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XVI. An Account of the Difcovery of Two Satellites revolving 
round the Georgian Planet. By William Herfchel, LLD . 
F. R. S. 
Read Feb. 15, 1787. 
T he great diflance of the Georgian planet, and its pre* 
fent fituation in a parr of the zodiac which is fcattered 
over with a multitude of fmall ftars, has rendered it uncom- 
monly difficult to determine whether, like Jupiter and Saturn, 
it be attended by fatellites. In purfuit of this inquiry, having 
frequently directed large telefcopes to this remote planet, and 
finding myfelf continually difappointed, I afcribed my failure 
to the want of fufficient light in the inftruments I ufed ; and, 
for a while, gave over the attempt. 
In the beginning of laft month, however, I was often fur- 
prifed when I reviewed nebulae that had been feen in former 
fweeps , to find how much brighter they appeared, and with 
how much greater facility I faw them. The caufe of it could 
be no other than the quantity of light that was gained by lay- 
ing afide the fmall fpeculum, and introducing the Front-view ; 
an account of which has been inferted, by way of note, to 
the Catalogue of Nebulae contained in the Philofophical 
Tranfa&ions, vol. LXXVI. p. 499. 
It would not have been pardonable to negledl fuch an advan- 
tage, when there was a particular objedt in view, where an 
acceffion of light was of the utmoft confequence; and I won- 
dered 
