suppose, that those of the second magnitude are at double, and those of the third at treble, the distance, and so on. Taking it then for granted, that a star of the seventh magnitude is about seven times as far from us as one of the first, it follows, that an observer, who is enclosed in a globular cluster of stars, and not from the centre, will never be able, with the naked eye, to see the end of it: for since, according to the above estimations, he can only extend his view about seven times the distance of Sirius, it cannot be expected that his eyes should reach the border of a cluster which has, perhaps, not less than fifty stars in a depth, every where around him.

The whole universe, therefore, to him, will be comprised in a set of constellations richly ornamented with scattered stars of all sizes. Or, if the united brightness of a neighbouring cluster of stars, should, in a remarkable clear night, reach his sight, it will put on the appearance of a small, faint, nebulous cloud, not to be perceived without the greatest attention. Allowing him the use of a common telescope he begins to suspect that all the milkiness of the bright path which surrounds the sphere, may be owing to stars. By increasing his powers of vision he becomes certain, that the milky way is indeed no other than a collection of very small stars, and nebulæ nothing but clusters of stars.

Dr. Herschel then solves a general problem for computing the length of the visual ray; that of the telescope which he uses will reach stars 497 times the distance of Sirius. Now Sirius cannot be nearer than a hundred thousand times the length of the earth's orbit; therefore Dr. Herschel's telescope will at least reach 100,000+ 190,000,000+ 497 miles; and he says, that, in the most crowded part of the milky way he has had fields of view that contained no less than 588 stars, and these were

continued for many minutes, so that in a quarter of an hour, he has seen 116,000 stars pass through the field of view of a telescope of only 15' aperture; and at another time, in 41 minutes, he saw 258,000 stars pass through the field of his telescope. Every improvement in his telescopes has discovered stars not seen before; so that there appears no bounds to their number, nor to the extent of the universe.

In this month, the Sun rises to its highest part of the heavens on the 22d, but to casual observers its apparent meridian height will be the same for several days before and after the 22d. The times of the Sun's rising and setting will be as follow:

Wednesday, 1st, Sun rises 53m after 3, Sun sets 7m. after 8.

The Sun will enter Cancer at 10m. after 3 in the morning on the 22d. On the first Venus will pass over the star marked o, the star being 38' north of the planet's centre: and on the 16th Jupiter will eclipse the star o , the star being one degree south of the planet's

centre.

Equation of Time.-[See explanation in January.]

The following table will shew what is to be subtracted from, and added to, the apparent time as exhibited by the dial, in order to set the clock or watch to equal or true time, for each 5th day of the month.

Wednesday 1st, from the time shewn by the dial subtract 2

M. S.

40

The full Moon occurs at 15m. past 1 in the morning of the third day: it enters its last quarter at 27m. past 4

in the morning of the 11th, The change or new Moon is 32m. past 11 at night on the 17th, and it will enter its first quarter at 33m. past 4 in the afternoon of the 24th. The time of the Moon's rising on the first 4 days after she is full will be as follows, viz.

June 4th, 30m. past 9 in the evening,

The superior conjunction of Mercury will be at 12 at noon on the 6th of June. There will be but one eclipse of Jupiter's first satellite visible, of which the emersion will take place at 40m. past 10 in the evening of the 15th. On the 17th, at 50m. past 10 o'clock at night, there will be an eclipse of the second satellite. This will be the time of the emersion also; therefore, to this and the other eclipse, the observer must be at his stand a proper time previously.

OBSERVATIONS ON HEALTH.
[Continued by Medicus.]

Nocte dieque lego Ptolomei grande volumen,

Nec studio dulci Pagina sacra caret.

Great Ptolomy I read by day and night,
His hallow'd page, my study and delight!

WE are taught to observe the two angles of the horizon, the east and west, or the first and the seventh house, but particularly the seventh, and together with it the sixth, for hurts and bodily affections, and how the malefics are posited, for if they are upon the ascending parts of these angles or in square or in opposition to them, especially

if the Sun and Moon, or one of them, be angular at birth, hurts and bodily diseases are foreshown: malefics oriental of the Sun but occidental of the Moon, produce hurts, but occidental of the Sun and oriental of the Moon give diseases. You are therefore enabled by a proper investigation into your nativity to guard, as much as possible, against bodily hurts and bodily diseases. Although radical causes appear inevitable, yet it is rational to endeavour to prevent those evils which threaten you. Is this absurd advice?-by no means. The planetary energy is excited by directions and by transits over places with which they have familiarity at birth, though not so powerfully as in directions; therefore when you know when such directions or transits as denote bodily hurts and bodily affections at birth shall take place or occur, would not reason, would not prudence, would not science, be useless boons of divine Providence, if they would not provide for us against evils unfolded to our view? If it were useless to provide against the baleful effects of radical causes, the knowledge of planetary influences on man would be useless and nugatory. It is to be observed, and with extreme grief, that too many, very eminently qualified to penetrate into the deepest recesses of this science have formed opinions quite adverse to the noblest and best uses to be derived from a knowledge of the planetary influences on human nature. To be a fatalist is dishonourable to man, is prejudicial to society, is repugnan to reason, and subversive of virtue and religion. Hov do su h opinions accord with the immortal Ptolemy? He thus writes, "But as in prognostication its possibility appears worthy of consideration, although it is not altogether infallible; so this preservative part is worthy of regard; and though this brings a cure not to all but to some, yet this is worthy to be embraced and

to be esteemed no ordinary gain." This great and venerable man gives no authority to follow the delusive banners of fatalism. No; his voice is reason and his path wisdom. I am sorry to bear testimony to the ill effects of opinions so erroneous and reprehensible, so extremely remote from the philosophic sentiments, the divinely beaming reasonings of Ptolemy. And yet these very persons with this most strange, most unfortunate cast of mind, profess to be the disciples of Ptolemy.

It is not long since I witnessed the melancholy consequences of an absolute fatalist. I tried every dissuasive argument, both as a medical man and a friend. The power of kindness and of fair and generous reasoning made no impression. He acquainted me with his nativity, and truly he was to be pitied; it was one of those genitures that presented a life of sorrow and affliction. He was hastening to the grave; the rose of health was gone, and in its place the fatal flush suffused his faded cheek, but he was full of spirits. Some months before his death I had much conversation with him upon planetary influences on man. He informed me then that he should die in February, 1814. When first he told me so, I believe it was in July, 1813; his death happened in that very month*. Now, although the geniture was not strong, and although there was a train of evil directions in force, viz. as I at present recollect, the Moon hyleg to the parallel of Saturn, followed by her conjunction with Saturnt, by converse direction, by the sesquiquadrate of Jupiter, and by the quartile of Saturn in the Zodiac and the ascendant to the opposition of Saturn, I really think some benefit might have resulted from medicine and diet. He would not pay any serious attention to any thing of the sort. He considered them totally + In the West,

* February 10th, 1814.