nomy, fays, that this effect comes from the inclination of the Ecliptic on the Equator; and he is copied and believed by all the aftronomers. He explains this phænomenon in a figure, where he paints the Equator and the Ecliptic, one Sun which runs over the Equator, and another Sun which runs over the Echip tic; then he draws perpendicular lines from the inclined degrees of the Ecliptic to the Equator, which fall backwards in equal number of degrees of the Equator; which produces in the heavens, according to him, the retard and the advance of the Sun on the mean time; as if lines drawn on paper could pufh ftars backwards or forwards from one point. If the demonftration of a figure in a plan upon paper is enough for M. de la Landeto affign the caufe of fuch a phænomenon, for my part I know that, in applying his theory to the celeftial arc of the Equator and the Ecliptic, it refults, that the plans which would pafs through the degrees of the Equator would pass alfo through the Ecliptic. By confequence, the rays of the Sun at noon, which would be on one of thefe plans, would produce equal effects, and, at the fame time, on the correfponding degrees from the Ecliptic and Equator, without making the centre of the Sun, arrives fooner or later to the one or the other. Notwithstanding the phænomenon in Copernicus's fyftem, the fun is without motion in the centre of the World, its rays are always exifting in the fame manner; the Earth receives its light always in the fame manner, while it turns round its axis in an equal intervalof mean time, and leaves no means to fee how the Sun can arrive, tooner or later, on the fame meridian twice in a year. It would be neceffary to make the Earth run in a retrograde manner 3 degrees and three quarters, and an acceleration of the fame quantity twice ayear, without disturbing the mean time, which would be impollible, and more to ftill not to perceive it in the heavens, and in the pendulum-clocks. I can fay no more than to fay with freedom that I think that to this day the natural caufes of this phanomenon have been totally unknown, as only depending on the true difpofition of the World, in which this phenomenon, like all the others, refults in the greatest and most perfect fimplicity of motions. This I fee in my new fyftem, by which the terrestrial orbit is placed nearch to the centre of the world, gives occafion to make the other orbits appear elliptics, the retrogradation of the stars likewife, and the return of the true time and the mean time twice a-year, which does not verify itself in any other fyftem. All the irregularities of motion and of time appear without any reality, as will be feen by what follows. The aftronomers, who are fo clearfighted as to find the difference of a fecond, and the fixtieth part of one fecond, in all their calculations, content themfelves for the difference of a quar ter of an hour from the true to the mean time. They content themselves, I fay, with fome lines drawn on paper. They have not leen, in the most effential principles of their calculations, that the quantity of the year, in their books, is greater than the natural one, more by feven minutes; and that of the fynodie month is more than a minute; that the cycle is exactly of 19 years; and that there are no errors in it; that the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun, begin their equal motion every 19 years, to come to the fame degree: while the antients knew very well that the motion of the Moon is equally uniform in its motion and as invariable as that of the Sun; the appearance of time and motion has been taken notice of, as will be feen graphically in the conftruction of my tables. The aftronomers have not likewife feen that there is a firft meridian in the circumference of the Earth, where it is, mid-day and mid-night in terminating the cycles. From which it follows, that all the other intermediary meridians are fubordinated to it in the continuation of time and motion. I do not inculpate the aftronomers for having made these blunders, they not having had a true fyftem of the world, in which they could have verified every thing. They will go on, nevertheless, to believe what M. de la Lande fays on the return of true time to mean time. It is that very point I delire may be examined, and demonftrated without any errors, fince it is that which deftroys Copernicus's fy hiem and establishes mine. The unequal motions of the Moon, which they are obliged to acknowledge in that fyftem, and the equality and uniformity of mine, will make a contraft not lefs worthy the notice of the Board of Longitude than of all the Na tions on the Globe. I know very well that my fyftem de Aroys 1793.] Mr. Pellizer's new Method of finding the Longitude. troys all the ellipfes that Newton in vented to make the fyftem of Copernicus pafs, without which ellipfes it could not have been fupportable. But, as the motion of the World in my fyftem is in a concentric circle, I cannot help it. Befides, Newton gave no reafons ner caufe why the motion in bodies was elliptic and fpiral, according to the doctrine of the retrogradation of the Nodes Weftward all round the Equinox. The formation of my tables of the paffage of the Moon on the aftronomical meridian in true time refults from the three motions of the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun, which run, in their refpective orbits, the fame space every day in the fame mean time. The three orbits will be graphically reprefented, with the exact proportion and fize of the univerfe, to be exactly 'divided, all in equal spaces. The orbit of the Sun fhall be divided into 360 degrees; and in 365d. 5h. 41m.,, which, being run over 19 times by the Sun, completes the cycle and the number of days in mean time, which are 6939d. 12h. exactly. The orbit of the Earth will be determined by the preceflion or the retard of noon, of true time on mean time, which will give three millions, more or lefs, of leagues for the radius. The faid orbit will be divided into 360 degrees, exactly correfponding with thofe of the Sun; and, befides, it will be divided in proportion to its daily courfe, which makes in a year but 132 degrees 13 of its orbit. By thefe means the Earth makes but feven turns on its orbit in 19 1007 years, a cycle, and gives occafion to all verifications of the other phænomena and apparent inequalities, and likewife quality of the fynodic months. The epacts of the Moon, and the real ine365d. 5h, 41m. of the Sun's time will be placed in equal fpace in the 132 Earth in its orbit. degrees of the annual courfe of the the centre of the orbit of the Moon, The Earth, at the fame time, being thews for its motion the most fingular combinations in the obfervation; while the Moon runs over its orbit with the fame regularity as if it turned round an immovable centre. its orbit is 29d. 12h. 42m.19 after the The mean time of then going as much as the centre of the cycle, without any error. The Moon Earth in the way of the terrestrial orbit, and, at the fame time, as much as need to go round the Earth in the way of its motion, a multiplicity of combinations; own orbit, forms, from this complex which, I believe, cannot be conceived otherwife than by the projection of those three motions. By which means every one will plainly fee the complete courfe of these three bodies, and why they apit is not fo. Every one will conceive pear to have unequal courfes, and why the certitude of my fimple and new method of finding the Longitude, from the paffage on the aftronomical meridian evidence and certitude of the Moon's by which means the obferver cannot time, and, by consequence, not be two deceive him felf in one fecond of true leagues out of his way. Yours, &c. J. E. PELLIZER. OBSERVATIONS made on the Motion of the Moon in the Nautical Almanack, printed in London, for the Year 1793 The Sun being to the Eaft of the Moon. The Moon runs in 24h. 4 11 deg. 10 min. 53 leconds. lefs 59 min. for the Sun's motion, remain 10 deg. 11 min. 53 fec. Regulus being to the Weft of her. The Moon's motion is here longer from Weft than to Eaft by 2 degrees 23 feconds. 11 deg. 30 min. 30 fec. Sun's motion, remain 10 deg. 31 min. 30 fec. Antares to Eaft. 12 deg. 13 min. 6 fec. the difference will be The Moon's motion is here longer towards Antares than to the Sun, both March. 20 21 Sun's motion, remain 11 deg. 14 min. oo fec. m Spica to West. 13 deg. 1 min. 53 fec. the difference will be The Moon's motion is here longer from Weft than to East by i deg. 47 min. 53 fec.. The Sun to Weft of Moon. 10 deg. 52 min. 55 fec. 11'deg. 51 Aldebaran to Weft of her. 11 deg. 52 min. 23 fec. 13° 34′ 28′′ the difference to the Sun is the difference to the Sun is 1° 1′ 42′′ 00° 44′ 16′′ 19 55′ 58′′ If it is defired to find a difference of that fort in every place where there are points of comparifon, it will be found that they are entirely faults; fince, in' finding almost two degrees, one of error, thofe errors come from the principles on which the tables are made. The authors of thofe tables did not make the remarks which I now do for, the Moon, in the fame courfe, cannot go nearer nor farther in one point more than it can go to and from another. J. E. P. Nov. 13. Mr. URBAN, But my indignation was loft in abomifhnient when I beheld the amiable co ject of my folicitude, in the forenels of her mind, to eager for retaliation as to viify the fiered charter of Dr. John fon himit. Surely his own account of la tranfaction, with the nature of which he mud have been molt intimately ac quainted, is entitled to credit till it can be controverted by fomething better than fufpicion, That he was iometimes rude in this manners, frequently abfurd in hw opinions, and always haughty in his converfation, cannot be denied. That he was fincere in his attachments, inflexible to hos integrity, and invincible in his veracity, are tacts of equal netoriety. Whatever may have been his decifion concerning the ftate of literature in Scotland, and the genius of Bu publick of Letters gave him an indif putable right to exprefs it. I do not fee how his consciousness of falsehood in fo doing can be made apparent. By having read and studied Buchanan through his various writings, more perhaps than Mifs Seward had done, he was undoubtedly impreffed with a greater refpe&t for his talents. By having long familiarized him felf to the woft eminent among the English writers, he had not much information to fe.x tor in Scotlind, and spoke only of what he had, as it were accidentally, found there. The recorded frequency of fimilar affections" by no theans proves them to be falfe. But, when the fair impugner of his fame accules him of "training at guats, and wallowing camels;" of adhering to truth in faller inftances, only that he may, with the more impumity, violate it in greater; the boldness, with which he brings forward to tremendous a charge, betrays the genuine pillion of that fex, at whofe "every word a reputation dies." Mifs Seward's character for veracity cannot furely depend for its fupport on any mifinterpretation of Dr. Jonnfon's conduct. There was then no neceffity of of an invidious comprifon between his fufpected disregard for truth and her own boasted averfion to falfehood. But, there are many who may be influenced by this comparifon, and the remarks that precede it. There are many whofe opinions of Johnfon have been warped by prejudice; and Mits Seward's letter has no very obvious tendency to fet them right; for, the herfeif appears, in a remarkable degree, to partake of that prejudice. As an antidote to the poifon which the has fo affiduously ende-vour ed to adminifter, give me leave to po dure before your readers what a molt dinguished writer, alike eminent for his learning and his philanthropy, bas faid of the anthor of the R. mbler: "Of literary merit, Johnson, as we all know, was a fagacious, but a most severe, judge. Such was his difcerneng, the he pierced into the most fecret foring of human actions; and fuch as his integrity, that he always weighed the moral characters of his fellow-creatures in the balance of the Sunuary" The regard. manifefed by an obfcure individual for the general principle of juice, demands as much refpet as that regard which a female wrer of uncommon ce ebrity may be allowed to entertain for her own fame. I have no doubt, therefore, that you will give Mr. URBAN, Great Portland-Areet, M'in your salt Magazine, p. 875, feems to apprehend that I have no treat ed her well in the first page of what the denominates a pamphlet, intitu ed, "The principal Corrections and Additions to the firit Edition of Mr. Bofwel's Life of Dr. Johnfon." As I fhould be furry.to be thought deficient in politeness, much more in juflice, to anys perfon, but particularly to a fair lady, I think it receffary to anfwer a charge too haftily brought against me. This lady, as the herfelf has flated, did indeed cover leveral beets of paper with the few anecdotes, concerning Dr. Johnlon, which he did me the honour to communicare to me, They were, however, not only poetically luxuriant, but, I could easily p rceive, were tinc Tracts by Warburton, &c. p. 184. GENT. MAG, November, 17938 tured with a strong prejudice against the perfon to whom they related. It therefore became me to examine them with much caution. One of them, the idle and utterly improbable story of his making veries on a duck when he was but three years old, which good Mrs. Lucy Porter had, among others, credulously re.ated, he himself had enabled me unqueionable to refute; notwithstanding which Mifs Seward adheres to her ori ginal tale, and, in the letter now under confideration, ftill refers to them as his co npofit on. Another ftory, which the fent me, was a very extraordinary fact, fud to have been mentioned in a converfition between his mother and him, on the fooj & of his marrying Mrs. Porter, which appeared to me fo frange as to r quire confirmation. M.fs Soward havig quoted, a her authority for it, a re fpe&table lady of Lichfield, I wrote, to that lady, without mentioning the name of the perfon from whom the report was derived, inquiring only as to the authentivity of it. The lay informed me that fhe had never heard of the tact alluded to.-As my book was to be a real bifiory, and not a novel, it was neceffary to fupprefs all erroneous particulars, however entertaining. I was therefore obliged to reduce, into a very narrow compal's indeed, what Mifs Seward's fluent pen had expanded over many fheets. The account, however, which he gave, in contradition to that of Mrs Piozzi, of the circumstances attending Johnson's wriSing his beautiful "Verfes to a Laly, on receiving from her a Sprig of Myrtley"" feemed fo plaufible, that I with confi dence inferted it in tlle Grit edition of my book; nor had I any doubt of it, till Mr. Hector fpontaneously affured me, by letter, that the fat was as Mrs. Prozzi has represented it *. Having re *The verfes which occafioned this dif cution having been printed in our vol. XLEX. p. 205 (where for fears read hopes, as Mr. Hammond's, and having not unfrequently been afcribed to Mr. Derrick; Dr. Johnton was asked, by the writer of this note, whilft Hammond's poems were in the prefs, if he knew the real author. His reply, which has already appeared in vol. LXI. p. 396, being fhort, is here repeated: "I wrote them, fir, more than forty years ago, when I was at Birmingham, at the requeft of a friend; who, having frequently teazed me for the verfes, I went one day up Rairs, as if to fetch them, and wrote them in the short space of time it required to have actually done io." J. N.. ceived ceived this decifive evidence, it became oms duty to correct, in my frcond edition, the erroneous account, which I had been induced to give in my first; and, of courfe, to introduce that correct, op imo the fupplemental pages, to my quarto edition, which I thought it locumbent lupon me, to publ, the sparately, and in the fame, fom, for the accommoduion of thote who were policited of that Lelitions on,be f Mifs S wars chronology, reverfed, is Mi Seward fays, that: “ I ought in -jufliceras? Well, say common puitenefs, ince I mentioned her teftimans, to have flated the Fralins the gate for that dif¤fafènt Redidence." - Now, fir, abis I have Jowrb In de first ciltion thote réafons hæret fullvu Batedos It was not necellary that the Corrections and Additions, which are not, as the imagines, a difinēts pamphleb, but Supplemental sto'kirat Medionprandioto the taken along with it, fhould contain a repetition of the grounds of her teflimony. It was enough that the refutattoo of them was the exhibised) Burs in the fecond edition atfelf, -after reftating those groun, sein her own words, I let my fair antagonist down as Joftly as might be, thus : 129 5 Mils Seward furely had no.occafion to one. the Base Such was this lady's statement, which I 1. hope then, MM, Urban, the fay Lady make nás domktvthe fuppofed to fie correct; will be convinced, that have either - but it fhews how dangerous it is to inft too been importe, nor unjust to gr. But, -impbeitly?to tradtionel testimony antinge- from the venecation and aft ion, which picus inferences for Mr. Hector has lately I entertain for the character of my jl. allured me that Mrs. Fiozzi's account is, in luftrious friends. I cannot be fatisfied this in tang, accurate."/ without expreffing my jed:gustion, at th bundThe, mery of the verses in question "ma'evolence with; which the las pre r will not be leffened by Mifs Sewards fuged to attack that great and gird attempt to depreciate them, as if good man. In the prefent letter, the fenufly Lenough only for fchool shay. They accufes HIM of "confcious jajekood," in -have belong and univerfally admired. an "assertion", that Buchanan was the They fpeak for themfalves, and require only man of genius which his country modafonee.But Theanunt, help observ· bad ever produces," From the fre ing, that itisan.aukward tale, that they quency of what the calls "Amilar falle o Were written by Dr. Jolefon, in his own affertions", the concludes that "his xera v paison, to Lucy Poiter), whole mother daty was of that fpecies which, training -be atterwards trarried. Conjecture must at gnets,wallows, CAMELS," Mifs arket croades pields where fatt appears, and Seward does not perceive that fuch fal- that we have fion Mr. Hector, He allo, lies as those which are recorded to crim refecting to the time when they were Dr. Johnson's wonderful dexterity, ia e' weirtemand, given to him, fays, "Lucy retort, are not allertions in the tente Porter was then only a girl." Mifs Se- which concerns truth or fallehood; they wand would fan have us fuppofe; that are evidently ardentia verby (glozuing Dr. Johnson, had fr written them to quod fke her pardon for queting a Lucy Porter; and afterwards, on being Latin phrafe) uttered in witty conteft. applied to by Mr. Hector for verfes on They are not even expreffive of his peiving myrtle from a lady, might give opinion; ut, if they could che, fap- then to Mricketer, without thinking posed to convey his teal opinion, full it geeellary to deciare their previous ex-they would have no concern with his milence. But if Mr. Lucy Porter w ́s accurate in her recollection of their being presentes so bersby: Dr. Johnson, veracity. When he did give his honet judgement on the merits of certem pacis, where he differed from a thoat of Infall 9.24 0.0 Tw) mall ticks, Konn die HD et |