at the Cape of Good Hope. 91 
the rest of the world to share in some measure the satisfaction 
which attends the sight of such objects through the greatest tel- 
escopes. They do more: they furnish the means, and, with res- 
pect to many things, the only means of determining what chan- 
ges, if any, time produces in their figure or constitution. The 
power of delineating with the requisite degree of skill nebula, 
especially, is a high attribute of genius, and has been the gift of 
a very limited number of astronomers; and accordingly, in such 
Tepresentations, we seldom find any thing like truth and nature ; 
Most astronomical drawings are in fact mere caricatures. In re- 
gard to nebule, the power to delineate well, is hardly less im- 
portant than the power to observe accurately. Of this power 
Sir William Herschel set the earliest good example, and Sir John 
has attained, in the same way, a still higher degree of perfection. 
4ndeed, the figures before us seem in point of precision, delicacy, 
and general elegance, to be quite unrivalled. 
In this department of practical astronomy, embracing both the 
observation and delineation of nebule, our lamented young 
countryman, Esenezer Porrer Mason, exhibited the highest de- 
Stee of excellence; and it affords us sincere gratification to find 
this extraordinary youth, it may be proper to state a few particu- 
lars respecting his short but distinguished career. Mr. Mason grad- 
~ During his second year in college, under the direction of the 
Writer of this article, he made a series of observations on a remark- 
able cluster of solar spots, which made their appearance in March, 
1837, and executed drawings of them, which evinced such power 
of-drawing and such skill in delineating, as greatly to astonish 
