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XXVI. An Account of an Appearance of Light, like a Star, seen 
in the dark Part of the Moon, on Friday the Jth of March , 
1794, by WilliamWilkins, Esq. at Norwich. In Extracts of a 
Letter to the Rev. Samuel Vince, F. R. S. and of three Letters 
to the Rev. Nevil Maskelyne, D. D. F. R. S. and Astronomer 
Royal ; and communicated by the latter » 
Read July 10, 1794. 
LETTER I. 
REVEREND SIR, Norwich, 17th April, 1 794, 
I received your letter yesterday ; and I am extremely happy 
in giving you the best description in my power respecting the 
phenomenon I saw in the moon, on Friday the 7th of March, 
a few minutes before eight o'clock in the evening. I was in 
hopes, as it was a bright evening, that some astronomer might 
observe it, who would have described it in a more scientific 
manner than I can. The few observations I made were merely 
to compare with some account I expected and wished to meet 
in some periodical publication. 
My friend Mr. Beckwith having the day before told me 
that I might see Mercury soon after sun-set, I had been 
looking for that planet from the Castle-hill in Norwich, but 
was disappointed by a clouded horizon. I mention this merely 
as the reason of my being led to a more particular notice of 
the moon also in this evening, having lost the first object of 
that evening's attention. 
