JusE 12, 1885.] 



♦ KNOWLEDGE * 



505 



stood, such complex adjustments need to be seen " in the 

 flesh." 



It would bi? an easy matter to suggest simplifications and 

 possible improvements iu this part of the machine, but it 

 must be noted that Herr Robert had always to work with 

 very limited means, and under the great disadvantage that 

 he thought it necessary not to disclose his methods of 

 working. Judging the mechanism by the work ho did with 

 it, there can be but one feeling among all who are familiar 

 with his ruled test-plates — a feeling of intense admiration 

 for the inventiveness and extraordinary dexterity he 

 brought to bear on the subject under the circumstAnces. 

 (To b« continued.) 



(Sliitorial igossip. 



English astronomical observers, like the old Scottish 

 woman in the story, have, indeed, to be " thankfu' for sma' 

 maircies " in the shape of clear skie?, if we may judge from 

 a little paper by the Eev. S. J. Johnson in the current 

 niunber of the R.A.S. Monthly Xolices. In the paper to 

 which I refer ilr. Johnson tabulates the number of fine 

 nights in every year during the last quarter of a century. 

 That he is not very exigeant may be gathered from his own 

 definition, for he says, " By evenings fit for observation it 

 is inferred that the sky was clear, or with a few small 

 passing cloudti, till about llh., or else thoroughly clear for 

 a full hour. Clearness of the atmosphere alone is regarded 

 .... not suitability for dividing very close double stars." 

 The table which follows the words I have quoted would, I 

 venture to think, a little astonish those who have no 

 specific object in watching the night sky. The greatest 

 number of nights complying with Mr. Johnson's very 

 moderate requirements is set against the date 187i, when 

 113 appear. On the other h&nd, in 1860, there were only 

 forty-four nights out of the 366 ! which answered to his de- 

 finition. Taking the average of the twenty-six years which 

 he tabulates, it would appear that we are entitled to look 

 for eighty moderately decent nights per annum. How 

 many, or, rather, how very, very few, of these are really 

 fine enough for delicate double-star work or the scrutiny of 

 planetary detail, let the practical observer bear testimony. 



QcOTiXG the Jfonthli/ Xolices suggests to me to remark 

 that the last two numbers have been issued in very good 

 time indeed, so that country Fellows have been enabled to 

 read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the papers read at 

 one meeting before the next one was held. There is an 

 old proverb which cautions one against " looking a gift- 

 horse in the mouth," so that I will not inquire too 

 curiously into the causes which have operated in producing 

 so very desirable a result. It is certainly a gratifying 

 change from the thirty-nine days' waiting on which I com- 

 mented on page 90. 



Feom the number of Ciel et Terre for June 1 (a number, 

 by the way, overcrowded out of all proportion with 

 meteorology pure and simple) I learn that M. Folic is 

 appointed successor to M. Houzeau as Director of the Royal 

 Observatory at Brussels. 



Certain wiseacres in the United States having observed 

 Venus near the horizon before sunrise duj-ing the early 

 part of the present year, have been rushing into print to 

 proclaim the return of the Star of Bethlehem, or Star in 

 the East of Matthew ii. ! This pitiable exhibition of 

 superstition has been made the foundation of an interesting 

 paper by Professor Payne, the director of the Carlton 



College Observatory, Northfield, U.S., in tho Sidereal 

 Messenijer, which ho so ably edits. In it ho discusses the 

 various hypotheses which have been propounded to account 

 for tlie apparition recorded iu the first CJospel, including 

 tho conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, A.C. 3 ; con- 

 cerning which Ideler, Eucke, and others have written with 

 so much misplaced learning. How far two planets 1° apart 

 could ever appear like one star, tho reader may judge for 

 himself by looking to-night at Jupiter and Reguhis, and 

 seeing how far it is possible to persuade himself that they form 

 a single object. Moreover, the more plausilile theory that 

 it was a temporary or variable star akin to Tycho Brahe's 

 in Cassiopeia, tho one which appeared in Corona Borealia in 

 Jlay, 1860, or Schmidt's Nova in Cyguus of 1870, seems 

 practically disposed of by verse 1) of the second chapter of 

 Matthew. Upon whatever other points they may differ, 

 there seems a consensus of opinion among the pyramidaliats, 

 Star of Bethlehem, and conjunctions-of-the-major-planete 

 men, and the rest of the crazy fraternity, that such a sight 

 in the sky means the imminent end of our terrestrial habi- 

 tation. When occasionally people talk such nonsense to 

 me, I always repeat what I once heard Sir George Airy say, 

 that " the world will last our time." 



Casually taking up a number of a contemporary journal 

 a day or two ago, 1 was struck with a violent onslaught on 

 Gresham College which appeared in it. Reading the 

 article through, however, and noting that, wliile Dean 

 Burgon, Dean Cowie, Dr. Abdy, and Dr. Wylde were 

 severally buttered-up, the name of Mr. Ledger, the pro- 

 fessor of astronomy, was conspicuous by its absence, I fell 

 to wondering whether the author of the tirade could, by 

 any possibility, ever have opposed Mr. Ledger for that 

 professorship — and been defeated. 



While waiting for a train at Clapham Junction last 

 week, and watching the people enter those departing for 

 Epsom Downs, I could not help speculating whether, among 

 his composite photographs, Mr. Francis Galton had ever 

 combined a series of the lower order of sporting men to 

 form a typical portrait. If he has, or should he in future 

 do so, he cannot fail to olitain as hard, cunning, and evil 

 a type of countenance as it would be possible to depict. 



Once more I must make an appeal to my multitude of 

 correspondents, and request them to note : — 1. That I 

 neither can nor will correspond privately with them upon 

 any subject whatever; and that stamped envelopes en- 

 closed for replies to questions about the solution of 

 equations, the time of sunrise, the amount of the National 

 Debt, and so on, go into the waste-paper basket straightway. 

 2. That in the case of contributions proffeied either in the 

 shape of letters or articles, I will not return them unless 

 they are accompanied by envelopes legibly addressed and 

 sufficiently stamped. 3. Taking care, as I do, to assure 

 myself that every review that appears in these columns is 

 written without fear or favour, and is the expression of 

 the matured opinion of the writer who pens it, I entirely 

 refuse to enter into any argument with the authors of 

 books who consider that they have a kind of divine right 

 to measureless and unstinted praise, and that any one 

 daring to difi'er from their expressed views must be a 

 heathen man and a publican. And -1. I do not sell a 

 single one of the articles described or advertised in these 

 columns. Last week I was favoured with an order (and 

 postal notes) for a knife-cleaner and something else ! I 

 regret to be compelled to occupy so much space by mere 

 reiteration ; but I have so often said substantiall}', though 

 with apparently little or no effect, what 1 have just 

 repeated, that I am compelled to say it all over again here. 



