[ 3 T 3 ]' 
fent away from Peking : on the contrary, thofe, who 
fliall be fent thither, will be well received, if they 
have but the qualifications requifite. 
The obfervation of Mercury in the Sun in May 
J740 is very curious, and does honour to the calcu- 
lation of Dr. Halley. I had feen that calculation ; 
and doubting that of Manfredi in his Ephemerides 
from the tables of M. Caffini, I prepared to obferve 
that paffage of Mercury here at Peking ; but the 
weather was not favourable. And I Ice, by the ob- 
fervation made at Cambridge near Bofton in New 
England, that I might have had one at Peking. I 
hope, that we fliall be able to obferve the paffage of 
Mercury in May next year. It is of great importance, 
and we fliall endeavour to do it in the beft manner ; 
and if we lucceed, we fliall communicate it to you. 
II. 
To Monf. de Llfle of the Royal Academy of 
Sciences at Paris. 
SIR, Peking, Nov. 18, 1751. 
Y OU know, that I have, for many years, corre- 
fponded with the late famous Monfieur Freret, 
[Secretary of the Academy of Infcriptions and Belles 
Lettres] who honoured me with his friendfliip. 
Monfieur de Bougainville, his fucceffor, wrote to me 
lafl year, and acquainting me with the melancholy 
news of his death, informed me, that he was jufl 
ready to commit to the prefs a great work of that 
eminently learned man upon the Chinefe chronology. 
I had feen fome effays of it in the Memoirs of the 
Academy of Infcriptions and Belles Lettres, of which 
R r he 
