25 April 1846
adams-john10 Neal Millikan
539 Washington Saturday 25th. April 1846—

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To the Sun—eclipsed— A Sonnet—

Celestial source of light and life on earth What envious rival intercepts thy rays. Dares thy own satellite arrest thy blaze, Or stay thy stream of empirean birth. 540 Is it, that ever, of transcendant worth The mortal doom to win the meed of praise Is to be mir’d through slanders, slimy ways, Or fly for refuge to the Hermits hearth— Pure emanation from God’s holy throne Light unobscurable to him above Reserved, throughout eternity endures— Thy beam albeit with passing splendor bright Yielding alternate to the realm of night Each dim eclipse or transient cloud obscures—

These lines were written, on the occasion of the solar eclipse, which this day took place— By the invitation of Lieut. Maury, who has now the charge, of the Astronomical Observatory at the Depot of Chartes and Maps, attached to the Navy Department, in this City— I went there, to observe this eclipse, through the great Frauenhofer Refractor which is there established: But the atmosphere was so beclouded, that I lost the opportunity of the observation—and remained there; not more than half an hour— Lieut Maury told me, that the calculation of this eclipse, by Mr. Robert. T. Paine, had fixed, within two seconds, the time of its commencement.— a prediction more accurate, than any other, that he had ever known, ten seconds having been considered, the nearest approach to perfect accuracy, attainable, by Astronomical observers— I met there, Mr. Charles Ashley a Member of the United States Senate, from the State of Arkansas, with his wife, and several other Ladies— I proceeded from thence, immediately to the Capitol where I found the House in Session. McKay, Chairman of the Committee of ways and means, had renewed his motion, yesterday made, and withdrawn, to print a thousand extra copies, of the new Tariff Bill, which after several votes without a quorum, was carried, McKay moved also, to go into Committee of the whole on the state of the Union on the dificient Appropriation Bill 541which was refused. And the House took up Private Bills, two of which were rejected, and adopted, one— Then went into Committee of the whole and took up a Bill, for allowing the Fishing Bounty to the owner and Crew of the Schooner Success, lost at Sea, twenty days, before she had completed her Fishing voyage, of four months. Mr. Grinnell, made a very efficient speech, in favor of the Bill, and was warmly supported by Luther Severance, of Maine— Samuel Gordon moved to report the Bill with a recommendation that it be rejected. I moved, as an Amendment to strike out the recommendation, and report the Bill—which, was carried— The Bill for the relief of Nathaniel Bird was after debate reported to the House. The Committee rose and the House adjourned—

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