442 On Mr. South's Catalogue of Double Stars. 
Many ‘of my observations and ideas may appear prolix and 
trifling, yet I cannot resist bringing forward whatever may assist 
in elucidating a subject I consider so very interesting. Well 
may we say with the Spectator, ‘* that to enjoy the world is to 
know it; and to have just conceptions of our Almighty Creator 
and Preserver, is to trace the infinite greatness and wisdom of 
creative power, and the unbounded intelligence and design so 
conspicuously displayed in protecting and preserving the work 
of his grace.”’ 
Nov. 12, 1821. GaAvVIN INGLIs,. 
LXXXIX. On Mr. Soutn’s Catalogue of Double Stars. 
By A CorRESPONDENT. 
To Dr. Tilloch. 
Sir, — if AM a man fond of science, but, having received only a 
plain education, have been obliged to work my way by my own 
exertions, and such helps as I have been fortunate enough to meet 
with. 
I shail ever remember with gratitude the obligations I am un- 
der to your and other periodical works, by whose kind assistance 
I have been enabled to ask, and have generallyreceived, such infor- 
mation as | at times stood in need of, and without which I never 
could have surmounted the many difficulties which opposed my 
progress. Believe me, it is only persons like me, who have been 
obliged to fight their way through the difficult paths that lead to 
mathematical knowledge,—it is only such, I say,—-that can ap- 
preciate the utility of such publications. But, my gratitude is 
leading me from my object, which, as aforetime, is, to ask as- 
sistance. Chance, some time ago, threw in my way a Catalogue 
of Double Stars, presented by J. South, Esq. to the Astronomical 
Society. Their places, as the learned author informs us, are taken 
from -Bode’s Catalogue, but reduced by him from the year 1801 
to that of 1821. I was acquainted (at least I thought so) with 
the method of making these reductions ; but as I had never at- 
tempted it, 1 thought it a good opportunity to put my know- 
ledge to the test, by trying the reduction of a few of these stars, 
and, was much pleased to find the declinations, with which I first 
began, to coincide with the numbers in the table before me :—but 
judge my astonishment, when I found scarce a single right 
ascension to agree. I looked over my calculation again and 
again ; I re-perused Dr. Maskelyne’s rule, re-calculated the an- 
nual variations ; and, to be certain that I had made no mistake, 
I set my son, a clever little fellow of ten years of age, to work 
the calculations, as an arithmetical exercise, explaining to him, 
as 
