ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORIES. 427 



IV. Observatory of San Oiorannino {Ximenia7i6). 



Longitude from Greeiiwicli, . 



Latitude, . 



Director : Prof. F. Cecciii. 



Founded by Father Leon7\rdo Ximenes, a Jesuit. 



In tbe annals of the Imperial Museum of Florence, Vol. II, for the 

 year 1810, we read that about the year 1784, the Grand Duke Leopold 

 I gave directions to his architect, Gaspero Paolettt, to niahe the de- 

 signs for an observatory to be erected within the precincts of the Im- 

 perial and Eoyal Museum of Physical Science and Natural History of 

 Florence, of which the Abbe Felix Fontana was director. 



Prof. DoMENico Ue Vecchi, in an astronomical report inserted in the 

 above-mentioned annals, dechires that after diligent search he was un- 

 able to discover any historical document relative to the erection of this 

 observatory-, and that the date of 1774 was given him by the Engineer 

 Del Kosso. The same professor De Vecchi, in the introduction to the 

 description of the Imperial Observatory (above annals, Vol. II), declares 

 it to have been already constructed and furnished with some instru- 

 ments as far back as the year 1775. 



In the year 1784, there had been collected in the observatory a clock, 

 a transit instrument, and zenith sector, for the work of Professor Slop, 

 of the University of Pisa, who also constructed a meridian, passing un- 

 der the i)avement of a hall, which owes its name to this circumstance 

 and bears the following inscription : " Linea meridiana ducta in obser- 

 vatrio Pegii Musau Scientiorum Florentini, Petro Leopoldo, Imperaute 

 anno, MDCCLXXXIV." 



In the year 1784, Professor Font ana began the meteorological obser- 

 vations, using eight large instruments of his own invention and con- 

 structed under his attention, care, and direction. Arrested in his ca- 

 reer by calumny, and in consequence withdrawn from the Museum. 

 Fontana was succeeded as director pro tempore by Alessandro Gal- 

 ilei ; he was succeeded by Fabbroni, nominated by the ecclesiastical 

 party in 1789 vice-director under Fontana. 



On the 1st of January, 1805, we find the entry of the death of this 

 distinguished scientist, at a distance from that Museum, to which he 

 had rendered such service as instructor and director. 



Shortly after, Fabbroni having been appointed director of the mint. 

 Count GiROLAMO Bardi was named director of the museum in his 

 place. Ue immediately founded several chairs of instruction, among 

 them one of astronomy, which was assigned to Domenico De Vecchi, 

 professor of physical sciences at the University at Sienna, and to him 

 was also entrusted the directorship of the observatory (1807). 



De Vecchi remained in this position in the Florentine Observatory 

 until July, 1814, when he was removed by an order of the Commissario 

 Plenipotenziario, Prince Raspiglioli, under date of June 22, 1814. (This 



