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

Vi AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
from the study of astronomy little of that moral and intellectual elevation which they had anticipated, unless they learn to look upon the
heavens with new views, and a clear comprehension of their wonderful
mechanism.
Much of the difficulty that usually attends the early progress of the
astronomical student, arises from his being too soon introduced to the
most perplexing part of the whole subject,- the planetary motions. In
this work, the consideration of these is for the most part postponed until
the learner has become familiar with the artificial circles of the sphere,
and conversant with the celestial bodies. WYe then first take the most
simple view possible of the planetary motions by contemplating them as
they really are in nature, and afterwards proceed to the more difficult
inquiry,'why they appear as they do. Probably no science derives such
signal advantage from a happy arrangement, as astronomy; —an order,
which brings out every fact or doctrine of the science just in the place
where the mind of the learner is prepared to receive it.