[Illustration: PASSAGE OF THE COMET OF 1843 CLOSE TO THE SUN (FEBRUARY 27TH, 10 HOURS, 29 MINUTES.)] “Newton’s Comet,” seen about two centuries ago, has a journey to perform of such length that he is not expected again to appear for several thousand years. Yet, at the nearest point in his orbit, he approached the sun so closely, that the heat which he endured was about two thousand times that of red-hot iron. Changes were seen to be taking place in his shape, as he drew near to the sun, and disappeared. Four days he was hidden in the sun’s rays. He vanished, with a tail streaming millions of miles behind him. He made his appearance again with a tail streaming millions of miles in front of him. But how this wonderful movement took place is beyond man’s power to explain. The comet of 1843 was one of the most attractive seen during the present century. It was first observed in March, and it appeared with a suddenness which had quite a startling effect. It was an imposing object in the southern regions. The comet was seen in Italy on the 28th of February; at Washington, on the 6th of March; at Oporto, on the 14th; but owing to unfavorable weather, it was not visible in England, or any of the northern countries of Europe, previous to the 17th. A little after sunset on that day the tail was observed in the western sky, but the head had already sunk below the horizon. The whole of the comet appeared on the following evenings for a short time, for it was traveling away from the sun with great velocity, having doubled the solar orb before it became visible; and about the beginning of April it finally disappeared. The appearance of this startling stranger, as observed at Washington, is thus described by Lieutenant Maury, of the Hydrographical Office in that city: “On Monday morning, March 6th, our attention was called to a paragraph in the newspapers, stating that a comet was visible near the sun at midday with the naked eye. The sky was clear; but not being able to discover any thing with the unassisted eye, recourse was had to the telescope, but with no better success. About sunset in the evening, the examination was renewed with great diligence, but to no purpose. The last faint streak of day gilded the west; beautiful and delicate fleeces of cloud curtained the bed of the sun; the upper sky was studded with stars, and all hopes of seeing the comet that evening had vanished. Soon after we had retired, the officer of the watch announced its appearance in the west. The phenomenon was sublime and beautiful. The needle was greatly agitated, and a strongly marked pencil of light was streaming up from the path of the sun in an oblique direction to the southward and eastward; its edges were parallel. It was 30° long. Stars could be seen twinkling through it, and no doubt was at first entertained that this was the tail of the comet.”