[ 4^4 ] 
9^. I OS. wherefore the folftitiall Altitude was I'^gr. -jm. 
1 OS. Thefe heights were taken by an Inftrument of 6 foot 
Radius of Brafs; and the skill and diligence of the obler- 
ver is not to be doubted. 
To'compare with thefe I find among Bernard Walthers 
oblervations niade in the fame City of Nurenhurg^ two 
hundred Years before, ^iz.m the Year 1487, that the 
Meridian Altitude of the Sun in the fummer Solftice was 
obferved by the Parallaftick inftrument of Ptolomy 
wherby the Chord of the Sunsdiftance from the Zenith 
was obferved 44890 parts of 100000 Radim\ the fame be- 
ing confirmed by the concurrence of the obfervations of 
feveral Years both before and after. The arch anfwering 
to this Chord gives the Suns diftance from the Zenith 
2 5^r. 56^. 30/. and confequently the Meridian Altitude 
its Complement to a Quadrant, 6^gr, 5«^. 50/. Again 
the fame Year 1487 the Chord of the Meridian diftance 
jof © from the Zenith, on the day of the Winter fblftice 
was found 118790, confirmed likewife by many fubfe- 
quent obfervations; the arch anf^^ering to this Chord is 
T^gr. 52;^. 40J". and its complement I7^r. 7;;?. 20/. the 
/Meridian hight of the Sun in the Winter fblftice. 
Hence it appears that the fblftitiall hights were very 
nearly the fame at Nurenhurg 200 Years ago as now they 
are, that of the Summer fblftice being but one minute dif- 
fering, the other only loy. both which may poffibly arife 
from the defeats of the Inftruments of thefe obfervers, 
being made with plaine fights ; but what Ifhall neceffari- 
ly conclude from hence is, that if there be fuch a motion of 
the Poles, it is either very flow, or elfe nearly at right an- 
gles to the Meridian of Nurenhurg \ in which latter cafe 
the Latitudes of places about Tunking'i Sum^ Malacca and 
^av.a on the one fide, and in our American plantations of 
JsIew'Englmd^ Virginia^ Jamma &c. on the other, ought 
. to change fafteft ; but I have never yet heard of any fuch 
tiling obferved by .any of our.Navigators; whence if there 
be 
