

 riui. 



CAM 



tk>n O may be placed i positioiw between 



the i-y-picce anil the object -glass ; by which I1M3MM, 

 the observer may vary the distance of the paper 

 his eye, according as he wishes, to have his 

 drawing on a large or a small scale. By the iiiHtru- 

 ment, when thus constructed, ue are enabled to take 

 a connected panoramic view of any hon/.ontal /one 

 of a landscape, whose breadth does not exceed the 

 field of view of the telescope. The objects contain- 

 ed in the different fields of view, will be arranged in 

 a circle whose diameter is equal to the distance of 

 the eye from the centre of molicn. 



Tin* instrument is admirably fitted for taking a cor- 

 rect outline of the visible horizon, with all the various 

 indentations with which that line is generally broken 

 by the intervention of valleys and mountains. Un- 

 less the horizon is extremely and unusually contract- 

 ed, the field of view of a common telescope will con- 

 tain a /one which will easily comprehend every 

 depression and elevation ; and even when the place 

 of the observer is embosomed in an amphitheatre of 

 mountains which rise around him with various eleva- 

 tions, the field of view may be enlarged by dimi- 

 nishing the magnifying power of the telescope. For 

 this purpose, the micrometrical telescope, invented 

 by Dr Brewster, is particularly applicable, as the 

 magnifying power can be increased or diminished with- 

 out changing any of the lenses; and as the distance 

 between the eye and the centre of motion O, can be 

 altered, even though the telescope is fixed to its 

 stand.* .The micrometrical telescope having also 

 the properties of a compound microscope, any long 

 object which cannot be contained in the field of 

 view, in the direction of its length, may be deli- 

 neated in a similar manner. This contrivance can- 

 not be applied to the common compound microscope, 

 as it has not a motion round an axis. 



The camera lucida of Dr Wollaston might be 

 fitted up with a horizontal motion, and without the 

 aid of a telescope, so as to delineate one continued 

 zone of a landscape ; but when the objects are small, 

 or at a considerable distance, a telescope becomes 

 indispensably necessary. See the Philosophical Ma- 

 gazine, vol. xxvii. p. 343 ; Nicholson's Journal, 

 vol. xvii. p.], vol. xxiii. p.372, vol. xxiv. p. 146; and 

 Brevvster's Treatise on New Philosophica Instru- 

 ments, Edin. 1812, book i. p. 11, book iii. p. 133, 

 and book vi. (o) 



CAMERA OBSCURA. See OPTICS. 



CAMERARIA, a genus of plants of the class 

 Pentandria, and order Monogynia. See BOTANY, 

 p. 141. 



CAMERARIUS, PHILIP, a learned author, 

 who flourished in the sixteenth and earlier part of 

 the seventeenth century. Camerarius is the same 

 name as Chamberlain, one which is known over 

 the whole continent, and evidently derived from 

 the office of chamberlain to princes and religious 

 houses. 



Philip Camerarius was the son of Joachim Came- 

 rarius, a distinguished character of his time, who 

 was regarded as among the most learned men in Eu- 



CAM 



rope. He was bom in the year 1557, and called 

 Philip after Mclancthon the reformer. 



Philip Camerarins, at an early age, testified the 

 same love of literature which has characterised other 

 members of his family, and after receiving the in- 

 structions of his father, professedly studied the law. 

 Having spent some years in this occupation, he left 

 his native city Tubingen, and crossed the Alps to 

 make a tour in Italy. An interesting fragment of 

 a journal written on that occasion is preserved, which 

 shews the state of the different places visited in his 

 route, and proves that he possessed a mind capable 

 of acute remark. The taste which he had acquired 

 for the knowledge of the ancients, led him to those 

 remains of antiquity which were most celebrated in 

 history, and to cities such as Padua, Mantua, and 

 Rome, which had given birth to eminent men. 



The doctrines of the reformed religion had at that 

 time made rapid progress in Germany, and the fol- 

 lowers of Calvin and Luther were viewed with a jea- 

 lous eye in countries subjected to the papal dominion. 

 While Camerarius was walking the streets of Rome 

 at mid-day with his companions, he was suddenly 

 seized by the officers of justice, and carried to the 

 prisons of the inquisition. Here he was confined a 

 considerable time, and underwent repeated examina- 

 tions concerning the religion he professed, the cause 

 of his journey to Italy, and his acquaintance with 

 certain individuals there. The fame of this sangui- 

 nary tribunal, and the danger of implicating the in- 

 nocent, could not but fill both himself and his rela- 

 tives with the most lively apprehension ; though, by 

 unusual good fortune, after the inquisitors having in 

 vain endeavoured to make him a proselyte to the Ro- 

 man Catholic faith, he was liberated. Being order- 

 ed to quit Rome, he repaired to his brother Joachim 

 at Nuremberg in 1566. 



Camerarius, after passing through some interme- 

 diate gradations, was promoted to be vice-chancellor 

 of the university of Altorf in Franconia, and one of 

 the state counsellors, offices which he filled with 

 great applause during forty-two years. 



At this time he was occupied, in conjunction with 

 his brother, in editing the literary works of their fa- 

 ther, which appeared in 1583 and 1585; and he was 

 also engaged in the publication of his own writings. 

 Of these, three volumes successively appeared order 

 the same title, being Optree Honirum subseisivarum 

 sive Meditaiiones Historic^, which contain a number 

 of philosophical and critical remarks, though more 

 the result of reading than of actual experience. This 

 work being well adapted to the prevailing taste of 

 the times, was translated into several foreign languages; 

 but the doctrines it contains, being 1 too liberal for a 

 people enslaved by bigotry, an edict was published at 

 Rome in 1603, prohibiting every individual from hav- 

 ing it in his possession, under the severest penalties. 

 After this it entered the Index ejcpurgatorius, libro- 

 rum pro/iibitontm. 



Ca:nerarius was also occupied in corresponding 

 with his learned cotemporaries, such as Rhterhusius, 

 Grynxus, Languetus, Hotomannns, and others; 



riot. 



The Micrometrical Telescope!*, the property of which has been secured by a patent, are constructed and sold by M. 

 Harris, optician, London. 



