The natural history of animals containing the anatomical description of several creatures dissected, by the Royal academy of sciences at Paris ... / Done into English by a fellow of the Royal society [Alexander Pitfield] ; to which is added an account of the Measure of a degree of a great circle of the earth, published by the members of the same Academy : English'd by R.W. [i.e. Richard Waller].

  • Académie des sciences (France)
Date:
1702
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The natural history of animals containing the anatomical description of several creatures dissected, by the Royal academy of sciences at Paris ... / Done into English by a fellow of the Royal society [Alexander Pitfield] ; to which is added an account of the Measure of a degree of a great circle of the earth, published by the members of the same Academy : English'd by R.W. [i.e. Richard Waller]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    In this divcrfity of Opinions twas worth while to try the whole anew for the folution of this famous Problem, not only for the ufe of Geography in what concerns the difference of Longitudes, but more particularly for the ufe of Navigation. And that fo much the rather, for that to this time not aPeffon lias underltood the preva¬ lency of the great advantage that may be made of Telefcopes from the executing of this Defign, and for that by other meins it is eafie to eftablilh a meafure which cannot change. ARTICLE 17. rpHE Earth and Water make but the 'fame one triobc which 1 comprifes both tlie one and the other under the name of the Earth. We fhall hot ftay to fheW the proofs herb, but this truth being fuppofed for conflant, ’tis demanded what is the bigriefs of the Globe of tlie Earth * arid firice it would be ImpbdiMe to mea¬ fure the cc'mpafs intire, tis reduced to the meafure of one part, front whence tlie bignefs of the whole may be concluded; which reducti¬ on is ordinarily to the quantity of one Degree. For fince the roundnefs of the Earth is a little Varied by the in¬ equality of the Mountains, like that of a very fine Orange by the grain of its Peel $ thefe inequalities are fo confiderable 'to our pur- pofe, and fo great in comparifon of common meafures, that for the obtaining of tile knowledge of a confiderable diftance, though Iefs than that of a Degree, Vis necedary tb IiaVC recourfe to Geometry, to make ufe of a Chain or fuccedlon 6f Triangles united together, the fides of which are as fo many great meafures, which paffirig over the inequalities of the furface of the Earth, give us the mea¬ fure of a Difiance, which it would be impoffible to meafure other- wife. For the well forming of thefe Triangles ’twas necedary to poi'rit at far diflant ObjeCts with fuch prccifenefs, as hot only to be fure of directing at the whole ObjeCt, but e.ven at a certain point there¬ of. There has been invented for this divers forts of fights, Tut all imperfeCt and incapable of giving the precifenefs requifite. ’Twas tin this account Snetlhis Willing to excufe tile errour of fome minute's which lie found in his Triangles, had reafon to blame his fights, through which ( as lie fays himfelf ~) an ObjeCt of the bigriels of fome minutes appeared but as a point, and even fb Mth difficulty. But for forrie Years it has been thought advifeable to put Telefcopes lri phe place of the old Way of Sights, Which has been fo happily performed that there feems to be ndthing inofe to be dedred for tins purpofe, as will appear by tlieiequel. Eratofth. Batavus, pag. 169.