy and familiar
illustrations. We would not encourage any one to believe that he can
enjoy a full view of the grand edifice of astronomy, while its noble
foundations are hidden from his sight; nor would we assure him that
he can contemplate the structure in its true magnificence, while its
basement alone is within his field of vision. We would, therefore, that
the student of astronomy should confine his attention neither to the exterior of the building, nor to the mere analytic investigation of its structure. We would desire that he should not only study it in models and
diagrams, and mathematical formnla, but should at the same time
acquire a love of nature herself, and cultivate the habit of raising his
views to the grand originals. Nor is the effort to form a clear conception of the motions and dimensions of the heavenly bodies, less favorable
to the improvement of the intellectual powers, than the study of pure
geometry.
But it is evidently possible to follow out all the intricacies of an analytical pxocess, and to arrive at a fuill conviction of the great truths of
astronomy, and yet know very little of nature. According to our experience, however, but few students in the course of a liberal education
will feel satisfied with this. They do not need so much to be convinced
that fhe assertions of astronomers are true, as they desire to know what
the truths are, and how they were ascertained; and they will derive