454 Edinburgh Observatory, 



few weeks since an astronomer was appointed to it ; and its princi- 

 pal instrument has just been erected. Within the last twelve years 

 it has been visited by many astronomers, British and foreign. Of 

 the former, I may mention the late Mr Woodhouse and Professor 

 Airy of Cambridge ; Dr Brinkley (now Bishop of Cloyne), when 

 Professor of Astronomy in Dublin ; Sir Thomas Brisbane, and 

 various members of the Astronomical Society of London. Of 

 foreign astronomers, I recollect M. Gautier of Geneva, M. Tralles 

 of Berlin, M. Quetelet of Brussels. None of these raised any 

 objections such as were made by Dr Robinson. I believe I may 

 say with confidence, that M. Arago w as satisfied that the Observa- 

 tory will fulfil the purpose for which it was erected ; and that Pro- 

 fessor Moll did not in the least agree in the opinions brought for- 

 ward in the meeting of the British Association. 



In this state of the case, it seems prudent to suspend farther dis- 

 cussion on the subject until the Observatory has had a fair trial. 

 The proposition to convert an elegant structure, that has cost 

 L. 5000, and that has been erected on a rock highly magnetic, into 

 a Magnetic Observatory, will, I believe, find no supporter?, and, 

 when duly considered, not even the sanction of the learned pro- 

 poser. 



On the whole, I am confident, that, had Dr Robinson taken the 

 trouble to make himself acquainted with the difficulties that have 

 been surmounted in the erection of the Edinburgh Observatory, he 

 would have told the meeting, that the men of Edinburgh had done 

 for the improvement of astronomy what had been attempted before 

 in Britain, but never accomplished — witness the Glasgow Obser- 

 vatory, of which the instruments have been long ago sold by pub- 

 lic roup or private bargain, little to the credit of that opulent 

 city. 



William Wallace. 

 Edinburgh, 2Ath Sept, 1834. Professor of Mathematics. 



Proceedings of the Society for the Encouragement of the Useful 

 Arts in Scotland. 



The following communications were laid before the Society 

 during the months of March, April, and May 1834. 



March 12. — 1. A Map of the lievels of London and its Environs, 

 was exhibited, as a specimen of the mode of executing a proposed 



