46 On the Comet of July — Sdptember 1S19. 



pressure steam-engines, because an ill contrived one, or one ill 

 managed, has blown up. To argue against the use of an object 

 ■from its abuse, is the logic of past times, and like the statement 

 of " facts that are not true." 



Believe me, sir, 



Your attentive reader, 



Derby Brewery, Dec. 12, 1819. Geo. LowE. 



V. On the Comet of July— September 1819. By A Corre- 

 spondent. 



To Mr. Tilloch. 



Sir, — 1 HERE are, I am inclined to think, among your readers, 

 a considerable number of persons, not professed astronomers, to 

 whom the appearance of a comet is an object of considerable in- 

 terest : and I must confess my surprise that no one among them 

 has favoured you with his observations on the beautiful one by 

 which we were lately visited. 



This circumstance must plead my excuse for troubling you with 

 the following particulars : and 1 shall be most highly gratified if 

 my humble attempts should incite some one possessed of superior 

 abilities and means to enter further into the subject. 



It was formerly a practice with the editors of scientific miscel- 

 lanies, to publish representations of the kind now submitted to 

 your notice ; and as the path of the late comet is remarkable for 

 its deviation from a great circle, I have thought it a favourable 

 opportunity for recurring to this custom. — (See Plate I.) 



The accompanying sketch was originally made from the joint 

 observations of myself and a friend ; and on comparing it with 

 those from Greenwich, and with nearly fifty* made at the Parisian 

 Observatory, I have the satisfaction to find that it does not re- 

 quire any sensible correction. 



The region traversed by the comet is perhaps as barren as 

 could have occurred, there being not a single star greater than 

 the fifth magnitude, if we except two of the fourtli, iii the fore 

 foot of Ursa Major, one of which is seen to the left of the plate. 

 The stars are laid down in it from Bode's large catalogue, brought 



• Estendingfrom 3d July to the end of August, and recently published in 

 Conn, des Terns for 1822. Among my memoranda, I find an extract from 

 the Public Ledger of July 28th, containing an observation said to have 

 been made at the Obscivatory Gospoit, July 21, at 11'' 59i"15% on the me- 

 ridian; R.A. 81' 0™ 45-^34 (=1200 11' 20"). Decl. 51° 8' 30", corrected for 

 refraction, &c. a determination differing most unaccountably from all others 

 botli in right ascension and declination. 



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