206 Address of the Astronomical Society of London. 



One of the collateral advantages of a society including many 

 practical astronomers among its members, (but which will ap- 

 pear of no small importance to those who possess good instru- 

 ments) will be ^e mutual understanding which will be pro- 

 pagated among amateur astronomers, by frequent meetings and 

 discussion, as to the relative merits of their instruments ; and as 

 to the talents and ingenuity of the various artists both of our own 

 and of foreign nations: not to mention the emulation which this 

 must naturally excite to possess the best instnmients ; and the 

 consequent tendency of such discussion towards a further im- 

 provement in their construction, or to the discovery of new ones. 

 Well-made instruments will thus unavoidably acquire a reputa- 

 tion, not merely among a few eminently skilful observers in Bri- 

 tain, but throughout the whole astronomical world : and indivi- 

 duals, who have at great expense and trouble amassed a collec- 

 tion of valuable ones, will thus be spared the mortification of 

 knowing that they may at some future time be put up to sale and 

 be disposed of for a half or a third of their value, for want of 

 their merits being known ; a consideration which probably has 

 some weight with those who may be collecting instruments at an 

 advanced period of their life. 



As the extent of the funds of the society must depend on the 

 number of its members, it is impossible to conjecture at present 

 how far its views respecting their application may extend. Be- 

 sides the ordinary expenses attending an institution of this nature, 

 the occasional or annual publication of communicated observa- 

 tions ; — the payment of computers employed in the reduction 

 and arrangement of observations, or in computing the orbits of 

 new planets, comets, or other interesting bodies ; — 'the formation 

 of an extensive astronomical library, not only of manuscript but 

 also of printed books ; — and perhaps, at some future period, the 

 proposal of prizes for the encouragement of particular depart- 

 ments of the science, either theoretical or practical ; or for the 

 improvement of astronomical instruments, or tables, may be men- 

 tioned as worthy objects on which they may be bestowed. 



Such are the principal considerations which have actuated a 

 number of individuals to form themselves into a Society under 

 the name of the Astronomical Society of London, and to give 

 this publicity to their determination, with a view of inviting others 

 to unite in the prosecution of their plans. They have at their 

 very commencement met with the most flattering success, which 

 induces them to hope that, in a short time, every assiduous cul- 

 tivator of the science will be found to have added his name to the 

 list of members. 



The objects of the original members maybe sufficiently gathered 



from 



