( a6 3 )

i \abbi Miyset Ben Maimon Judaorum Doctillimus ait in Jad. de ConsecrationeCalendarum., c. ult. sect. 4. Maximam Zodiaci Obliquitatem fuilse, A. D.

1174. rzo, 30'. 'tyyiso.

Scias vix dimidiam partem Astronomomm Orientalium quorum ScriptaAcademiae Oxon. Bibliothecis servantur a me consultam suilse. Ex hisce au-tem Observatis aliisque quacmecum adhuc cis vulgus servo, unam eandem--que sulpicor fuiste a primordio Mundi A bZpeir Zodiacam. iEva enim recentia, .quod vides, melioribus Organis, errorem excelsumque veteris Astronomiae probecorrexerunt. .

z. Whether the Poles and Axis of the Earth be really fixt in the Globe, The obhquity °/ 'or (übject to be transferr'd from place to place, is an old Enquiry, though of

now lately revived by Mr. IIool i. in his ingenious Estäys upon the great Muta- the Pole comi-tians and Catastrophes which in ali appearance^ have happened to the Earth’s ” wr un * ltm<i ; •Surface. A necefliiry consequenceof lüch a Translation of the Poles would ijö.’?’ 4°Vbc the C bange of the Latitudcs of Places, which would Encrease in thoseRegions towards which the Poles approacb, and Decrease in those from whichthey Recede: and- under the Meridian 90 Dcgrees removed from that inwhich the Poles stuft, the Latitudes continuing the läme, the Meridian Linewould only alter ; but no two Places considerably diftering in Longitudecan be lupposed, wherein if there be any sensible Motion of the Poles, it(hall not be perceived by the a Iteration of the Latitude of onc or both oftnem.

The accurate M. PVurt^cllaur, has lately furnilhed us with the means ofExamining this Hypothesis by Observation, having scnt us the Meridian Alti-tudesof the Sun taken at N urctiburg about the two Solstices in the Year 1686.

Jnn. 10. He found the Meridian Altitude of the Sun 64P z'. zo". and thenext day, 64°. z'. zs'. and on Dcccml’. 14. (three days aster the Solstice,wherein the Sun was got two Minutes higher) he found. the Meridian Alti-tude 17°' s. \o". wherefore the SollHtial Altitude was 17 io u .

These Heights were taken by an Instrument of 6 Foot Radius of Brals y andthe Skill and Diiigence of the Observer is not tobe doubted.

To compare with these, I find among Bemard iVnhhers Observations madein the lame City of Nurcnlurg two hundred years before, vi%. in the Year1*487. that the Meridian Altitude of the Sun in the Summer Solstice wasob-feryed by the Parallactick Instrument of Pcolemy, wiiereby the Chord' of theSuas Distance from the Zenith was obferved 44890 Parts of i 00000 Radius;the (ame being confirmed by the Concurrence of the Observations of severa!

Years both before and aster. The Arch ansivering to this Chord gives theSun’s Distance from.the Zenith z 5 0 . $ 6 f . oo !: . and consequently the Meri-dian Altitude, its Complement to a Quadrant, 64°. s. zo". Again, Thefame Year 1487. the Chord of the Meridian Distance of the Sun from theZenith, onthoday of the Wintev Solstice, was found 118790, confirmed.likewife by many lubsequent Observations ; the Arch anfivering to ' this Chord1372.0. <; z ‘. 40C and its Complement 170. 7' zo " . the Meridian Hcighthof, the Sun in the Winter. Solstice

Hcnce.