[Ads-l] Jovians and Martians

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Great citations, Bill! Apparently, the "Martians" displaced the
"Martialites". I think there was a typo in your message the Henderson,
NC citation was dated September 26, 1869 and not 1962.

Following your lead I located a citation dated September 2, 1869 which
acknowledged a periodical called "Once a Week". (The word "evidently"
is misspelled "evidenty".)

Date: September 02, 1869
Newspaper: The Dundee Courier & Argus
Newspaper Location: Dundee, Scotland
Short Item: Signalling the Planets
Quote Page 3, Column 3
Issue 5019
Database: 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II.

[Begin excerpt]
SIGNALLING THE PLANETS.--A French idealist,
evidenty suffering from telegraphy on the brain,
proposes to the Academy of Sciences to establish
communication with the people of the planets, if any
such there be. His notion is to mount a great
mirror upon the earth, and give flashing signals to
Mars and Jupiter. He thinks that if these are
repeated regularly, in batches of a certain number, the
Martians or the Jovians, as the case may be, will
come to discern that they mean something, and will
return them; and that thus a code will be eventually
agreed upon, so that we may talk across the solar
system just as we do across a field.--Once a Week.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Sun, Oct 18, 2015 at 9:49 PM, Bill Mullins <amcombill at hotmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Bill Mullins <amcombill at HOTMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Jovians and Martians
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Possible bracketed cites?
> _The Sydney [Australia] Morning Herald_ 26 Sep 1862 p 3 col 4"But much as w=
> e may yet discover of distant worlds by the organ of sight -- not absolutel=
> y impossible as itis that our posterity might yet=2C some centuries hence=
> =2C learn a good deal of the external characteristics of Martial or even Jo=
> vian races -- while human nature and terrestrial laws remain what they are =
> we must becontent to creep about at best very near to the bottom of our aer=
> ial ocean=2C and waive all notion of reaching the surface=2C or getting a g=
> ood look-out into the infinitudes of interstellar space."
> _South Australian Register_ [Adelaide] 21 Apr 1863 p 3 col 2"Finally=2C the=
>  Martialites (if Martialites there be) have probably no moon=2C but get an =
> additionalhalf-hour in every diurnal revolution to make up for this disadva=
> ntage=2C and their year is twice as longas ours=2C so that their thoughts a=
> nd actions have probably a longer stroke=2C as we may say -- that is=2Cthey=
>  have less temptation to be constantly taking stock of their progress."
>
> The following two cites are probably inspired by the same French journal ar=
> ticle mentioned by Garson:
> _The Henderson [NC] Index_ 26 Sep 1862 p 2 col 3"It is unreasonable to supp=
> ose that we poor terrestrials are to construct single-handed the signal boo=
> kfor the whole solar system.  But perhaps the Martians or Jovians will come=
>  to the rescue."
> _The Daily Journal_ [Wilmington=2C NC] 6 Oct 1869 p 2 col 3"He thinks that =
> if these are repeated regularly=2C in batches of a certain number=2C the Ma=
> rtians or the Jovians=2C as the case may be=2C will come to discern them=3B=
>  and that thus a code will be eventually agreedupon=2C so that we may talk =
> across the solar system just as we do across a field."
> (I see a snippet of this Oct 1869 quote in Britishnewspaperarchive.com=2C i=
> n the _Dundee Courier_ 2 Sept1869 p 3.  Someone with a subscription to that=
>  database can likely antedate the American cites.)
>                                           =
>
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