Death of MecJuiin. — Earthquake. 89 



that disease, might rise on a child among swine- 

 pox, if that child was much exposed to infection, eveu 

 though that child had the cow-pock or the small-pox be- 

 fore f 



DEATH OF MECHAIN. 



The death of M. Mechain is one of the greatest losses that 

 astronomy could sustain; it adds a very reniarkible instance 

 to the niai tyrology of that science, since he died a sacriiice 

 to his zeal for one of the most important and difficult ope- 

 rations. 



Peter Francis Andrew Mechain was born at Laon on the 

 iCth of August 1744. His letiers made known to me his 

 turn for astrohomv, and I had the happiness of being able 

 to fix him at Pjiris in 1772. On the 13th of August 1774, 

 the academy approved of his -first memoir on an cchpse he 

 had observed at Versailles on the 11th of April. ~ lie was 

 then attached to the depot of the marine, where he made 

 immense calculations for the improvement of geographical 

 charts. He discovered and calculated several comets, He 

 gained the prize of the academy in 1782, respecting the 

 (Comet of I061, the return of which was expected in 1790, 

 and the sanu.' year was admitted a member. He was ciiarged 

 with the Commssance dcs Terns, and after 1788 that work 

 was much improved ; it was enriched every year whh the 

 labours of M. Mcchnin. In 1702 he was charged with 

 the qrand labour of the meridian from Dunkirk to Barce- 

 lona"^ in conjunction with M. Delamhre. He returned in 

 1 798. But to complete this work he was desirous of con- 

 tinuing it as far as the Balearean Isles, and he set out for 

 that purpose in 1803. He had already examined with in- 

 credible labour all the stations, and had terminated three, 

 when he was attacked by tliat fever which prevails every \ea}- 

 on the coast of Valeatia, occasioned by the marshes and 

 rivers, and died on the 20th of September 1804. A fuller 

 account of his labours, with a porLr.it of him, engraved in 

 1800, will be found in Von Zacli's Journal, and i propose 

 \o enlar<re it in mv liistory of astronomy lor 1 804. 



It is the melanchcdy fruit of my old age, that I have always 

 to write the eulogy of my pupils to console myself for their 



loss. ^ 1>E LALANDE. 



EjVJITHQUAKE. 



Saint Servan, Sept. 24tli, 



Yesterday at five or six minutes after four in the afternoon, 

 {I shock of an earthquake, accomp:mied with a hollow noise 

 jike the tjischarge of a great number of pieces of artillerv', 



or 



