Royal Society of London. 213 
Cit. Dupuis has publifhed an abridgment, in one volume, 
of his largg work on the origin of all the different forms 
ef religious worfhip. 
rc THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 
This learned Society held its firft meeting for the feafon 
on Thurfday the 8th of November. 
An abftra& of a paper (read at a former meeting) entitled 
** Experiments to determine the Denfity of the Earth, by 
Henry Cavendith, Efq: F.R.S. and A.S.’’ was read to the 
meeting. Thefe experiments, which are) extremely in- 
genious and interefting, are detailed at full length in 
Part IL. of the Tranfactions for the prefent year. They 
were projected by the late Rev, John Michell, F.R.S:/but 
he did not live to carry them into effect. After his death the 
apparatus ‘came to the Rev. F. J. H. Wollafton, Jackfonian 
Profeffor at Cambridge, who transferred them to Mr. Ca- 
¥endifh. The apparatus contrived for making fenfible the 
attraction of {mall quantities of matter, and which has been 
‘improved by Mr. C. is very fimple: it confifts of a wooden 
arm 6 feet long, fufpended by the middle in an horizontal 
pofition by a flender wire 40 inches long; to each extremity 
is hung a leaden ball about 2 inches in. diameter; and the 
whole ‘is’ inclofed' in a wooden cafe to defend it from the 
wind. 
/.As no more force is required to turn this balance on its 
“éeritre, than is neceflary to twift the flender fufpending wire, 
the fmalleft degrce of attraGtion of a leaden weight or 
“Sweights,’'a few (eight) inches in diameter, brought near to 
thie fmall fufpended ball or balls of the balance, will be fuf- 
ficient ‘to move it fenfibly afide. 
“To ‘determine from’ hence ‘the denfity of the earth, atl 
“that is ‘neceffary is to afcertain what force is required to 
“draw the arm afide through a given {pace, and then to: have 
rééourfe to calculation. 
nes To 
