8a French Kaliotml InJl'Uute. 



downfall of the Roman empire, did the Goths diftinguifti 

 themfelves above others by any pecuhar quahties in regard 

 to their conftitution, their laws, cuftoms, and ufages ; or, 

 more particularly, in regard to their lilerature and arts? 



" 2. Are not the terms Gothic and GoUAcifm denomina- 

 tions created at pofterior periods to denote the ftate in which 

 the fciences, letters and arts ^vere, after the decline of the 

 Koman empire, and during the middle ages ? 



" 3. If this be the caie, at what period did thefe terms 

 begin to be iifed in this more general acceptation?" 



The Mathematical Clafs has alfo repeated, for 1802, the 

 following queftion, with a double prize : 



" As there ftili remain, notwithftanding the labours of the 

 ableft artronomers, feveral points to be cleared up in regard 

 to the variation of the obrujuity of the ecliptic, the academy 

 invites the learned to employ themfelves again on this objeft', 

 and will adjudge the prize to that memoir which fliall con- 

 tain the moft interelting refearches and the moft important 

 illuilrations of this point. 



" It invites the learned of all countries, except the ordi- 

 nary members of the academy, to turn their attention to 

 thcfe quelHons. The prize, which confifts of a gold medal 

 of the weight of fifty ducats, will be adjudged to thofe who, 

 in the opinion of the academy, fliall have given the beft an- 

 fwcr. The papers, written in a legible hand, muft be ad- 

 drefled (poft paid) to the perpetual fecretarv of the academy. 

 Thofe which, in the opinion of the aeadtniy, have not fuffi- 

 cient merit to be entitled to tlie prize, cannot be returned to 

 the authors, as the originals mull be depofited among the 

 archives of the academy : all thofe, therefore, who tranfmit 

 jnemoirs as candidates for the prize, are requelted to take 

 copies of them before they tranimit them to the academy. 



" The term for receiving the memoirs is fixed at the ift of 

 May of the above years, after \\ hich period none can be re- 

 ceived, whatever rcalon may be alligncd for the delay." 



FRENCH NATIONAL INSTITUTE. 



In the public fitting of the Inftitute on the 7thof 0£lober, 

 the following papers were read : 



An account of the obfcrvations made on the perpendicular 

 •chains (plunib lines) fufpcnded from the dome of the Pan- 

 theon, the obje(Sl of which is to afcertain whether any warp- 

 ing has taken place in that edifice: by C. I'ronv; 



On that kind of pavement called by the Greeks Uthojlrataf 

 and by the moderns imja'i:: by C. Gibelin; 



An 



I 



