[ 3 6 9 3 
LVIII. An ExtraSl of a Letter of Monfeur 
De la Lande, of the Royal Academy of 
Sciences at Paris, to Dr . Bevis, dated there 
March 26, 1762. Tranfated from the 
French. 
■Read May 13, TT Have received, with a great deal of 
j, gratitude, The Seamans Practice , which 
you were fo good as to fend to me. I return you my 
moft humble thanks for it. I had never heard, that 
Norwood’s meafure had been printed fo early as the 
yelr 1636 ; and I did not think, that before Newton, 
that is, before 16 66, it was at all known. I allure 
you, that I will publilh in our Memoires an extract of 
this book, in order to do homage to the labours of 
that celebrated Englishman, who had preceded us 
with relation to the figure of the earth. I am forry, 
that I have feemed to have been in doubt when I 
fpoke of it, and that my book is already difperfed : 
but I lhall find an opportunity to repair this another 
time. In the mean time, do me the juftice to ob- 
ferve, that I did not fay, that Norwood’s meafure did 
not exift ; but only, that Newton had no knowledge 
of it, as feems to refult from the teftimony of Dr. 
Pemberton, who relates, that . Newton having had 
the notion of the attraction of earth upon the moon, 
was diverted from purfuing it, by obferving, that 
the earth was too large not to produce a greater at- 
traction. If any member of your illultrious Royal So- 
ciety is offended with my reflections, I defire you to 
Vol. LII. Bbb make 
