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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
used for astronomical purposes in America was set up at Yale 
College forty-six years ago. The first observatory, however, 
properly so-called, was erected at Williams College, Mass., in 
1836. The next was the Hudson Observatory, established in 
connection with the Western Reserve College, Ohio, under the 
charge of Professor Loomis (now of Yale), whose works on 
astronomy are deservedly held in high esteem in this country 
as well as in America. Next in order of time came the Ob- 
servatory of the High School at Philadelphia, which achieved 
distinction under the able management of Messrs. Walker and 
Kendall. The West Point Observatory was next established, 
and placed under the care of Professor Bartlett. All these pre- 
ceded the Washington Observatory. 
Soon after the Washington Observatory had been erected, an 
observatory was built at Cincinnati. Its history illustrates well 
the way of carrying out such work in America, when the govern- 
ment does not take the work in hand. The idea of erecting an 
important observatory in Cincinnati was first entertained by 
Professor Mitchel, then professor of mathematics at Cincinnati 
College. He proposed to attempt the task without any aid from 
the general or state government, by the voluntary contribution 
of all classes of citizens. To ascertain whether any interest 
could be excited in the public mind in favour of astronomy, 
he delivered in the spring of 1842 a series of lectures in the 
hall of Cincinnati College. With truly American ingenuity he 
devised a mechanical contrivance, by. help of which telescopic 
views in the heavens were presented with a brilliancy comparable 
with that “ displayed by powerful telescopes.” These lectures 
were attended by large audiences, and, I may add in passing, 
that the interest which they excited is to this day well remem- 
bered in Cincinnati — no small proof of Professor Mitchel’s 
power as a lecturer.* The last lecture of the course was de- 
livered in one of the great churches of the city (a thorough 
American and sensible proceeding), and at the close Professor 
Mitchel submitted to the audience, consisting of more than two 
thousand persons, his plan for erecting a first-class observatory, 
and furnishing it with instruments of the highest order. He 
promised to devote five years of faithful effort to accomplish 
this task. The following course was then suggested : — 66 The 
entire amount required to erect the buildings and purchase the 
instruments should be divided into shares of twenty-five dollars ; 
every shareholder to be entitled to the privileges of the ob- 
* The same remark applies to the lectures which he subsequently delivered 
in New York, New Orleans, Boston, Brooklyn, and other large cities. It 
is almost impossible to over-estimate the service thus rendered by Professor 
Mitchel to astronomy in the United States. 
