MARALDI. 
resigned the direction of his studies and liis 
manners, and conceived for him the affec- 
tion of a son, whicli met with an equal re- 
turn. When Cassini found that his nephew’s 
advancement in science, his extraordinary 
diligence, and his accuracy, had qualified 
him to become an useful assistant in his 
astronomical labours, by the direction of the 
Royal Academy of'Sciences, he associated 
him with himself in making observations on 
the celestial bodies. A wide field was now 
opened for the industry and ingenuity of our 
young astronomer. In making his obser- 
vations on the planets, he found that Kepler 
and Bouillaud had incorrectly determined 
the place of the aphelion cf Jupiter. Com- 
paring afterwards his observations with 
those of the Chaldean astronomers, made in 
the third century before tlie Christian era, 
he found that the nodes of that planet had 
retrograded more than fourteen degrees, 
and that owing to their natural motion ; and 
he observed and accounted for other phe- 
nomepa in tlie appearance of that planet 
and its satellites. After an assiduous at- 
tention to Mars, he acknowledged that 
Kepler’s theory oi’ that planet was so per- 
fect, that scarcely any thing could be added 
to it. He corrected, however, some trifling 
inaccuracies j and he found that the pa- 
rallax of the planet was less by one second, 
than had -been determined by Cassini in 
167a. During almost the whole of the year 
1714, his observations were occupied by 
Saturn;and he shewed how the disappearance 
cf his ring at that time confirmed the theory 
of Huygens. He also bestowed incredible 
industry in perfecting the tables of Jupiter’s 
satellites. The results of his numerous ob- 
servations he communicated to the Acade- 
my of Sciences, to whom they afforded the 
greatest satisfaction, and particularly his 
discovery that the eclipses of the satellites 
were of different durations, even when the 
distance of their nodes was the same. He 
was now justly considered as entitled to 
rank with the most skilful astronomers. 
When Maraldi first applied himself to the 
contemplation of the heavens, he conceived 
the design of forming a catalogue of the 
fixed stars, more perfect and comprehensive 
than that of Bayer, an object of the greatest 
utility, and of the first importance in astro- 
nomy. For they are considered as so many 
fixed points, to which the motions' of the 
comets, and of the other planets that are 
under them, are referred. Hence will ap- 
pear the importance of an intimate ac- 
quaintance with them ; the attainment of 
which is an object of no less difficulty than 
it is of moment. However, this difficulty 
did not deter Maraldi, who to the great in- 
jury of his health, applied himself to observe 
them with tire most constant attention, at 
all seasons of the year. By this means he 
became so intimate with the fixed stars, 
that on being shown any one of them, how- 
ever small, he could immediately tell to 
what constellation it belonged, and its 
place in that constellation. He has been 
known to discover those small comets which 
astronomers often take for the stars of the 
constellation in which they are seen, for 
want of knowing precisely of what stars the 
constellation consists, when others, on the 
same spot, and With eyes directed equally to 
the same part of the heavens, could not for a 
long time see any thing of them. Whenever 
Maraldi found it necessary to relax in his 
astronomical labours, by way of amusement 
he applied to the study of natural history, 
making observations on insects, curious pe- 
trifactions, &c. To the subject of bees he 
paid particular attention, not only acquaint- 
ing himself with what ancient and modern 
writers have said concerning them, but pro- 
viding himself with glass hives, that he 
might observe their labours and economy. 
On these and other subjects in natural his- 
tory, be drew up a number of very inte- 
resting papers, which were received with 
great applause by the Academy of Sciences, 
and are inserted in different volunies of 
their memoirs. In the year 1699, Maraldi 
W’as admitted a member of that body. In 
1700, he was employed under Cassini in 
prolonging the French meridian to the 
northern extremity of France, and had no 
small share in completing it. When this 
business was finished, he paid a visit to 
Italy, where the astronomers every where 
gladly availed themselves of his advice and 
assistance in making their-observations ; and 
Eustachio Manfredi has made due acknow- 
ledgments of his great obligations to him. 
Being come to Rome, on the invitation of 
Pope Clement XI. he assisted at the asi- 
seinbliesof the congregation then sitting in 
that city for the purpose of reforming the 
calendar. Bianchini also availed himself of 
his advice and aid, in constructing tliQ 
great meridian line at the baths of Diode- 
sian. While he continued at Rome, he 
had an opportunity of observing an eclipse 
of the fourth satellite of Jupiter, in the 
upper part of his circle, from which he 
was led to the conclusion, that its inclina- 
tion is three minutes less than as fixed by 
