594 PlULOSrOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO I761. 



likewise found verbatim in London's catalogue of the most vendible books in 

 England, published in the year l658, 12 years before Picard measured a degree 

 in France, so that the authenticity of the fact, that Norwood's measure preceded 

 Picard's, cannot be doubted. 



The editor of the Connoissance, p. 1 95-1 96, has given a list of different mea- 

 sures of a degree, according to different authors, who had either actually at- 

 tempted to measure one themselves, or had adopted the measure in this list for a 

 true one. Among these he has most disingenuously put Sir Isaac Newton's 

 name to a measure of 60 English statute miles; which must imply, that Sir Isaac 

 believed this to be nearest the truth, till he knew of Picard's measure in 1670. 

 Whereas it does not appear, nor is it at all probable, that he ever preferred that 

 rude conjectural measure to the measures of Snellius, and others well known to 

 the learned world before the year 1666; but being at that time retired from Cam- 

 bridge, on account of the plague, and absent from his books, having occasion 

 to use the diameter of the earth in a calculation, he took the common account 

 in use among seamen, as Dr. Pemberton has related, in the preface to his View 

 of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy. And this anecdote seems to be all the autho- 

 rity the French writer had for ascribing that measure to Sir Isaac Newton, and 

 for asserting, that he had never heard of Norwood's measure in the year 1666, 



If his view was to do honour to his own country, by depriving others of their 

 due praise, the wiser part of his countrymen will not think themselves much 

 obliged to him, well knowing that the reputation of a great kingdom, which has 

 so long distinguished itself in Europe by men eminent in arts and arms, does not 

 stand in need of the varnish of such ungenerous practices. 



LVllL An Extract of a Letter of M. De la Lande, of the Royal Academy of 

 Sciences at Paris, to Dr. Bevis, dated there March 26, 17 62. Translated 

 from the French, p. 3^6g. 



I have received, with a great deal of gratitude, the Seaman's Practice, which 

 you were so good as to send to me. I return you my most humble thanks for it. 

 I had never heard that Norwood's measure had been printed so early as the year 

 1636; and I did not think, that before Newton, that is, before 1666, it was at 

 all known. I assure you, that I will publish in our Memoires an extract of this 

 book, in order to do homage to the labours of that celebrated Englishman, who 

 had preceded us with regard to the figure of the earth. I am sorry that I have 

 seemed to have been in doubt when I spoke of it, and that my book is already 

 dispersed; but I shall find an opportunity to repair this another time. In the 

 mean time, do me the justice to observe, that I did not say, that Norwood's 

 measure did not exist, but only that Newton had no knowledge of it, as seems 

 to result firom the testimony of Dr. Pemberton, who relates, that Newton hav- 



