declination of some of the fixed stars. 41 
From these tables it will appear, according to my statement 
in the former part of this paper, that the general tendency of 
the deviation is towards the south : that in about one-third 
part of the heavens in right ascension this southern tendency 
is very inconsiderable, and would hardly have excited atten- 
tion : for in this part, stars between the zenith and the pole, 
appear a very small quantity to the northward ; whereas in 
the remaining, and most considerable portion of the heavens, 
every star appears to be a considerable quantity to the south 
of its computed place ; and with few exceptions, the more 
southward stars have a greater tendency to deviation than 
the northern ones. 
If we select from the preceding tables, those stars which 
were least frequently observed, at one or all of the three 
periods, we shall find that they all tend to confirm the fore- 
going general results ; though they must be regarded as 
doing so, rather by their united effect, than by their weight 
of evidence when considered singly. Stars that have been 
but seldom observed, give results considerably affected by 
accidental error of observation ; which error is quite of a 
different nature from that produced by permanent defect in 
the instrument, and which repetition of observation has no 
tendency to remove. 
If the deviations of those stars that have been imperfectly 
observed, were attributable either to error of observation, or 
defect in the instruments, the deviation would either follow no 
law at all, or some law depending upon zenith distance : but 
the facts we have seen to be at variance with either of these 
hypotheses. Not however to rest satisfied with these con- 
siderations drawn from the general tendency of all the stars 
MDCCCXXIII. G 
