THE ASTRONOMICAL NOTICE TO QUIT.
[TO THY EDITOR Or THE " SPECTATOR:I SIR,—Those of your readers possessing the Spectator for the year 1882 may feel interest in referring to your article in the number for January 28th of that year, and subsequent corre- spondence, upon the above subject. It appears that Mr. Proctor predicted that in or about the year 1897 a certain comet with its meteoric appendages would fall into the sun. That, consequently, the sun would suddenly break out into an enormous intensity of heat and light,—probably resulting in the total destruction of animal and vegetable life, not only of our planet but of the entire solar system. Almost half of the present year has elapsed, so we shall shortly have either the satisfaction of knowing that Mr. Proctor was mistaken, or—terrible alternative ! "Mr. Proctor's name will have one instant of lurid fame, in which that and everything else connected with our cor- poreal life will expire." In order to reassure (if necessary) your readers, and in fairness to Mr. Proctor, I may add that the prediction was made with but a small degree of confidence.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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