238 



then slowly vanishing as it entered first the penumbra and then the 

 umbra of the earth's shadow, in a slanting direction ; and lastly, the 

 body can hardly fail of being a satellite, as its distance is so much 

 less than that of a shooting-star, which M. Petit of Toulouse has 

 pretty well identified as revolving about the earth in 3*^ 20°*, or at 

 about 3000 miles from the surface. 



4. A few unpublished particulars concerning the late Dr 

 Black. By Dr George Wilson. 



The object of this communication was to lay before the Society a 

 fevr characteristic incidents concerning Dr Black, gathered from Mrs 

 Elizabeth Wordsworth, who was a servant in his household during 

 the five last years of his life. 



The facts recorded do not admit of abridgment, but they com- 

 pletely confirmed the accounts contained in the published biographies 

 of Black, concerning his valetudinarian and methodical habits, whilst 

 they gave no countenance to the statement which had been credited 

 in some quarters, that the great chemist was an avaricious or penu- 

 rious man. Some interesting particulars were adduced illustrative 

 of the amiability and gentleness which characterised Dr Black ; and 

 the author concluded by noticing that an error had been committed 

 as to the date of the philosopher's death, which was not the 26th of 

 November 1799, as stated by Robison, but the 6th December of that 

 year, a fact which Mr Muirhead first pointed out (Watfs Corre- 

 spondence, p. xxii.), but which is confirmed by the newspapers of 

 the period. (^Vide Edinburgh Mercury of 14th December 1799.) 



Dr Christison then exhibited some interesting Specimens 

 of Alum-Slate, illustrative of the Manufacture of Alum, and 

 described both the natural and artificial processes. 



The following Donations to the Library were announced : — 



Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Edited by the Secretaries. 



Nos. 196 and 197. 8vo. — By the Editors. 

 Proceedings of the Royal Astronomical Society. Vol. IX., No. 5. 



8to. — By the Society. 



