2 A \ OYAGE TO Hook VIL 



iiiul llie dürorciit scluMiios niid con>;cqiiencrr« in politics, 

 tlu* sucrcssivc cliaiii of which rcndcKs hislorv so de- 

 lii^iitful, and, to a rcflcctiiiii; mind, so instructive. 

 The inconstancy so often seen in thinsis the most 

 solid and stable, is iicneniliy one oftlic most povvcr- 

 fnl obsiacles, to the advantages which might other- 

 wise he derived from works of iiny duration. How- 

 ever great they are, either in reality, or idea, the per- 

 fection of them is not only impeded by the vicissitudes 

 of time, and the inconstancy of things, but they even 

 decline, and iall into ruins : some, thro' want of pro- 

 per support and encouragement ; while others, from 

 the mind being wearied out by delays, difficulties, 

 anda thousand embarrassments, are abandoned ; the 

 in"! agina! ion being no longer able to pursue its mag- 

 uitíccnt scheme. 



To measure some degrees of the meridian near the 

 equator, the principal intention of our voyage, if 

 considered only in idea, and abstractedly from the 

 difficulties wliicli attended its execution, must appear 

 easy, and as requiring no great length of time ; but 

 experience convinced us, tiiat a work of such import- 

 ance to the improvement of science, and the interest 

 of all nations, was not to be perfornicd without de- 

 lays, diiiieuliies and dangers; which demanded at- 

 tention, accuracy, and perseverance. Besides the dif- 

 liculties necessarily attending the requisite accuracy 

 of these observations, the delays we were obliged to 

 make in order to take them in the most favourable 

 seasons, the intervening clouds, the Paramos, and 

 disposition of the ground, were so many obiitacics to 

 our mykir.i.': any tolerable dispatch ; and the. e delays 

 lilled us with apprehensions, that if any other acci- 

 dciits should }iaj;peii, the whole design would be ren- 

 dered abortive, or at least, sutfer a long inlerniption. 



It has aiready been ()l>served -that while we were 

 at Cuenca, finishing our astronomical observations in 

 that extren.iity of the arch of the meridian, we un- 

 expectedly 



