Mr. Davis on the Chinese Tear. 
95 
An astronomical work, in which the writer of this found 
the Chinese planisphere, comprised in 12 charts of the hea- 
vens, mentions the N. Pole as being 36° above the horizon, 
and hence he concludes, that what it contains is independent 
of the astronomy which was afterwards introduced by the 
European Missionaries, because, as the elevation of the pole 
at any particular place is the latitude of that place, it is pro- 
bable the contents of this book were compiled when the Chi- 
nese Court and observatory were in Honan, a part of which 
province is as high as 36° N. It appears from Du Halde, 
that the astronomical instruments, mentioned above as having 
been constructed by the Arabians for the Chinese, were cal- 
culated for 36® latitude. 
Mr. Reeves, of Canton, has with much labour compared the 
modern Chinese planisphere with the European constella- 
tions, and his catalogue of stars is printed at the end of Dr. 
Morrison's Dictionary. 
J. F. Davis, 
