and Remarks for the Year 1822. 359 
hope,” continues Dr. K. “1 shall succeed in my endeavours to 
extinguish this vulgar error, and be able to prove, that neither 
such enormous instruments, nor monstrous magnifying powers, 
are either necessarily required, or commonly used, and thereby 
the contemplation of the wonderful and beautiful celestial bodies 
may Become more general, the science simplified and made easy, 
and the study of it rendered universally attractive, and no longer 
confined to the happy few, whose good fortunes will furnish 
them with such expensive instruments ; and I hope I shall clearly 
convince the amateurs of astronomy, that all the principal and 
most interesting phenomena are visible with glasses which are 
easy to procure, and handy to use; aud that the rationale of 
telescopes has this in common with other sciences, that what is 
most worth learning is easiest learned, and is, like all other 
sciences, reduced to a few clear points.” 
** Most of the modern discoveries in astronomy,” continues 
Dr. K. “ have been made by Dr. HERscHEL; these have not 
arisen from the wonderful magnitude of his optical machines, but 
from his indefatigable and matchless perseverance as an observer. 
Dr. H.’s first catalogue of double stars was made with a New- 
tonian telescope, of not quite seven feet focus, and with only 
four inches and a half aperture, charged with a power of 222.” 
Nothing that I can add, could increase the evidence which 
these unquestionable facts so decisively establish, That astro- 
nomy should be more generally, and at the same time more 
practically cultivated by the humble labourers in science, in this 
country, no one, however lofty may be his scientific pretensions, 
will for a moment venture to deny. The true method however 
to encourage the development of talent of this kind, is to de- 
stroy the “ idols’ which now cling to the roots and branches of 
the science ;—to prove, that even the most eminent observers 
haye not employed instruments and means much beyond the ef- 
forts of those who move in lower spheres; and that there re- 
mains a wide and fertile field for diligent research, open to the 
ardent labours and inquiries of those whose still feebler means 
prevent them from attempting those observations which form 
the ground-work and key-stones of the science. 
> 
LXXIV. On the best Kind of Steel and Form for a Compass- 
Needle. By Captuin Henry Katzr, F.R.S.* 
Ox the return of the first expedition which sailed for the dis- 
covery of a North-west passage, it appeared, that from the near 
approach to the magnetic pole, and the consequent diminution of 
* From the Transactions of the Royal Society for 1821, Part I. 
the 
