French hcitiorial Institute. 37 1 



a contrast between such subjects as these and the insignifi- 

 cant trifles chosen by some artists from the diflerent occu- 

 pations of children ! 



Historical painting, when properly executed, serves to 

 rouse the mind to acts of heroism or virtue, or to instil 

 some orreat moral truth. Like music, it nusses its aim if 

 it toucli not our feelings. To be feelingly alive to whatever 

 is great and noble ought to be the study of every artist, 

 whose wish is not only himself to excel but to improve the 

 public taste, as the best and only certain means of insuring 

 to the arts that patronage which will otherwise be expected 

 in vain. 



LXIX. Proceedings of Learned and Economical Societies. 



FRENCH NATIONAL INSTITUTE. 



jL HE following letter from C. Mechain, charged with eon- 

 tinuinff the meridian of France to the Balearian islands^ 

 was read in the sitting of the Institute, Monday, November 

 10, 1803 : 



*' You know how many obstacles and how much delay 

 I have experienced on the continent ; as I could do nothing 

 else, nor better, I undertook to form the chain of triangles 

 on the coast of Catalonia, from the eminence of Matas on 

 Mount Allegre, as far as Mount Sia beyond Tortosa, which 

 I reached by six triangles ; the last of which only is very 

 large, and by a small acute triangle, that is to say, of 23 

 deo;rees. I had reverberators which I used for measuring the 

 angles, and with success. I did not neglect the day signals 

 when I was able to observe them without prolonging my 

 stav too much at the different stations. I am now at that 

 of Montserrat, which I hope soon to terminate ; nothing 

 will then remain but that of Matas. My cooperators can 

 tell you what we had at first to suffer from the scorch- 

 ing heat of the climate ; how much I have been impeded 

 by fogs, continual rains, and torrents, the most violent 

 tempests and dreadful hurricanes, which assailed us almost 

 incessantly, and in every place, till our arrival at Montserrat. 

 Such a stormy slate of the v.eathtr would scarcely be cre- 

 dible in the most intemperate climates of the earth. How- 

 ever, this chain of triangles will be terminated after three 

 months' labour. The distance between Matas and Mount 

 Sia i^ about HO miles. The Pui de la Mordia and 

 iSlola Cima, the highest of the peaks of Mount Sia, will 

 be the two summits of the large triangles for tliQ islantls. 

 Their dwUnce is 85 miles ; thcic twa points arc very 

 A a 2 yisibl* 



