VOL. v.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 543 



tlie eclipse was over, it was a pretty agreeable sight to observe both luminaries 

 at once above the horizon, for the sun rose before the moon was set. 



Oct. 11, N. S. about eight o'clock in the morning, after sun-rising, I 

 also observed at Dantzic, a conjunction of Venus and the moon. According 

 to the Rudolphin tables, there must have been an occultation of at least 23" 

 by the inferior limb of the moon. I had furnished myself with a 20-foot teles- 

 cope, and though the air was not entirely clear, there being here and there a 

 few clouds, yet Venus and the moon were clearly observed. But there hap- 

 pened then no occultation, Venus being at the distance of three or four minutes 

 from the inferior limb of the moon, but only a close transit. This was a very 

 agreeable sight in the day-time, and in sun-shine, for the moon was very small 

 and slender, hastening to her conjunction, and her horns were very sharp ; and 

 Venus was almost full, with her body much diminished : on the same day, at 

 7 h. 40 m. three parhelia appeared. 



The new star, under the head of Cygnus, which at first appeared of the 

 third magnitude, was in a surprising manner diminished in the month of Sep- 

 tember, so that on the 14th of October it could be no longer observed. The 

 other new star in the neck of Cetus was almost, till the middle of October, 

 equal to the star in the jaw, and nearly exceeding it in brightness and magni- 

 tude ; so that this year it was of the second magnitude, and larger than it was 

 the preceding years, excepting that in l66o, it exceeded the star in the jaw ; at 

 other times, I did not find it surpass a star of the third magnitude. It is there- 

 fore certain, that it is not always of the same magnitude and brightness when 

 largest ; it was lately much diminished. 



Aji Account of three Books. N" 66 , p. 2034. 



I. Origo Formarum et Qualitatum; juxta Philosophiam Corpuscularem Con- 

 siderationibus et Experimentis Illustrata, a Roberto Boyle, Nobili Anglo, e 

 Societ. Regia. Oxon. \66g, in ]2mo. 



Having formerly, (Number ll) given the contents of this instructive trea- 

 tise, we again take notice of it here, only to let foreigners know, that the 

 same is now printed in the Latin tongue, after it had been public in the Eng- 

 lish since the year 1 666. 



II. Metallographia, or an History of Metals ; by John Webster, practi- 

 tioner in physic and surgery. London, 1670, in 4to. 



The author of this history has, with much diligence and curiosity, here de- 

 livered the signs of ores and minerals, both before and after digging ; the 

 causes and manner of their generation ; their kinds and differences, and a 

 description of sundry new metals, or semi-metals, as he calls them ; together 



