236 
THE NATURAL HISTORY 
[LETT. 
disc of the sun clearing tlie summer heliotrope to the north 
of it at the longest day. 
By this simple expedient it would soon appear that there is 
no such thing, strictly speaking, as a solstice ; for, from the 
shortest day, the owner would, every clear evening, see the disc 
advancing, at its setting, to the westward of the object ; and, 
from the longest day, observe the sun retiring backwards every 
evening at its setting, towards the object westward, till, in a 
few nights, it would set quite behind it, and so by degrees to the 
west of it : for when the sun comes near the summer solstice, 
the whole disc- of it would at first set behind the object ; after 
a time the northern limb would first appear, and so every night 
gradually more, till at length the whole diameter would set 
northward of it for about three nights ; but on the middle night 
of the three, sensibly more remote than the former or follow- 
ing. When receding from the summer tropic, it w^ould continue 
more and more to be hidden every night, till at length it would 
descend behind the object again ; and so nightly more and more 
to the westward. 
Sklborne. 
