154 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



of the aurora, seen at Manchester, on the 26th of December, at six 

 o'clock in the evening. It was at right angles with the magnetic 

 meridian, and appeared to rise gradually towards the zenith, moving 

 at the rate of about five degrees in ten or twelve minutes. At ten 

 minutes past six the upper edge of the arch seemed to touch the star 

 Benetnasch, in the tail of Ursa Major, and in ten minutes more it 

 ascended to the star Mizar, in the same constellation ; Benetnasch 

 being then a little beneath its lower edge. The arch at this period — 

 twenty minutes past six — had an elevation of about twenty degrees 

 above the horizon : it waxed and waned repeatedly, and soon after 

 disappeared, its continuity having been previously interrupted by a 

 break in its eastern limb. It was succeeded by a horizontal light in 

 the magnetic north, but no streamers were perceived. 



According to a paragraph from the Hull Packet, given in the Lon- 

 don Courier of the 3 1st of December, this aurora was visible at Hull, 

 from six in the evening till nearly seven, the arch being about twenty- 

 five degrees above the horizon, where its altitude was greatest. 



I am induced to forward the foregoing imperfect account, for in- 

 sertion in the Philosophical Magazine and Annals, in the hope that it 

 may influence persons who have noticed these rare and interesting 

 phsenomena in other parts of the kingdom, to make public the re- 

 sults of their observations. 



The fine luminous arch of the aurora which occurred on the even- 

 ing of the 29th of September 1828, accounts of which are published 

 in the Philosophical Magazine, — see the Numbers for November and 

 December last, — was visible at Dublin, where it was seen at half-past 

 seven o'clock, by some of my friends ; the vertex of the arch, ac- 

 cording to their reports, being at that time about ten degrees south 

 of the zenith. 



Let it be remembered, that it is from particulars carefully ascer- 

 tained, relative to the altitude of the summits of the luminous arches 

 of the aurora above the horizon, that the true height of this meteor 

 above the earth's surface is most likely to be determined. 



PROPOSAL rOR A REPOSITORY FOR MANUSCRIPTS. 



To the Editors of the Philosophical Magazine and Annals. 

 Gentlemen, 



Notwithstanding the numerous Literary Institutions already exist- 

 ing in London and several provincial towns, I shall venture to pro- 

 pose another, hoping that the suggestion may be approved of and 

 carried into effect. There can be no doubt but many very valuable 

 manuscripts are destroyed by being burnt amongst useless letters and 

 other papers, or sold for waste paper. To prevent the destruction of 

 such in future, and for collecting them together, it is suggested that 

 a subscription be entered into for purchasing manuscripts, and keep- 

 ing them in a library, which may be called the London Manuscript 

 Repository. I am well aware that objections will probably be raised 

 to this plan from very good motives. It may be argued, that if such 

 an establishment take place, many private letters which ought to be 



destroyed 



