French Socieli^.~OmiVAU\': Samuel Parkes, Esq. 471 



The 5th chapter contauis reflections on the Supplement to 

 the theory of Jupiter and Saturn in the fourth volume of the 

 Mecanique Celeste (p. 327 — 344); in which M.Laplace consi- 

 ders several terms of the order of the square of the disturbino- 

 force arising from the variation of the excentricities and peri- 

 helia of the two planets, affected by the argument of the o-reat 

 inequality. M. Laplace has made use of an indirect'' but 

 more expeditious method; and the object of the author in this 

 chapter (admitting, however, that die indirect method cannot 

 fail to ^ive results very near the truth) is to estimate their de- 

 gree of accordance with those afforded by the direct method. 

 His conclusions in a numerical point of view aoree with those 

 of Laplace, but he conceives that his analysis is more rigorous 

 and his formulae better adapted to further developments. 



ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF PARIS. 



Aug. 1 . — M. Surun recited some observations on the plao-ue, 

 which he has inserted in his new elements of pathologic phy- 

 siology. — M. Hachette communicated some observations on 

 curves of the second degree.— The death of M. Vassali-Eandi, 

 a correspondent of the Academy at Turin, was announced. — 

 M. Arago stated that the Encke comet had reappeared and 

 had been observed by M. Pons, at the observatory of La 

 Marlia. — He also communicated some new thermometrical 



observations made at different depths during the late heats. 



MM. de Laplace, de Prony, and de Rosel })resented a favour- 

 able report on the memoir of MM. Nicollet and Brousseaud, 

 entitled. Exposition of operations relative to the measurement 

 of an arc of mean parallel between the pole and the equator, 

 — M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire read an extract from a work on hu- 

 man monsters characterized by the absence of the arbrospinal 

 marrow, and named anencephala. 



LXXI. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



OBITUARY.— Samuel Parkes, Esq. 

 "P^IED on the 23d December, at his house in Mecklenburg- 

 ■*-^ square, after a lingering illness, Samuel Parkes, Esq. 

 F.L.S. &c. &c. author of The Chemical Catechism, Chemical 

 Essays, Rudiments of Chemistry, and other works. 



Mr. Parkes was born at Stourbridge in Worcestershire, and 

 received his education at the academy conducted by Dr. Ad- 

 dington at Market Harborough. 



The benevolence of his disposition and the amenity of his 

 manners attached to him a large circle of friends ; and in him 

 the community have lost a most ostimahlo member. His 



vvork.s 



