Memoir of the late Francis Baily, Esq.^ F.R.S.f S)C. 45 



certainly at that time begun to fall considerably behind the 

 requisitions of astronomical, and even of nautical science, 

 were those with which he may be said to have commenced his 

 more active astronomical career. But 1 wish to call attention 

 at present to two pamphlets which he published in 1818 and 

 1819 respectively, which will afford occasion for some remarks 

 of moment. The first of these is a notice of the annular eclipse 

 of September 20, 1820, whose path lay along the whole medial 

 line of Europe from north to south. Two points in this tract 

 merit our attention. In it he adopts a practice, which he sub- 

 sequently on a great many occasions adhered to, of introducing 

 in the way of prefatory statement a brief but very clear sketch 

 of the history of the subject, and the observations of former 

 astronomers. These little historical essays are for the most 

 part extremely well drawn up and highly interesting, and 

 show a perfect knowledge of the subjects treated of, drawn 

 from very extensive reading. The next point, and one of 

 more importance, is the studious consideration shown to ob- 

 servers possessed of slender instrumental means, in pointing 

 out to them modes and forms of observation by which those 

 means might be rendered available and useful. At no period 

 of his life himself possessing any large and elaborate instru- 

 ment or luxurious appliances, one of his constant aims was to 

 render astronomical observation popular and attractive by 

 showing that much of a highly useful character might be ac- 

 complished with even moderate instruments. There is no 

 question more frequently asked by the young astronomer who 

 has possessed himself of one or two tolerably good instruments 

 which he desires to employ his time upon, than this, " How 

 can I make myself useful ?" nor any which can be more readily 

 answered by a reference to the innumerable notices on almost 

 every point of practical astronomy which Mr. Baily from this 

 time forward for many years continued to scatter profusely to 

 the public, and which have probably done more to create 

 observers, and to cherish and foster a taste for practical astro- 

 nomy among Englishmen, than any single cause which can be 

 mentioned. 



In 1819 he printed for private distribution a translation of 

 Cagnoli's memoir on a " Method of deducing the Earth's El- 

 lipticity from Observations of very Oblique Occultations," 

 with an appendix recommendatory of the method, which is 

 precisely such as requires for its perfect execution only a suf- 

 ficient telescope, a moderately good clock, and an observer 

 diligent in watching opportunities. This was, no doubt, Mr. 

 Baily's chief reason for translating and distributing it, and 

 for subsequently following it up by his chart and catalogue of 



