C $8 3 
be Tome Error : But at leaft M. CaJJini teems certaia, 
that there is a very confiderable Diminution in the 
Degrees of the Parallel of ‘Paris, which confirms his 
Opinion of the Earth's being longeft at the Poles. 
This we are likely to have a better Certitude of here- 
after, feeing we are inform'd that this Meafurement 
of the Parallel of Paris, is carrying on in France by 
M. CaJJini s Sons, M. Maraldts Nephew, and feveral 
other young Mathematicians, inftru&ed by M. CaJJini 
in this fort of Work. 
I have already faid, that all thefe Operations per- 
form'd in France, for the Figure and Magnitude of 
the Earth, could not ferve to determine the Earth's. 
Figure out of France , without the Affiftancc of cer- 
tain Hypothefes $ unlefs the fame thing were under- 
taken and carried on in the other Regions of the 
Earth, more Northern and Southern than France .. 
'Tis upon this Conflderation, that the Royal Aca- 
demy of Sciences took up the Refolutron of fending 
feme Aftronomers to make the like Obfervations as 
near the Equator and the Poles as pofilble, which are. 
the Places where the difference of the Degrees on 
the Meridian ought to be the greateft, according to the 
different Hypothefes. 
In the Month of April 173 f , fet out from France 
three Mathematicians and Aftronomers of the Aca- 
demy, Mefileurs Godin , Bougher, and P)e la 
Condamine, for the Province of Quito, which is the 
moft Northern part of Peru in America 5 in order 
to obferve, juft unde* the Equinoftial Line, the Mag- 
nitude of fome Degrees of the Meridian and Equator. 
As to the other Mathematicians and Aftronomers of 
the fame Academy, vi&. Meffieurs de Maupertuis, 
J j Camus r 
