130 On a Plan for properly olserving Fire -Ball Meteors. 



She feels and admires mantle-piece ornaments, and never 

 breaks or injures the most brittle furniture, even in a strange 

 room. 



She is obedient as other children in general. The jar of her 

 mother's foot upon the floor effectually prevents the commission 

 of a fault ; but she easilv distinguishes the stamping of one of 

 the children from that of her mother, and obeys or not, as she 

 pleases. 



Her parents, as you may well suppose, have not been able to 

 indulge her in dress ; but when she receives articles of clothing 

 or ornaments as presents, she is highly gratified to find that they 

 resemble in form and fashion those of her plavmate. She has, 

 as you perceive, a spice of female vanity ! At a tea*table, she 

 behaves with more gentility than many a miss who has the be- 

 nefit of eyes, by which to adjust her motions and attitudes. 



A gentleman once made several experiments with a view to 

 satisfy himself whether she really had the discernment which 

 she was reported to possess. Among other arts for effecting his 

 olrject, he pretended to carry away her infant sister. She im- 

 mediately detected the cheat, by ascertaining that his umbrella 

 remained upon the table. She then went out of the door, and 

 picked the head of a large thistle in full bloom, brought it in, 

 smelling of it as she came, and offered it to the gentleman, ap- 

 parently as a nosegay. He reached out his hand ; but, instead 

 o*" giving it, she archly pricked his hand, by way of retort for his 

 freedom in testing her sagacity. 



XXIV. On a Plan for properly observing Fire-Ball Meteors. 

 By H. Clauke, LL.D. 



To Mr. Tilloch. 



Sir, — As your correspondent J. A. (Dec. 1S17, p. 469) seem? 

 very jnstly desirous of a plan for properly observing the fire-ball 

 meteors, it is presumed that this gentleman may not be apprised 

 of that which was recommended and transmitted, as a circular, 

 to the scientific public by the late Astronomer Royal Dr. N. Mas- 

 kelyne, now upwards of thirty years ago. Having a copy of this 

 paper still in my possession, and which is at this time, I believe, 

 rarely to be met with, I have no doubt but its insertion (when- 

 ever convenient) in your valuable Magazine, will meet with ge- 

 neral approbation. 



As a remark, however, on the Rev. Doctor's plan, it may not 

 be superfluous to add, that whoever compares it Avith the ac- 

 counts* we find t}{ the general appearances of these phaenomena, 

 which are copiously given in the French Philor,cphical Memoirs, 



aud 



