Dr. Brinkley’s elements , &c. 
5i 
its small perihelion distance and great inclination. The incli- 
nation was computed by Lacaille to be 88° nearly. The 
inclination of this is 106° 44'. The perihelion distance of 
that = ,089, of this ,093. 
This comet would probably have been a very remarkable 
one by its appearance, had the earth been in a favourable 
situation. 
It may, at first, cause some surprize, that it escaped the 
watchful observers of Europe when on the north side of the 
ecliptic, in February and March last, before it passed its peri- 
helion; but on examination it will be found, that in March it 
was only a few degrees from the sun, and must have been 
rendered invisible by the superior lustre thereof. It passed 
from the north to the south side of the plane of the earth’s 
orbit, March 21st, i8 h 30™, a few hours after it had passed its 
perihelion ; and its elongation from the sun then was only 
about 4 0 . 
The observations having been made so long after its pas- 
sage through perihelion, the smallness of its perihelion dis- 
tance, and some other circumstances, have involved the com- 
putation in difficulties not often met with. This induces me 
to request you will lay before the Royal Society, the method 
by which I proceeded. 
The unusual circumstances relative to this comet, will also 
appear by referring to a passage in the Preface of M. Burck- 
hardt’s new table of the Parabolic Movements, &c. in the 
Conn, des Temps, 1818. It relates to the interval of his 
table from 1000 to 10,000 days, of which he says, “ comme 
il est probable que cette partie ne servira jamais dans la pra- 
tique, &c.” Now, in the observations after the 18th of April, 
