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CHAPTER IV. 

 SEQUEL TO THE INDUCTIVE EPOCH OF HIPPARCHUS. 



Sect. 1. Researches which verified the Theory. 



THE discovery of the leading Laws of the Solar 

 and Lunar Motions, and the detection of the 

 Precession, may be considered as the great positive 

 steps in the Hipparchian astronomy; the parent 

 discoveries, from which many minor improvements 

 proceeded. The task of pursuing the collateral 

 and consequent researches which now offered them- 

 selves, of bringing the other parts of astronomy 

 up to the level of its most improved portions, was 

 prosecuted by a succession of zealous observers and 

 calculators, first, in the school of Alexandria, and 

 afterwards in other parts of the world. We must 

 notice the various labours of this series of astro- 

 nomers ; but we shall do so very briefly ; for the 

 ulterior developement of doctrines once established, 

 is not so important an object of contemplation for 

 our present purpose, as the first conception and 

 proof of those fundamental truths on which sys- 

 tematic doctrines are founded. Yet Periods of 

 Verification, as well as Epochs of Induction, de- 

 serve to be attended to ; and they can nowhere be 



