on the Planet Saturn . 9 
pofed luminous points was kind enough to venture 08 tne edge 
of the ring, and appeared- in the fhape or a latellite. Now, as 
I had collected every inequality ot this iort, it was eaiy enough 
for me afterwards to calculate all luch turmiles by tne known 
periodical time of the firft, fecond, third, fixth, and feventh 
Satellites ; and I have always found that fuch appearances were 
owing to’fome of thefe fatellites which were either before or 
behind the ring. The 20th of October, for inftance, at 
22 h. 35' 46", 1 faw four of Saturn’s fatellites all in one row, 
and at almoft an eqnal diftance from each other, on the fol- 
lowing fide ; and yet the firft latellite, which was the fartheft 
of them all, was only about half-way towards its greateft elon- 
gation from the body of Saturn, as may be feen in fig- 5 - ( Tab * 
in.). How eafily, with an inferior telefcope, this might have 
been taken for one of the arms of Saturn, Ileave thole to gueis 
who know what a degree of accuracy it muft require to diftm- 
guifh objects that are fo minute, and at the fame time lb faint, 
on account of their nearnefs to the difk of the planet. Upon 
the whole, therefore, I cannot fay, that I had any one inftance 
that could induce me to believe the ring was not of an uniform 
thicknefs ; that is, equally thick at equal diftances from the 
center, and of an equal diameter throughout the whole of its 
conftrudtion. The idea of protuberant points upon the ring 
of Saturn, indeed, is of itfelf fufficient to render the opinion ot 
their exiftence inadmiffible, when we confider the enormous 
fize fuch points ought to be of, for us to fee them at the dif- 
tance we are from the planet* 
From thefe fappofed luminous points I am, by impercep- 
tible fteps, brought to the difcovery of two fatellites of Saturn, 
which had efcaped unnoticed, on account of their little diftance 
from the planet, and faintnefs ; which latter is partly to be 
Vol. LXXX. ' C afcribed 
