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does them more honour than their early refolutlon to 
appoint Committees, from their own members, to 
make as many obfervations, in different places, of 
that rare phenomenon, the tranfit of Venus over the 
Sun’s dilk, as they had any probability of being able 
to defray the expence of, either from their own 
funds, or the public afhftance they expeded. 
As the members of the Committee above men- 
tioned live at fome diftance from each other, I am 
therefore now, by their diredion, and in their behalf, 
to colled, and lay before you, the whole of the Nor- 
riton obfervations ; difhnguifhing however, fo far as 
may be necefl'ary, the part of each oblerver; and 
going back to the firft preparations. For I am per^- 
fuaded that the dependance which the learned world 
will place on any particular tranfit account, will be 
altogether in proportion to the previous and fubfe- 
quent care, which they find hath been taken, in a 
feries of accurate and well-conduded obfervations, for 
regulating the time-pieces, and afcertaing the lati- 
tude and longitude of the place of obfervation, &c. 
And I am the more defirous to be particular in thefe 
points, in order to do juffice to Mr. Rittenhoufe, one 
of our Committee j to whofe extraordinary /kill and 
diligence is owing whatever advantage may be de- 
rived in thefe refpeds to our obfervation of the tranfit 
itfelf. It is further conceived, that the learned and 
curious will be defirous to have not only the work 
relative to each particular tranfit account, but the 
materials alfo, that they may have an opportunity to 
examine and conclude for themfelves. And it is a 
pleafure to us that we are able to communicate fo 
complete a fet of obfervations in every material 
article. 
The 
