158 Astronomical Society. 
ciety continue to increase, and its affairs to prosper; but also 
the theory and practice of Astronomy (the extension of which 
was the sole object of the Society) have both been obviously 
promoted by the zeal and talent of many of its Members and 
friends.” » 
The Report proceeds to state that “ in 1822, the Members 
and Associates amounted to 188; in 1823, to 207; in 1824, 
to 210; in 1825, to 224; in February 1826, to 237 ;—a num- 
ber, in which are included several of the most eminent pro- 
moters of Astronomy, not only in Britain but in Europe. 
«* Amongst the few Members of whom the Society has been 
deprived by death, the Council think it proper to call your 
attention to the loss of Mr. Cary. As an artist of considera- 
ble eminence and high reputation he was well known in the 
scientific world. Amongst the many excellent instruments 
which he contrived and perfected, he was the maker of the 
21-feet Altitude and Azimuth Instrument at Konigsberg, with 
which M. Bessel made his first observations at that celebrated 
Observatory. 
** Among the duties, which it has devolved upon your 
Council to discharge, one of the most interesting has been 
the selection of papers (read at the ordinary Meetings) for 
publication in the volumes of the Memoirs of the Society. 
The Second Part of the First Volume, which was nearly ready 
for delivery at the Anniversary Meeting of 1825, was shortly 
afterwards laid before the public, and has been well received 
by Astronomers.—The First Part of the Second Volume is 
now nearly ready for publication ; and the Council trust that 
it will experience an equally favourable reception. Besides se- 
veral valuable papers tending to improve the theory of As- 
tronomy and of astronomical instruments, and others descri- 
bing instruments, which are entirely new; the several parts, 
here alluded to, contain tables, which tend very much to faci- 
litate the labours of the practical Astronomer. ‘Thus the se- 
cond part of Vol. I. terminates with subsidiary Tables for fa- 
cilitating the computation of annual tables of the apparent 
_ places of 46 principal fixed stars, computed by order of the 
Council; to which is prefixed a statement by the Foreign 
Secretary of the formulae employed, and the elements adopted 
in their construction. ‘These tables with their introduction 
occupy 76 pages. 
‘* The Tables of precession, aberration, and nutation, serv- 
ing to determine the apparent places of about 3000 principal 
fixed stars, to which allusion was made in the Jast Report of 
the Council, have been completed to 180° of A, and written 
out for the press. ‘The remainder are in a state of conside- 
rable 
