354,  _History.of Astronomy forthe. Year 1805. 
at so, early an, age, astofished) the literary characters: who 
were then very numerous at. Montpelier. The Royal Society 
of Sciences established in that, city,in 1706, were anxious 
to receive among them so promising an associate, and in 
spite of the regulation, requiringsthe members to be twenty 
vears of age,, that requisite was dispensed with in) favour of 
young de Ratte, who.in, 1741 was admitted. a member. In 
ibe year following he was elected perpetual secretary ; the du- 
ties of which function .he continued to discharge with the 
greatest credit until the Royal Society of Montpelier was 
suppressed. He published some volumes in 1766 and.17785 ' 
under the. title of JMemoires, afterwards under the: title of 
Assemlés et Bulletins, and in every volume there/are;some 
articles, eulogies, and memoirs of his composition. His 
eulogies on Plantade, ‘Clapics, Lapeyronie, Venel,, Lafosse, 
Pitot, Sauvage, Linné, Leroy, Lamure, &e. have proved 
both the extent of his knowledge.and his ability as-a writer. 
He also composed several physical and mathematical me- 
moirs upon vortices, fluids and aloes, which are printed in 
the Collections of the Royal Society; and he furnished for 
the French.Encyclopedie the articles cold, tce, hail, &c. 
The famous prediction of Halley, respecting the return of 
the comet of 1682, which he fixed about 1757 or 1758, 
occupied the attention‘not only of ‘astronomers, but also of ' 
all the scientific men.of the day.. M. de Ratte was anxious 
to participate in the discovery of this;comets and this was 
the occasion that determined him to, pursue the | study of 
astronomy, He.wasamong the first who, discovered it) at 
- . - . 4, r res 2 ‘ 
its issuing from the sun’s rays. “These, observations gave ; 
him pleasure, and, he never atterwards/omitted observing 
_ every comet any way, remarkable, He also observed) .the 
transit of Venus in 1761: the observation which he made 
of it, at Montpelicr was one ofguhe most complete; and it 
became the basis of, much calculation..upon the !san’s. pa- 
rallax, with whych, M. Raite was, occupied. . He afterwards, 
made several obseryations upon the transits of Mereury over: 
the sun, upon the, eclipses of the sun.and moon, the sa-- 
=} 
tellites of Jupiter, and occultations \of) the stars; they! 
greatest part of which have never been, published, Herdi-, 
, __reeted 
a8 
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