and Velocity of the Solar Motion. 233 
secondary purpose, next to be considered, would rather in- 
cline us to an opposite alteration. 
The great disparity of the sidereal motions, which has been 
mentioned as an incongruity in the first part of this Paper, 
and has more evidently been shown to exist when we exa- 
mined the representations of these motions in the 3d figure, 
is the next point we have to consider in the effect of the solar 
motion. Let us see how far we have been successful in les- 
sening the ratio these velocities bear to each other. The last 
column of the Xth Table contains them as they must have 
been admitted if the sun had been at rest. The proportion of 
the quickest motion to the slowest is there as 2304621 to 
103036 ; and the velocity of one is therefore above 24 times 
greater than that of the other. But in consequence of the 
solar motion we have used, the two extreme velocities are 
reduced to 2902716 and 393212 ; which gives a proportion 
of less than 7-j to 1 . 
If the quantity of the solar motion were lessened to 1", we 
might bring the ratio of the extreme velocities so low as 6 
to 1 ; but as the middle rank has already given it a little 
below the mean rate, I do not think that we ought to lower 
it still more ; so that when all circumstances are properly 
considered, there is a great probability that the quantity 
assumed in the last calculation may not be far from the truth. 
It appears, therefore, that in the present state of our know- 
ledge of the observed proper motions of the stars, we have 
sufficient reason to fix upon the quantity of the solar motion 
to be such as by an eye placed at right angles to its direction, 
and at the distance of Sirius from us, would be seen to de- 
scribe annually an arch of 1", 116992 of a degree; and its 
MDCCCVI. H h 
