376 Hydroxanthic Acid, 



made by Schenk, an eminent artist at Bern, and a pupil of 

 Reichembach, worthy of that excellent master. This in- 

 strument is considered as a Chef d'oeuvre by several astron- 

 omers who saw it in 1821, among whom were Nicollet of 

 Paris, and J. F. W. Herschel of London. 5th. A repeat- 

 ing theodolite, by Reichembach, a foot in diameter, an ex- 

 cellent and beautiful instrument, perfected by Schenk, who 

 has given a double repetition by the addition of an entire 

 vertical circle. 6th. A 3i feet achromatic telescope, by 

 DoUand, with four powers, viz. 38, 67, 100, and 150. 7th. 

 An equatorial instrument of English origin, but reconstruct- 

 ed by Schenk. Lastly, Several smaller instruments intro- 

 duced rather for the instruction and use of amateurs, — an 

 object not foreign to such an establishment. Such are two 

 repeating theodolites by Schenk, of 7 and 8 inches, a neat 

 sextant by Carey, a tellurium, a beautiful armillary sphere, 

 as well as meteorological instruments, among which is a 

 very large and fine syphon barometer. 



Bib. Univ. Sept. 1 822. 



The readers of this journal may ask each other with so- 

 licitude, when shall we see such an establishment as this 

 in any part of the United States ? (G.) 



" Although (says the venerable Professor Pictet) the 

 meeting of the Helvetic Society should have offered us no 

 other object of interest, than a visit to this observatory, we 

 should conceive ourselves amply paid for a journey of sixty 

 leagues. We regard the time passed in this sanctuary of 

 astronomy among the most agreeable and profitable mo- 

 ments that we have ever enjoyed. We feel ourselves par- 

 ticularly happy in belonging to a country favored by heav- 

 en, and whose governments manifest a noble emulation, in 

 raising up and encouraging establishments, which have 

 for their object the progress of the arts and sciences, and 

 of useful and solid instruction. We have found in the 

 government of Bern the principles and disposition with 

 which that of Geneva is animated." 



6. Hydroxanthic Acid. — Professor W. C. Zeise, of the 

 university of Copenhagen, has discovered that carburet of 

 sulpher has the power of neutralizing potash or soda, dis- 

 solved in alcohol, although it will not change turnsol, nor 



