The Royal
College.

Obfervato

ries and

Schools of Experimen tal Philofo phy.

The Royal School of France, founded by Francis I, has effentially contributed to the Progress of the Knowledge of the System of the World. Orance, Fine', Stadius, Morin, Gaffendi, de la Hire, de Lifle, who were fucceffively Masters of it, have been celebrated Aftronomers, &c.

XIII.

Experiments and Obfervations are the Foundation of all real Knowledge, thofe which ferve as a Bafis to the Discoveries relative to the Syftem of the World, are made and learned in Experimental Schools and Obfervatories: The first Obfervatory of any Celebrity, was built by William V, Landgrave of Heffe, where he collected all the Inftruments, Machines, Models, &c. which were known in his Time, and put it under the Direction of Rothman and Byrgius, the first an Astronomer, the second an expert Instrument-Maker: The Duke of Broglio, Of Caffel. General of the French Army, having rendered himself Master of Caffel in 1760, took a Copy of the Obfervations and Experiments made in this Obfervatory, and depofited it in the Library of the Academy.

Of Urani bourg.

Of Dantzick

Of Copen hagen.

Of Pekin.

Frederick I. King of Denmark, being informed of the fingular Merit of Ticho Brahe, granted him the Island of Venufta, oppofite Copenhagen, and built for him the Caftle of Uranibourgb, furnished it with the largeft, and the most perfect Instruments, and gave Penfions to a Number of Obfervers, Calculators, and Experiment-Makers, to affift him, which enabled him in the Space of 16 Years, to lay the Foundation of the System of the World, in a Manner more stable, than was ever before effected. The most eminent Men took Pleasure in vifiting this incomparable Philofopher: The King of Scotland going to efpoufe the Princefs Anne, Sifter of the King of Denmark, paffed into the Ifland of Venufia with all his Court, and was fo charmed at the Operations and Success of Tycho, that he compofed his Elogium in Latin Poetry: So much Merit raised him Enemies, and the Death of King Frederick II, furnished them the Means of fucceeding in their Machinations. A Minister called Walchendorp, (whofe Name should be devoted to the Execration of the Learned of all Ages) deprived him of his Ifland of Venufia, and forbad him to continue at Copenhagen his Experiments and Obfervations.

XIV.

The firft Obfervatory of the laft Age, was that of Hevelius, eftablifhed at Dantzick; it is defcribed in his great Work, intitled, Machina Celeftis.

The Aftronomical Tower of Copenhagen was finished in 1656, built by Chriftian IV, at the Solicitation of Longomontanus.

There has been an Experimental School and Obfervatory at Pekin thefe 400 Years, built on the Walls of the City: Father Verbieft being made Prefident of the Tribunal of Mathematicks in 1669, obtained of the Emperor Cam-by, that all the European Inftruments, Machines,

Models, &c. fhould be added to thofe with which it was already furnished. (See the Defcription of China by Dubald.) There has been made. there a vaft Collection of ufeful Experiments and Obfervations, a Copy of which is depofited in the French Academy.

XV.

rendered

of Flamsted

The Royal Obfervatory of England was built by Charles II. under the The Royal Direction of Sir J. Moore, four Miles from London, to the Eastward Obiervatory upon a high Hill: It will be for ever famous by the immortal Labours mental and Experi of Flamstead, Halley, and Bradley; Flamstead was put in Poffeffion of this School at Obfervatory in 1676, where, during the Space of 33 Years, he made Greenwich a prodigious Number of Obfervations contained in his Hiftory of the famous Heavens Halley fucceeded him, and was, without Doubt, the greatest the Labours Aftronomer England produced; at the Age of Twenty he went to the Halley and Ifland of St. Helen, to form a Catalogue of the Southern Stars, which Bradley, he published in 1679; then he went to Dantzick to confer with Hevelius, he travelled also through Italy and France for his Improvement; in 1683 he published his Theory of the Variation of the Magnetic Needle; in 1686 he fuperintended the Impreffion of the Principia Mathematica Philofopia Naturalis, which its immortal Author could not refolve with himfelf to publish. The fame Year he published his Hiftory of the Trade Winds; in 1698 he received the Command of a Veffel to traverse the Atalantic Ocean, and vifit the English Settlements, in order to difcover whether the Variation of the Magnetic Needle, found by Experiment, agreed with his Theory, and to attempt new Difcoveries; he advanced as far as 52 Degrees South Latitude, where the Ice impeded his further Progrefs; he visited the Coaft of Brafil, the Canaries, the Iflands of Cape Verde, Barbadoes, &c. and found every where the Variation of the Compass comformable to his Theory; in 1701 he was commiffioned to traverse the English Channel, to obferve the Tides, and to take a Survey of the Coafts; in 1708 he vifited the Ports of Triefte and Boccari in the Gulph of Venice, and repaired the first, accompanied by the chief Ingineer of the Emperor; he published in 1705 the Return of the Comets of which he was the first Discoverer; and we have seen in 1759 the Accomplishment of his Prediction; in 1713 he was made Secretary of the Royal Society; he examined the different Methods for finding the Longitude at Sea, and proved that thofe which depend on the Obfervations of the Moon were the only practicable ones, and as thofe Methods required accurate Tables of this Planet, which did not differ from Obfervation more than two Minutes, he fet about rectifying them, having discovered that to obtain this Point it was fufficient to determine, every Day during 18 Years, the Place of the Moon by Obfervation, and to know how much the Tables differed from it, the Errors every Period afterwards being the fame, and returning in the fame Order: It was

Other Obfer

in 1722 that this courageous Aftronomer, in the 65th Year of his Age, undertook this immense Work, and after having completed it, and publifhed the Succefs of his Labours for foretelling accurately the Moon's Place, and deducing the Longitude at Sea; we loft this great Man the 25th of January 1742. Bradley fucceeded him, who inriched Attronomy with his Difcoveries and accurate Obfervations. He departed his Life the 13th of July 1762, in the 70th Year of his Age. M. Mafkel.ne, his Succeffor, continues his Obfervations with the most active Zeal and happy Difpofitions.

The Royal Obfervatory not being fufficient for all thofe who pursue vatories and the Study of natural Philofophy, there has been formed feveral ObfervaExperimen tories in London and the different Parts of England, for Example, the in England. Obfervatory of Sherburn near Oxford, where the Lord Maclesfield, late Prefident of the Royal Society, M. Hornby, &c. have made Experiments and Obfervations for many Years.

tal Schools

Those of

.&c.

The Experimental School and Obfervatory of Edinburgh, built by the Edinburgh, Subfcription of the Nobility and Gentry of that Kingdom, has been rendered famous by MLaurin. The Royal Academy of Sciences deputed in 1747 the King's Aftronomer, Le Monier, to obferve there an annulary Eclipfe of the Sun.

The Royal Obfervatory of Paris.

Other Ob fervatories and Experi mental Schools in France.

Of Nurem berg in 1678.

Of Leiden

in 1690.

XVI.

The Royal Obfervatory of Paris, the most sumptuous Monument that ever was confecrated to Aftronomy, was built under the Direction of the great Colbert, immortal Protector of the Arts and Sciences. It is near 200 Feet in Front, 140 from North to South, and 100 in Height, the Vaults are near eighty Feet deep; there are also several others in Paris, and in other Parts of France, as that of M. Lemonier at the Capuchines of St. Honore, that of M. Delifle at the Hotel de Cluny, that of M. La Caille at the College of Mafarin, that of the Palace of Luxemburgh, that of M. de Fouchy in Rue des Poftes, and that of M. Pingre at St. Genevieve; the Obfervatory of Marfeilles which F. Pezenas has rendered famous, that of Lyons where F. Beraud made Experiments and Obfervations for a long Time, that of Rowen and Toulouse from which M. Bowin and M. Dulange, M. d' Auguier fend annually to the Academy a great Number of ufeful and curious Experiments and Obfervations; that of Strafburgb where M. Brakenaffer has made fome.

XVII.

The Senate of the Republic of Nuremberg, erected an Obfervatory in 1678, and put it under the Direction of Geo. Chriftopher Eimmart. Phil. Wurzelban built another in 1692, defcribed in his Book Uranies Norice Bafis. The Administrators of the University of Leyden, establifhed in 1690, an Experimental School and Obfervatory. Frederick I. King of Pruffia, having founded in 1700, an Academy of Sciences at

in 1709

Berlin, built an Experimental School, with an Obfervatory. The pre- of Berlin fent King of Pruffia, added a fuperb Edifice, where the Academy actu- in 1700. ally holds its Affemblies. The Inftitution of Bologn, a famous Academy, of Italy established in 1709, by the Count of Marfigli, with the Permiffion of and 1713. Clement XI. has a fine Experimental School and Obfervatory, which Manfredi and Zanotti have rendered famous. There are four Experimental Schools, with Obfervatories, at Rome; that of Blanchini, that of the Convent of Ara Cali, that of the Convent of Minerva, and that of Trinite du Mont. There is alfo one at Genoa, founded by the Marquis of Salvagi; one at Florence, which Ximenes has rendered famous ; one at Milan, erected in the College of Brera, in 1713. The Superiors of the University of Altorf, in the Territory of Nuremberg, erect- of Altort ed an Experimental School, and an Obfervatory, and furnished it with in 1714. all the neceffary Implements. In 1714, the Landgrave of Heffe, Charles I. Heir of the States and Talents of the celebrated Landgrave we have already spoke of, built a new Experimental School and Obfervatory, and put it under the Direction of Zumback. In 1722, the King of Portugal, Of Libon John V. erected an Experimental School and Obfervatory, in his Palace in 1722. at Lifbon; there is alfo one in the College of St. Antony. The Experimental School and Obfervatory at Petersbourg, is one of the most magnificent in Europe, it is fituated in the Middle of the fuperb Edifice of the Imperial Academy of Petersbourg, it is compofed of three Flights of Halls, adapted for making Experiments and Obfervations, and is 150. Feet high. In 1726, the Magiftrates of the Republic of Utrecht, built an Experimental School, and an Obfervatory, in which the famous. Mufchembroek made his Experiments and Obfervations. In 1739, the King of Sweden erected one at Upfal, and put it under the Direction of Upsal of Wargentin. In 1740, the Prince of Heffe Darmflad, erected ano- in 1739. ther at Giessen, near Marborough. There are two Experimental Schools and Obfervatories, at Vienna, where F. Hell, and F. Liganig, diftinguish themselves actually. There is one at Tyrnaw in Hungary; one in Poland, at Wilna, &c. &c.

Such are the renowned Establishments to which we are indebted for our Knowledge of the Syftem of the World, and the Improvements it receives every Day; but there are a great many Branches, which require fuch long Operations, and fo great a Space of Time, that Pofterity will always have new Obfervations and Difcoveries to make. Multum egerunt qui ante nos fuerunt, fed non peregerunt, multum adbuc reftat Operis multumque reftabit; nec ulli nato poft mille Sæcula præcludetur Occafio aliquid adbuc adjiciendi. (SENEC. Epif. 64.)

XVIII.

Thofe great Examples of all the civilized Nations of the World, have at length brought the Noblemen and Gentlemen of this Country,

Of Peters

bourg in

1725.

Of Utrecht in 1726.

Of Vienna.

Of Wilna.

Publick

School

eftablish'd in

Youth in

mixt Mathe

to a true Senfe of the Importance of procuring to their Children, those Means of Instruction, which may prevent their regretting in a more advanced Age, the mif-fpent Time of their Youth; which is the only Period of Life in which they can apply themselves with Succefs, to the Study of Nature: In this happy Age, when the Mind begins to think, and the Heart has no Paffions voilent enough to trouble it. Shortly, the Paffions and Pleasures of their Age will engross their Time, and when the Fire of Youth is abated, and they have paid to the Tumult of the World the Tribute of their Age and Rank, Ambition will gain the Ascendant. And though in a more advanced Age, which will not however be more ripe, they fhould apply themselves to the Study of the Sciences, their Minds having lost that Flexibility which they had in their youthful Days, it is only by the Dint of Study, they can attain what they might acquire before with the greatest Ease.

To improve therefore the Dawn of their Reafon, to fecure them from Ignorance, fo common among People of Condition, which exposes them the City of daily to be fcandalously impofed upon, to accustom them early to the Dublin for Habit of thinking and acting on rational Principles, a SCHOOL has been inftructing established on the most approved PLAN, where, after having spent some evry Branch Time in learning ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICKS, they are initiated of pure and in the Mifteries of SUBLIME GEOMETRY, and of the INFNITESIMAL maticks pur CALCULATION; from thofe abftract Truths, they are led to the Diffuant to the covery of the Phenomena of Nature, they are taught how to discern Refolution their Causes, and measure their Effects; from thence they are conblemen and ducted as far as the Heavens, those immense Globes which roll over our Gentlemen Heads with so much Majefty, Variety and Harmony, letting themselves of the Kingbe approached; they are taught how to obferve their Motions, and indom of Ire- veftigate the Laws according to which this material World, and all land the 4th Things in it, are fo wifely framed, maintained and preserved. of February

of the No

of Fortune

1768.

To relax their Minds after those Speculations, they are brought back to Earth, where, free from all Spirit of Syftem and Research of Causes, they are taught how to contemplate the Wonders of Nature in detail. But as it presents an immenfe Field, whose whole Extent the greatest Genius cannot compafs, and the Inquiries the most valuable, and the only worthy of a true Citizen are thofe by which the Good of Society is promoted, they are confined particularly to the Study of what may contribute to the Perfection of useful Arts, fuch as AGRICULTURE and COMMERCE, that thus initiated in the true Principles of the different Branches of Knowledge fuitable to their Rank, having completed their Studies in this School, far from being obliged to forget what they have learned, as hitherto has been the Cafe, thev may be enabled to pursue with Succefs, fuch Inquiries as are beft adapted to their Genius.