The Planet Saturn. 57 



factory materials for theory. And we must not forget that, 

 though any essential advance may for some years to come be 

 denied to Europe and the United States, yet there are 

 Southern observatories which will not, we hope, be idle during 

 the increasing expansion of the ring. We have heard with 

 much regret, and trust it may prove to be an unfounded 

 report, that Mr. LasselFs munificent offer of his 4-foot reflector 

 has been declined by the authorities at Melbourne. But should 

 this unfortunately prove true, we trust that they will feel the 

 obligation they have incurred, to do something which may 

 prove that the course which they have adopted was not the 

 result of indifference to the progress of astronomy. 



The telescopic researches into the structure of Saturn and 

 his appendages, which are very imperfectly traced, or omitted, 

 by Mr. Proctor, are so important and interesting, that our first 

 intention was to embody an account of them in this paper ; 

 but, upon farther consideration, we thought it best to postpone 

 this inquiry, in the hope of recurring to it in a separate article 

 at no very distant time. The numerous contributions to this 

 branch of observational astronomy by Mr. De la Rue would, in 

 themselves, demand a longer and more careful treatment than 

 we could give them at the present moment ; and it would be 

 necessary to collate and compare them with the researches of 

 other eminent observers to whom allusion has been made. 

 Another reason for deferring the consideration of this subject 

 is, that it has been suggested to us that it would be more 

 welcome when Saturn is returning to our skies, than when he 

 is passing away from our view. 



