208 HISTOKY OF ASTRONOMY. 



Professors Olmsted and Loomis, witla the Clark telescope, 

 weeks before news arrived of its having been seen in 

 Europe. This was the occasion of bringing prominently 

 before the public the importance of having large tele- 

 scopes, with all the instruments necessary for nice astro- 

 nomical observations. It gave a new impulse to a plan 

 which had already been conceived of establishing a per- 

 manent observatory at Cambridge, upon a liberal scale 

 a plan, however, which required the momentum of 

 another and more splendid comet for its completion. It 

 kindled anew the astronomical spirit of Philadelphia, 

 and excited a desire for instruments superior to those 

 which were then possessed. Indeed the importance of 

 systematic astronomical observations was beginning to be 

 somewhat generally felt, as well as the necessity of su- 

 perior instruments for this purpose, and many embryo 

 plans were formed for the establishment of astronomical 

 observatories. 



A transit instrument of five feet focal length and four 

 inches aperture has recently been presented to Yale Col- 

 lege by Mr. William Hillhouse, of New Haven ; but for 

 want of a suitable building for its reception, this instru- 

 ment has not yet been mounted. 



WILLIAMS COLLEGE OBSERVATORY. 



The first attempt to found a regular astronomical ob- 

 servatory in this country was made in connection with 

 Williams College, Massachusetts, by Professor Albert 

 Hopkins. In 1836, Professor Hopkins erected a . small 





