274 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO I766. 



any of the above places, will enable us to determine the sun's parallax with great 

 precision, and independent of the exact knowledge of the longitude of either 

 place. But as the situation of Tornea" is perhaps very exactly known, if it should 

 be convenient to the southern observer to continue long enough on his station 

 to determine its exact longitude, to which the situation of Jupiter at that time 

 will greatly contribute, both methods might be practised at the same time, and 

 they would mutually confirm and illustrate each other. 



An opportunity of observing another transit of Venus will not again offer itselt 

 till the year 1874. It behoves us therefore to profit as much as possible by the 

 favourable situation of Venus in 17 69, when we may be assured the several powers 

 of Europe will again contend which of them shall be most instrumental in con- 

 tributing to the solution of this grand problem. Posterity must reflect with in- 

 finite regret on their negligence or remissness; because the loss cannot be re- 

 paired by the united efforts of industry, genius, or power. How far it may be 

 an object of attention to a commercial nation to n)ake a settlement in the great 

 Pacific Ocean, or to send out some ships of force with the glorious and honour- 

 able view of discovering lands towards the south pole, is not his business to in- 

 quire. Such enterprizes, if speedily undertaken, might fortunately give an ad- 

 vantageous position to the astronomer, and add a lustre to this nation, already so 

 eminently distinguished both in arts and arms. 



,1t 



END op THE FIFTY-FIFTH VOLUME OF THE OKIGINAL. 



/. Observations of the Solar Eclipse, Aug. 16, 1765, made at Colombes, near 

 Paris, at the Observatory of the Marquis of Courtenvaux, b' 13.8' North of 

 the Royal Observatory, and iOf' in Time to the East. By M. Messier, As- 

 tronomer, F.R.S., &c. Translated from the French. Fol. LFI. p. l. 



At a** 58"" 13' true time, beginning of the eclipse. 



4 28 O thick clouds covering the sun. 



5 20 O clear again, but the eclipse was over. 

 31' 42-^* the sun's diameter measured. 



//. Remarks on the Palmyrene Inscription at Teive. By the Rev. John Swinton, 



B. D., F. R. S. p. 4. 



The palmyrene inscription at Teive having been inaccurately taken by Signor 

 Pietro della Valle, the transcript published in the Philos. Transact, must be 

 incorrect, and consequently the explication of that inscription by Mr. Swinton 

 cannot in all points be entirely depended on. Having therefore been in- 

 formed, that the stone itself, brought a few years since out of the east, was in 



