Sect. VIII.] Astronomy, 89 



was made to coincide with the Civil Tear, and 

 ordered, like that, to be computed from the first of 

 January"^. 



Beside the gi'eat names, and the important dis- 

 coveries and improvements above detailed, it would 

 be easy to add to the list many others wor- 

 thy of notice. The numerous observations and 

 writings of Ferguson, Lax, \^ince, and others of 

 Great Britain ; of Bailly, de Parceval, Beniier, Se- 

 jour, and Duvaucel, of France ; of Lambert, Gri&- 

 chow. Gibers, von Wahl, Wurm, and Klugcl, of 

 Germany; of Bianchini, Frisi, Manfredi, Zanotti, 

 Gddi, Cagnoli, and Oriani, in Italy; of Klingensti- 

 erna. Mallet, Prosperin, and Melanderhielni, in 

 Sweden; of Roemer, Loowenoern, Bugge, and 

 Wurbierg, in Denmark; and of many others, in 

 almost every part of Europe, who have all contri- 

 buted something to the astronomical improvements 

 of the age, and facilitated the acquisition of astro- 

 nomical knowledge. 



Nor has America been destitute of zealous stu- 

 dents, and successful observers in astronomy. Be- 

 side the illustrious Rittenhouse, before mentioned, 

 whose name alone would rescue his country from 

 the charge of deficiency in astronomical genius, 

 we can boast of Golden |, Winthrop, Evving, Bow- 



•* It is scarcely necessary to inform the intelligent reader that 

 ■fhe delay of adopting this Calendar in Britain till 17.52, rendered 

 it necessary to drop eleven days, instead of te^i. 



f See Principles of Action in Matter , and the Motion of the Pla- 

 cets explained from those Principles, &c. by Cadwallader Colden, 

 Esq. 4to, London, Dodsley, 1753. And also a siib;,equent pub- 

 lication by the same author, in the form of a Letter to the Earl of 

 Macclesfield, explaining tlie doctrines contained in tlie former 

 work. Mr. Colden \\ as, for some years prior to the American 



