Mr. Pond on the annual variation, &c. 511 
indeed ought to exist, relative to the determination of such 
very small quantities by astronomical observation ; but I 
deem it peculiarly incumbent on any one, placed in the situa- 
tion which I hold, not to be influenced by these considera- 
tions : on the contrary, the difliculty and perplexity of the 
subject should only act as an incentive to contrive more 
powerful methods of investigation. 
Nothing has ever been farther from my intention, than to 
place this subject in a controversial point of view. It would 
be worse than useless so to do, since the difficulty will in the 
space of a very few years in all probability be satisfactorily 
explained. 
