VOL. XLV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SQl 



Above is represented his successor abbot Godric, with the ministers about him, 

 putting the deceased abbot into his shroud ; while angels are carrying his soul up 

 to heaven. Perhaps some part of this martyr might be obtained, and kept in this 

 shrine. 



The famous old sepulchral stone in Peterborough Minster-yard is exactly of 

 the same shape as this shrine. It was set up over the grave of the abbot and 

 monks murdered by the same Danes, the day after those of Croyland abbey suf- 

 fered, Sept. 26. It is carved on the sides with the images of our Saviour and 

 the Apostles. It is now removed into the library. 



j^n Eclipse of the Sun, July 14, 1748. Observed by the Earl of Morton, Mr. 

 le Monnier,* Royal Astronomer and Member of the Royal Academy of Sci- 

 ences at Paris, and Mr. Ja. Short, Fellows of the Royal Society. By Mr. 

 Short. N° 490, p. 582. 



These observations were made at Aberdour castle, belonging to the said earl, 

 in latitude 56° 4' n. 



Mr. le Monnier having come over from France to go to Scotland, to observe 

 the annular eclipse of the sun, July 14, 1748; Mr. S. and he accompanied 

 earl Morton down to that country. On arriving at Edinburgh, they found that 

 the meridian mark, which had been settled from observations, by the late Mr. 

 Mac. Laurin, was lost, by the taking down of a chimney, on which it was fixed ; 

 and Mr. Matthew Stewart, the present professor, having no proper instruments, 

 had not as yet re-established it : this they hoped to do by an instrument, which 

 they expected from London , and Mr. Stewart having promised to make the best 

 observation he could, they set out for Aberdour, a seat of the Earl of Morton's, 



• Peter Charles le Monnier, (son of Peter le Monnier, Profes. of Philos. at Paris) was bom at 

 Paris, Nov. 2(', 1715, and died at Lizieux in Normandy, April 2, 1799> '" 'he 84th year of his 

 age, and then the oldest astronomer in Europe. His observations and memoirs, to a vast number, 

 are chiefly contained in the Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences ; besides which he published 

 the Histoire Celeste, 1741, in 4to. In this work is twice founds but only as a fixed star. Dr. 1 

 Herschel's new planet. From his earliest years he devoted himself to astronomy : when a youth of 

 16, he made his first observations, viz. of the opposition of Saturn. At 20, he was nominated a 

 member of the Royal Academy of Sciences. In 1735 he accompanied Maupertius in the expedition 

 to Lapland to measure a degree of the meridian. And he was the first astronomer who had the 

 pleasure to measure the diameter of the moon on the sun's disk. In 1750 he drew a meridian at the 

 royal chateau at Bellevue, where the king often made observations. Le Monnier was naturally of a 

 very irritable temper ; as ardently as he loved his friends, as easily could he be offended ; and his 

 hatred was then implacable. Lalande, who had been his pupil, had the misfortune to incur his dis- 

 pleasure ; and he never after could regain his favour. At the time of Le Monnier's death, he had 

 amassed a vast quantity of observations, which he could never be prevailed on to publish, but con- 

 cealed them in a place, which it was feared he had forgotten ; so that it has been suppo.sed they were 

 lost to the world, unless the place should happen to be known to the celebrated matbecnatician La 

 Grange, who married one of his daughters in 1792. 



