410 On a new and certain Method of ascertaining the Figure 



much has been already done towards perfecting our present sys- 

 tem of astronomy, much still remains to be effected, both in 

 theory and practice. Not only would the interchange of senti- 

 ments and remarks on the various celestial phaenomena, which 

 such a Society would afford, lead to the advancement of the 

 science in general; but the comparison and discussion of the 

 merits of the several instruments used for astronomical purposes 

 would also tend either to their improvement or to the discovery of 

 new ones. By means also of a society of this kind an active com- 

 munication might be kept up with the principal astronomers in 

 different parts of the world ; and, thus, continual subjects of re- 

 search or observation be submitted to public attention. The 

 funds of such a society might likewise be usefully employed in the 

 formation of an Astronomical Library, consisting of the most 

 rare and valuable books on the science ; and in collecting and 

 transcribing the observations of astronomers in various parts of 

 the world *. But even without any views or pretensions to new 

 discoveries, or to the improvement of optical instruments and 

 time-keepers, or to the formation of such a library, an Astrono- 

 mical Society might render very important benefits to Geography 

 and Navigation by simultaneous observations of lunar distances, 

 eclipses, occultations, and various other phaenomena; which are 

 at present in a great measure neglected because the public atten- 

 tion is not specially directed thereto. And the more numerous 

 and widely diffused the members of such a society might be, the 

 greater the probability of obviating the baneful effects of our 

 cloudy atmosphere ; an occurrence which often renders the efforts 

 of the finest observatory totally unavailing. 



There is yet another source of assistance which we may hope 



* The observations and remarks of many eminent astronomers, both an- 

 cient and .modern, still exist only in manuscript, in the hands of private in- 

 dividuals ; and ought, if possible, to be rescued from their present precarious 

 situation, and deposited in a place of safety and convenient refsrence. Bul- 

 liald made an immense collection of observations of this kind, many of which 

 came into the possession of Lemonnier; who put them into the hands of 

 PingrS, for the purpose of publication. Pingri had himself collected also 

 an astonishing number of rare and valuable manuscripts from all parts of 

 Europe, and had not only calculated and reduced their contents ; but had 

 likewise discussed and compared the observations, so as to render it a work 

 of the highest utility lO astronomers. It was the labour of thirty years ! and 

 the National Assembly in 1791 i>sued a decree for printing it, under the title 

 of Annales Celestes du duv-septihne siecle. In the year 1794, about 360 pages 

 of this work were printed; being one-third only of the intended publication. 

 The learned author died in 1 796 at the advanced age of 85 : since which 

 period I do not find that the progress of the work has been at all advanced. 

 Many valuable observations of the more recent astronomers, such as Halley, 

 De L'Isle, Lemonnier, Godin and others, it is well known, exist also only in 

 manuscript ; and are now mouldering in the dust, a disgrace to the nine- 

 teenth century. 



for 



