ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORIES.
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IV. Observatory of San Oiovannino ( Ximeniano).
Director : Prof. F. CEOcni.
Founded by Father Leonardo Ximenes, a Jesuit .
In the annals of the Imperial Museum of Florence, Vol. II, for theyear 1810, wo read that about the year 1784, the Grand Duke LeopoldI gave directions to his architect, Gaspero Paoletti, to make the de-signs for an observatory to bo erected within the precincts of the Im-perial and Royal Museum of Physical Science and Natural History ofFlorence, of which the Abbe Felix Fontana was director.
Prof. Domenico De Yecciii, in an astronomical report inserted in theabove-mentioned annals, declares that after diligent search he was un-able to discover any historical document relative to the erection of thisobservatory, and that the date of 1774 was given him by the EngineerDel Rosso. The same professor De Vecclii, in the introduction to thedescription of the Imperial Observatory (above annals, Vol. II), declaresit to have been already constructed and furnished with some instru-ments as far back as the year 1775.
In the year 1784, there had been collected in the observatory a clock,a transit instrument, and zenith sector, for the work of Professor Slop,of the University of Pisa , who also constructed a meridian, passing un-der the pavement of a hall, which owes its name to this circumstanceand bears the following inscription: “ Linea meridiana ducta in obser-vatrio Itegii Mussei Scientiorum Florentini, Petro Leopoldo, Imperauteanno, MDCCLXXXIV.”
In the year 1784, Professor Fontana began the meteorological obser-vations, using eight large instruments of his own invention and con-structed under his attention, care, and direction. ' Arrested in his ca-reer by calumny, and in consequence withdrawn from the Museum .Fontana was succeeded as director pro tempore by Alessandro Gal-Jlei ; he was succeeded by Fabbroni, nominated by the ecclesiasticalparty in 1789 vice-director under Fontana.
On the 1st of January, 1805, we find the entry of the death of thisdistinguished scientist, at a distance from that Museum , to which hohad rendered such service as instructor and director.
Shortly after, Fabbroni having been appointed director of the mint,(Jount Girolamo Bardi was named director of the museum in hisplace. He immediately founded several chairs of instruction, amongthem one of astronomy, which was assigned to Domenico De Vecciii,professor of physical sciences at the University at Sienna, and to himwas also entrusted the directorship of the observatory (1807).
De Vecciii remained in this position in the Florentine Observatoryuntil July, 1814, when he was removed by an order of the CommissarioPlenipotenziario,PrincelvASPiCrLiOLi, under date of June 22,1814. (This