$84 
man by his Recherches fur divers Objets - 
de 1 Economie. Politique, printed at Drefden 
in 1781, and by feveral Differtations on 
the Englifh Finances, inferted in Chancel- 
lor Mezfner’s Quartal-Schrift publithed at 
Drefden, from 17$4 to 1736 : but his fuc- 
cefsful labours, likewife, in aftronomy and, 
geography, have materially contributed to 
the progrefs of thefe fciences, the ftudy-of 
which he purfues with paffionate predilec- 
tion. What afronomer, geographer, or 
Navigator is unacquainted with the en- 
-deavours, the unwearied application, and 
the innumerable encouragements by which 
the Count raifed the art of .chronometry ; 
defended it againft party-fpirit, at aft 
triusiphing over the moft difficult and vex- 
ations, obftacies. On this fubjeét, it is 
fufficient to obferve, that auithout the fup- 
port of Count von Bribl,'T aomas MunceE 
mufe have funk under oppreffion ; that 
without the foftering patronage of Count 
wou Brubl, there never would have beex a 
Jostayu Emery. 
The Count’s profound knowledge of 
the higher branches of horolegery, and 
the great fhare he had in bringing the art 
to perfection, is evident from his intereft- 
ing epiftolary correfpondence with Thomas 
Mudge, publithed in that eminent artift’s 
Defcription of the Time-Keeper, as alfo from 
feveral finglediffertations on the utility of 
a free balance-in chronometers. Several 
Journals, kept with the utmoft care, of the 
going of thefe curious mafter-}- éces ‘of 
art, which the Count ‘himfelf obferved 
with the greateft accuracy at his obferva- 
tories. in. Londen and at Harefield, have 
been impartially laid before the learned 
public. The fame time-keepers have been 
ufed by hina in’ determining the geogra- 
phical pofition of a number of places, dur- 
ing a journey from London to Drefden, 
and likewife into the interior of England, 
and along-the fouthern coeaft from London 
tothe Lands-End. He not only then con- 
tributed to the perfeétion of thefe valuable 
imfiruments, fo neceflary to the navigator 
for finding the longitude at fea: but like- 
wife applied them himéelf with the greateft 
advantage and’ the happieft effects to the 
promotion of the fcience of geography. 
For the fake of brevity, we pafs over many 
ether ingenious inventions and improve- 
ments which the Count contrived for fe- 
veral aftronomical inftruments, and which 
were found to anfwer the purpofe, and the 
annumerable important aftronomical obfer- 
vations made with that admirable accuracy 
that is quite peculiar to him, which are to 
be found in the Philofophical Tranfaétions 
of the Royal Scciety of London, ia the 
Count Brithl—Ferome Schréter. 
_ ) [December, 
Peterfburg Commentaries, in the Berlin 
Aftronomical Annals, in Meifiner’s Quay- 
tal- Schrift, and in. fingle fmaller differta- 
tions, which are in the hands of every 
aftronomer. 

MEMOIRS OF JOHN jEROME SCHROTER. 
RaRE indeed is the phenomenon of a 
private individual expending a confiderable 
part of his property in the purchafe of 
valuable inflruments; not for fhew, and 
as learned furniture for hts houfe; but 
which he applies with unwearied perfever- 
ance, and the happieft effects, to ufeful 
celeftial obfervations, and the difcovery of 
new truths, which immediately lead to the 
promotion of cofmography. Such a man, 
however, now lives in Germany; and 
with juftice may his country be proud of 
him. Though aftronomy be not his pe- 
culiar vocation, though he be not falaried: 
for the purpoie ; all the leifure that he can 
fpare from the iaborious duties of his offices 
which he performs with the greateft con- 
{cientioufinefs, he applies, ina manner the 
moft conducive to the progrefs of the f{ci- 
ences, to the moft difficult obfervations 
of remarkable appearances of the hea- 
vens, to obferve which few aftronomers. 
have either inclination or epportunity- 
» John Jerome Schroter, Dogtor of Laws, 
Grand- Bailiff of a Province in the Efecéo- 
rate of Hanover, Member of the. Royal 
Societies and Academies of Sciences of 
London, Gottingen, Stockholm, &e. &c. 
was born at Erfurt in Thuringia, on the. 
goth of Auguf, 1745, In his youth, he 
had neither opportunity nor leifure te 
ftudy mathematics, much-lefs aftronomy : 
while at the univerfity, being chiefly en- 
edged in the ftudy of the law, he had only, 
with much predilection and zeal, attended 
leGtures on phyfical aftronomy, as a part 
of natural philofophy ; and had likewife 
enjoyed the infiructions of Kaftner in ab- 
ftraét mathematics. Soon after, he was fo 
overwhelmed with official law affairs, that 
he was. obliged to labour day and: night, 
facrificing Ins health in the confcientious 
performance of his duty. When he had 
been fome years Reporter in the Exchequer 
Chamber at Hanover, his natural genius 
for natural philofophy and aftronomy again 
awoke; and he began, in 1778, to ftudy 
the Jatter fcience with extraordinary ar- 
dour, and without the affiftance of any 
matter. His progrefs at firft was fmall, 
and his difficulties were imcreafed by the 
want of neceflary inftruments. But his 
genius: and perfeverance foen triumphed 
over every obftacle ; and in 1779, already 
was he able to make, -with an achromatic — 
teleicope - 
