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for which ftill remain involved in obscurity, been effected without oppofition or bloodshed; but whether Mr. Sheridan and the agents will confider it as redounding to the honour of Great Britain, or will be more difpofed to rank it in the catalogue of the black tranfactions alledged by them to have been committed by the British in India, muft he decided here

after.

Vizier Ali Khan, though fo young, was a boy of a bold intrepid spirit, and it was a pretty univerfal opinion that his depofition was confidered as neceffary, from the vigour and obftinacy with which he was faid to have refifted certain demands made on him by our government. This conjecture has however been contradicted by fubfequent events; for it can hardly be doubted but we might have had carte blanche from Saadut Ali; and all that has yet been gained avowedly by the change, is a fum af money to repair the fort of Allahabad, and permiflion to garrifon it.

Some people will not hesitate to charge the government, if not with iniquity, with folly and incapacity; for there can be no question but that Saadut Ali would have been highly fatisfied with the title of nabob and a fplendid augmentation of his penfion, while we might have taken poffeffion of the country and its revenues without incurring more reproach than perhaps we have done by the prefent meafure.

Poffibly neither the one nor the other is to be justified, on moral principles; but the adoption of the former would have obviated any imputation of folly, by putting into our hands fuch an acceffion of wealth and ftrength as would have rendered us not only invincible but invulnerable to the united powers of Afia and of Europe. But perhaps I tire you with a fubject in which you may feel little interested, and will certainly ruin you in poftage if I go on further, by fwelling this into the fize of a pamphlet; let me therefore bid you adieu.

Futty-Ghurr, 28th Feb. 1798.

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subject be of importance, may be beneficial to the community. But wrangling, or, as an apoftle well tiles it,-vain babbling, is fit only for poissardes; and I never will defcend into the arena with Mr. Goon, or any other man, for the purpofe of combating with fuch weapons.

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I conceived, that by adducing collateral proofs in fupport of the fact I ftated refpecting the weekly coft of our poor in provifions, I was furnishing (at least, in the eye of Mr. GooD) much stronger evidence than he would have admitted any statement to be, that was taken from the accounts of the Shrewsbury Houfe; for to thefe, he was furnished with this convenient reply, that the most "extraordinary conclufions" were deducible from them. Prefuming, however, that I have no fuch data to produce, he now boldly challenges me to this proof: and be it remembered, pronounces that it will "terminate the difpute." To this teft, as well as every other that is fair and candid, I have not the finallest objection. If, therefore, you, Mr. Editor, will once, and but this once more indulge me, I will now proceed to comply with his demand; and that I may not be thought to make an unfair selection, will take the accounts of that year, when the finaller number of poor in the houfe was particularly unfavourable to the statement of the average coft head; for it does not require any laboured reafoning to prove, that a family of 400 may be fupported at a lower average coft per head than a family of 300. It is alfo proper I fhould remark, that Mr. Goon is not warranted by any expreffion I made ufe of, to apply the word "unfaithful" to our late officer; my obfervation was, that he was inaccurate and negligent; and that the confequence of implicit confidence, was increafed expence and growing neglect; unfaithfulnefs includes this, but implies fomething more. At the period ftated in the following account, neither this implicit confidence, nor the confequences produced by it, had begun to exist. The directors were alert, active, and vigilant ; and their fuccefs furnished a ftriking proof of what may be effected by fuch exertions. Notwithstanding the poor's rates were reduced one third, and notwithstanding the intereft of upwards of 7000 borrowed to purchase the house and land, &c was added to the annual expenditure, the balance of debt was reduced, in four years, upwards of a thoufand pounds.

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1359 9 The average number of poor in the houfe that year was 324, to which is to be added, the steward, matrons, baker, and hired overfeers, amounting to 8 more, and making a total of 332. If the above fum be divided by 332, it will be found to amount to 41. 1s. 10 d. per head per annum, or is. 6d. per head perweek* With respect to the other ground of imputation-my having ftated in my correfpondence with the Rev. Mr. Howlett, that out of ninety-one children born in the house, only four had died, at the age of two months;-I have only to add, that no feparate regifter was then kept of deaths. They were inferted in a column of the general register of all the poor received into, or born in the house. I examined that regifter, and no more children's deaths at that age were recorded there. I was not inattentive to my duty as a director, and no other inftance came to my knowledge during the period of my fitting at the board. But as it has fince appeared that the fecretary was inaccurate in the keeping of that general register, I do, as I before obferved, acknowledge the poffibility of an omiffion. I fhould be ashamed to trouble your readers with all this detail, if I did not really think it an object of much importance, that the comparative fal brity of houfes of industry, properly conftructed and Conducted, fhould be demonftrated; and particularly, that parifhes fhould not be lel into fo capital an error, with regard

* In the fourth edition of my pamphlet, the statement of the average number of poor in the house was copied verbatim from the first edition, and of courfe referred to the year ninety-one. In ninety four, the average number as ftated in my letter of November laft, was 364.-So cafily is this difference reconciled."

to the expence at which their poor may be well provided for.

And now, Sir, having, I truft, by a fair and true ftatement of facts, repelled the injurious imputation fattened upon me in Mr. Good's differtation, I have very little more to fay to that gentleman. I cannot, upon the most rigid re-examination, find a fingle fyllable in my first letter, published in your magazine for November, that could have given caufe or provocation for that petulant " phrafeology" Mr. Good chole to adopt in his reply. Perhaps I had judged better if I had deemed that reply unworthy of notice. It might have convinced me that my opponent was incapable of that liberal and manly conduct, which leads the candid difputant to retract a mistake. Mr. Good, by artfully confounding dates, by ingeniously-not ingenuouslyamputating paragraphs and fentences, and then combining the disjointed members, has produced a monster of his own creation. I will not retail his charge of improper language, but I will affure him, that if ever I fhould be fo unfortunate as to be again involved in difcuffion with an opponent, who thus contends not for truth but victory, I will, for his fake, immediately withdraw from the contest, I now take my leave of him, with an humble but cheerful hope, that, fafe under the broad fhield of general candor, I fhall remain unhurt by the feeble shafts of individual detraction. With a juft fenfe of my obligations to you, Sir, I remain, your's, &c.

J. WOOD Shrewsbury, March 16, 1799.

For the Monthly Magazine.

HISTORY of ASTRONOMY for the year. 6, [1798] read at the commencement of the fitting of the COLLEGE of FRANCE, the 29th Brumaire, year feven, by JEROME LALANDE, Infpector and Dean of the COLLEGE, and ancient Director of the Obfervatory.

Tenth time, to entertain the pubHE company permits me, for the lic with the progrefs of a fcience which has occupied my attention for fifty years paft; it is a fatisfaction to me that I have to announce matter ftill more interefting than at the last time; and first, the admeasurement of the earth, or of the end of the most confiderable operation, 9° and two thirds of the meridian, from Dunkirk to Barcelona,

From

From the end of Nivôfe (the middle of January) DELAMBRE, impatient to commence his painful labours, went to prepare the bafe from Lieurfaint to Melun, to oversee the finishing of the wooden pyramids which are feventy feet in height, and to measure the angles; the cold and rain did not prevent his operations.

On the 6th Ventôfe (February 24th) he had already finished seven stations for the angles at the bafe; three men had been employed during fix weeks in lopping the branches of fix or feven hundred trees on the high road, which intercepted the fight of the fignals.

The 28th Germinal, (April 17th) he fet out to go and measure the bafe from Melun to Lieurfaint; a painful labour, in which fuch a ftrict attention was required, that with the help of feven perfons they could only measure one hundred and eighty toifes per day.

The 15th Prairial (3d June) the meafure of the base of three leagues, 6075 toifes, was finished at Lieurfaint.

The 12th Meffidor (June 30th) citizen DELAMBRE fet out to go and meafure the bafe of Perpignan; it was terminated on the first complementary day. At the fame time citizen MECHAIN terminated his triangles between Rodez and Carcaffone, after having furmounted fickneffes, obftructions and delays of every kind. More unfortunate, and lefs robust than his colleague, his zeal only ferved to agitate him the more.

At length, on the 27th of this month, Frimaire (November 17th), they arrived at Paris; after having finifhed the calculations, in which they found the two bafes to correfpond exactly. Thus this immenfe undertaking, of a new admeafurement of the earth, commenced in the month of June, 1792, by our two moft skilful aftronomers, is at length terminated, and we fhall foon have the fo much wifhed-for refults relative to the magnitude and figure of the earth, and perhaps its irregularities: Our two kilful aftronomers with moreover to determine once again the latitude of Paris, which I had fixed at 48 deg. 50 min. 15 fec. three years ago, after more than two hundred obfervations made with the circle invented by citizen BORDA, diminishing by one fecond the refraction of Bradley, which is the total of any remaining uncertainty.

The enumeration of the ftars, begun in 1798, is brought to 47,000, and we do not want 2000 to have completed the tour of the heavens as far as the infe

rior tropic: there will be 50,000, by taking two degrees beyond that. Citizen LE FRANCOIS is disposed to finish his labour this winter, and already he is enjoying the refults of it. Comets are at prefent the only part of aftronomy which is but little advanced it is that which the aftronomers are now going to be occupied in. I have not been backward to prepare for them the only affiftance which they wanted, by giving them pofitions of ftars in all parts of the heavens: they will never be able to obferve comets without recurring to our 50,000 stars, where they will be fure to find whatever they can defire. I have had experience of them for many years.

But a great and important work must have detractors; they will urge the expediency of having fewer ftars, and of adjusting them with a greater degree of precision. Thefe perfons are mistaken: it is the great number of stars which accomplishes the neceffary object of this labour; a greater exactitude is of little ufe at prefent, and will be fo for a long time to come. Comets are only obferved at thirty feconds, and yet many wish to have the pofitions of ftars at a fecond: this is an evident inconfequence and a manifeft impoffibility. We have therefore done all that was necessary to be done; and I think myself happy in having terminated my career, by procuring to aftronomy a monument which, from its immenfity, might have been judged impoffible. To judge of the utility of the labour of Citizen LE FRANCOIS, it may fuffice to fay, that in a zone of three hours, having two degrees of breadth, he has had thirty new lars of the fifth or fixth magnitude, and from fix to seven, and only three of them that were known. Dec. 10, 1789, of one hundred stars, thirteen of which were of the fixth magnitude, there was only a single one known; the other twelve were entirely new to us. This fuffices to fhew how far we are from being thoroughly acquainted with the starry heaven, It is for this reafon that, as foon as I was able to procure a good inftrument, I have been fo much engaged in this labour. M. HERSCHEL has alfo undertaken review of the heavens with his go feet te lefcope; but it is in order to discover nebulous (pots or objects difficult to be feen. Our labour is more important, as it furnifhes exact pofitions of all the itars which aftronomers can make use of. HERSCHEL only obferves things invifible; and aftronomers have need of ob

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jects fenfible, and always present to their

view.

Citizen LE FRANCOIS, therefore, is the person to whom we may apply what Virgil faid of Palinurus :

Sydera cuncta notat tacito labentia cœlo; as he really performs what Palinurus was unable to do. The female citizen LE FRANCOIS has already reduced 6000, and the promises us 4000 more for this year, although there are thirty-fix operations to each. In the month of September I placed in the obfervatory of the military school a new meridian telescope, made by LENOIR, with an object-glafs of CAROCHE, with a large orifice it is better placed than the firft; the fupports have no connection with the roof, and the inftrument will be lefs fubject to vary from change of temperature. With this inftrument we fhall continue to determine the right afcenfions of the fundamental ftars of all our zones of the 50,000 ftars.

The phyfical theory of aftronomy has alfo a remarkable epoch in this year. Ci tizen LEPLACE, to whom we are indebted for the explication of the acceleration of the moon, has difcovered that the apogee and the node have alfo fecular equations; and a great number of obfervations have verified this noble difcovery. It was useful, however, to confirm it further, by obfervations of the middle age, and of thefe there are fome, although very few. The manufcript of Ibn-Iunis, an Arabian of the roth century, contains fome most valuable ob. fervations: the original is at Leyden; we have made fome unavailing attempts Citizen CAUSprocure SIN, one of our profeffors of Arabic, of fered to go to Leyden to copy the obfervations himself; but I found a copy of them in the manuscripts of J. DELISLE, my predeceffor in the college of France; and I hope that we fhall foon have the refults of thefe ineftimable obfervations.

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of it.

The 29th Ventôfe (March 19th) the inftitute propofed for the fubject of a prize, the comparison of 500 obfervations of the moon with the tables, to determine better the twenty-two equations which we employ at prefent for the movement of the moon; and I know already one candidate who has made immenfe calculations for this purpose. Our prize will ferve to terminate and to publish this important labour, which, united with the theory of Citizen LEPLACE, will add a new degree of precifion to the tables of the moon and the calculation of longi

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tudes. If at fea, errors have been committed of three myriameters (leven leagues), through the defect of the tables, they will be foon reduced to two or three leagues.

Citizen MESSIER, who is continually employed in the refearch of comets, difcovered one the 23d Germinal (April 12, 1798) towards the Pleiades: it was fmall and without a tail, but brilliant enough; it was not to be seen by the naked eye. This is the twenty-firft that Citizen MESSLER has difcovered fince 1758, and the forty-first which he has obferved. The number of comets actually known confifts of eighty-eight, according to the catalogue which is in my aftronomy. Doctor BURCKHARDT, a skilful aftronomer of Gotha, who has been at Paris for fome months, was anxious to calculate the orbit of this comet, and he did it in two days; which may be noted as an extraordinary circumftance. I have published the obfervations of Citizen MESSIER,

which Dr. BURCKHARDT has reduced and calculated, by employing many pos-tions of new ftars by Citizen LEFRANCOIs, nephew of LALANDE. This comet was at nearly the fame diftance from us as the fun, which diftance changed but little during a month; it was feen no more after the 5th Prairial (May 24). I had represented its route on pasteboard for my auditors, as is my ufual method, and every one might there find the dif tance and the fituation of the comet for every day. Citizen BouVARD, at the obfervatory, has likewife made a number of obfervations, which we shall publish, together with thofe of Citizen MESSIER, waiting till they appear more in detail in the "Memoirs of the National Inflitute of Sciences and Arts," together with the chart of its route, as Citizen MESSIER conftantly gave them in the "Memoirs of the ci-devant Academy:" Dr. OLBERS, of Bremen, alfo obferved it, when he had advice of it by means of the "Fournal de Paris."

But before this real comet, Paris re founded with the report of a pretended one. The 27th Nivofe (Jan. 16) they fet up the cry of a new comet on the Pont Neuf, and many people were confiderably alarmed at it. Nevertheless it was nothing but Venus, which appeared in broad day over the Luxembourg, the day in which 20,000 perfons, expecting General BUONAPARTE, had their eyes directed towards that part. It may be feen thus every 19th day of the month, if attention be given to it; but it is rare

that

that perfons are found who have time or opportunity to notice it. At this time it excited a fingular terror; they acted the "Comet, or the End of the World," (la Comete, ou la Fin du Monde), at the Vaudeville. RUGGIERI made an artificial comet, in fire-works, at the Lyceum; and it greatly refembled the beautiful comet of 1744, which I well remember having seen, and which was the most aftonishing one of this age.

Dec. 6, 1798, at night, Citizen BouVARD difcovered a fmall comet in the conftellation of Hercules. This is the twenty-fourth new one: it was obferved till the 11th, when it disappeared in Aquarius; it moved eighteen degrees per day. Thus, although it only appeared five days, it will furnish grounds wherewith to calculate its orbit. Dr. OLBERS faw it alfo at Bremen.

The 29th Nivôfe (Jan. 18), Citizen DANGOS, at Tarbes, faw a comet pals over the fun like a black spot. This new and fingular obfervation may be of ufe when we fhall become acquainted with a great number of comets; but we are totally ignorant of the route of that which was feen that day on the fun.

An important and celebrated enterprife has furnished new hopes to aftronomy and geography.

The 26th Ventôfe (March 16) govern ment demanded felect aftronomers and infruments for a fecret expedition: we learned foon after, that the famous General BUONAPARTE was to be at the head of it. I could only point out the Citizens NOUET, QUENOT, and MECHAIN, jun. they made preparations for this honourable miffion, and fet out the 5th Floreal (April 24); they embarked at Toulon May 10, and the debarkation took place in Egypt the 14th Meffidor (July 2). I entertain no doubts but this voyage will prove ufeful to geography, and even to astronomy.

I have written to all the aftronomers in Europe, to defire them to co-operate by obfervations correfponding to those which may be made by the aftronomers of the expedition.

Young BERNIER, of Montauban, res quefted to be of this voyage; but the measures we took for this purpose proved to be too late. I have recommended to our aftronomers to take the level of the Mediterranean and Red Seas. It has been often faid that there is a great difference between them; but I am not of that opinion. I have wrote to Spain, to procure

the level of the South Sea, and of the gulph of Mexico at the isthmus of Panama, relative to which certain difficulties have been raised.

The obfervatory at Gotha is the finest and moft ufeful one at prefent in Germany. The Duke has expended on it more than 200,000 francs: an example which no other prince has exhibited or followed. The director of the observatory, M. ME ZACH, is one of the most celebrated aftronomers in Europe. I had long felt an inclination to vifit and become acquainted with this fole monument of aftronomy which it remained for me to fee; in imitation of Halley, who went from England to Dantzig in 1679, to infpect the obfervatory of Hevelius, and, in concert with him to judge of the accuracy of his obfervations. I found that M. DE ZACH can obferve the Polar ftar to a fecond, in lieu of a hundred feconds of uncertainty, to which we have been expofed.

Many aftronomers of Germany, apprifed of this project, repaired to us Thele conferences ferved to augment our emulation. I have brought back 1200 afcenfions of zodiacal ftars, obferved by M. DE ZACH with the fineft paffage-inftrument in the world, each obfervation having been made many times they will appear with 3000 declinations, which I have fent to M. DE ZACH, in an important work which he is preparing on aftronomy, in 2 vol. octavo, and of which two-thirds are already printed.

M. BODE brought us from Berlin the defigns of his third chart of the starry heavens: there are to be twenty of them and this valuable aftronomical collection will contain 13,000 ftars, or 8000 more than there were before. He has reduced 3000 of thofe by LACAILLE; he has obferved 1500 himself to fill up fome va cant fpaces, and Citizen LEFRANCOIS has furnished him with the remainder.. Here will be found the 2000 nebulous fpots of Herfchel, and from 5 to 600 double ftars of that celebrated astronomer. We have made two new conftellations, the prefs of Guthemburg, and the globe of Montgolfier.

M. WURM came from Wirtemburg (diftance 100 leagues). The Duke of Wirtemberg prefented him with a gratification of 800 francs for his journey. He has given me affurance that he would collate again the new ftereotype-tables of Citizen FIRMIN DIDOT, in order that this undertaking, which may affure for

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