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i-rous instances. Were there establishments in our universities 

 and other places of public education, in which young men might 

 be taught the use of astronomical instruments and tables, not 

 only would the theoretical knowledge of astronomv which they 

 are led to acquire in those admirable establishments make a 

 deeper impression, but a greater number of good observers would 

 thus be annually trained up, to the great benefit not only of them- 

 selves but of their country. It is understood that at the Royal 

 Military Seminaries some establishment of this kind exists. 



It is almost unnecessary to enumerate the advantages likely to 

 accrue from the encouragement which an Astronomical Society 

 may hold out: but among others may be mentioned the perfect- 

 ing of our knowledge of the latitudes and longitudes of places in 

 every region of the globe ; the improvement of the lunar theory, 

 and that of the figure of the earth, by occultations, appulses, aiid 

 eclipses simultaneously observed in different situations ; the ad- 

 vancement of our knowledge of the laws of atmospherical refrac- 

 tion in different climates, by corresponding observations of the 

 fixed stars ; the means of determining more correctly the orbits 

 of comets by observations made in the most distant parts of the 

 world: and in general, the frequent opportunities, afforded to a 

 society holding extensive correspondence, of amassing materials 

 which (though separately of small importance) may by their union 

 become not only interesting at the present time, but also valua- 

 ble as subjects of reference in future. 



By means of corresponding members, or associates, in distant 

 countries, the society may hope to unite the labours of foreign 

 observers with their own; and by thus establishing communica- 

 tions with eminent astronomers and institutions in all parts of the 

 v,orld, to obtain the earliest intelligence of new discoveries or 

 improvements; which it may, perhaps, be desirable to circulate 

 among such of its members as may profess themselves anxious to 

 receive it, without loss of time. 



The circulation also of notices of remarkable celestial phae- 

 nomena about to happen, (with the view of drawing the atten- 

 tion of observers to points which may serve important purposes 

 in the determination of elements or coefficients) may form an- 

 other, and perhaps not the least interesting object of the society. 

 To have the same })haenomena watched for by many observers, iu 

 a climate so uncertain as our own, is the only sure way of having 

 tliem observed by some: and moreover, the attention of an as- 

 tronomer may frequently be aroused by a formal notice, especially 

 when accompanied with directions for "observing the pha-nomenou 

 in the most effective way, when probably the mere ordinary men- 

 tion of it in an ephcnierii might fail to attract his observation. 



One 



