1833.] Miscellaneous. 375 
are equal to each other, and to the rectangle of the two axes, it is assum- 
ed that in Prop. VII. it had been shewn, that ifa tangent and ordinate be 
drawn from any point in the curve meeting the transverse axis, the semi-transverse 
will be a mean proportional between the distances of the said intersection from the 
centre, whether the curve be the one cutting the said transverse or its conjugate, 
whereas it has only been shewn inthe former case. There is to be sure no great 
difficulty attending the demonstration of the latter case, when the former is given ; 
but still it is an obstacle every reader will not take the trouble to master, nor 
perhaps every teacher be at the pains to make his pupil overcome. 
I will only add one other remark at present, and that on a subject closely con- 
nected with what precedes. In the demonstration of the problem of the trisection 
of an arc, vol. III. p. 217 a step has been omitted. It follows from Cor. Theor. 2 
that in the equilateral hyperbola the rectangle of the abscisses is equal to the 
square of the ordinate, and aftera short deduction by Theor. 18 “‘ to K-KI==AK 2," 
the last reference has not been given. 
Tirhoot, 19th June. } L. D. 
2.—The Royal Society. 
The annual address of the Duke of Sussex to the Royal Society* evinces a real 
desire on the part of the Royal President to identify himself in its interests, and 
to awaken a new and reforming spirit in this veteran establishment, which has of 
late years exhibited rather more indulgence in the election of its members, and 
the selection of its papers for publication, than was consistent with the dignity of 
la haute science. ‘The council it seems have taken the hint of Mr. BABBAGE to 
submit every paper toa Committee previous even to its being read. We have 
before remarked}, that the custom of the Academies of Science and Medicine at 
Paris, of requiring such written reports, has produced a collection of essays on 
all subjects in general more valuable than the original communications upon 
which they are founded, because the persons who are selected as Committee men 
are “veterans in their respective sciences, who have earned by their labours an 
European reputation.”” The class of savans however to which these duties are 
entrusted in Paris is nearly wanting in England, where the Members are not 
supported by Government pensions, and there are few private professorships in 
which the otiwm of dignified retirement can be devoted to such objects; while 
for the rich amateur or the laborious practitioner the task would be alike unwel- 
come and unsuitable. The President however is satisfied that qualified men will 
be found ready to sacrifice both time and labour, out of their sympathy for the 
scientific honour of their country. We hope to find these expectations realized in 
respect to the Royal Society ; and we would suggest that the plan of reports on 
papers should be introduced in our own society : the reports will be more useful 
here to shew upon what studies our members are engaged, because so long an 
interval generally ensues before their original papers are doomed to see the light. 
The obituary catalogue of the past year is heavily charged. Sir Everarp Hor, 
the author of 107 papers on comparative anatomy in the Transactions ; Sir JamEs 
Ha.t,the experimental supporter of submarine volcanic agency; GROOMBRIDGE, the 
* Printed in the Phil. Mag. Feb. 1833. 
+ Vol. i.p. 367. 
