(notwithstanding some slight varieties of conclude on the subject, I would (with pronunciation) can mutually understand all due deference to those to whom defeeach other; the Englishman, when in rence is due) beg leave to askcompany with foreigners, finds himself placed in the awkward predicament of being unable either to understand their Latin, or to make them understand his.

This serious disadvantage chiefly results from his persevering refusal to comply with the universal practice of the rest of Europe in the pronunciation of the first three vowels, A, E, and I, as if he were determined that, the old description

"penitus toto divisos orbe Britannos,"

should "for aye,” (A E I,) hold good, even in language, as well as in Geographical position.

Is it not matter of serious regret, that the British youth, who devote so considerable a portion of their best days to the acquisition of the Latin language, are not taught to adopt that very simple and easy pronunciation which might render it useful to them in those situations where it would prove most useful? I mean, in foreign European countries, whose vernacular languages they do not understand.

If once the heads of our universities were to issue their mandate for the adoption of the continental pronunciation of the A, E, and I, the example would be immediately followed in all our public and private schools; and the rising generation of English latinists would soon be qualified to hold converse with the latinists of any other country, to which business, pleasure, or accident, might conduct them.

Hence, when continental scholars hear him speak Latin with his insular peculiarity of pronunciation, we need not be surprised if they should suppose him to be speaking in some barbarous, unintelligible jargon;-or, on the other hand, if they suspect that he seriously aims at If ever the subject should come under speaking real Roman Latin, they must consideration, the TI before vowels (as very frequently be at a loss to unriddle in Oratio, Gratia, &c.) may also reasonahis meaning: how, indeed, can it be other- bly claim attention; for although the T, wise, when they necessarily mistake his in such positions, is by some nations proA for E, his E for I, his Vale for Veli, nounced as T S, and by others as the soft Rarum for Rerum, Dearum for Dierum, S or C, the Englishman would be more Bene for Bini, Spero for Spiro, Verum readily and certainly understood by fofor Virum, Veto for Vito, &c. &c. &c.?-reigners in general, if he pronounced it for it were an endless task to notice the as simple T (Ora-ty-o, Gra-ty-a) than as almost innumerable misconceptions like SH; because, in the former case, his ly to arise from his pronunciation of these hearers would at least know what letters two vowels alone, the A and the E. were intended, and thus would at once catch the sense, independent of the sound.

But the evil ends not here. The I, as pronounced by him in Divus, Vivo, &c. is another source of embarrassment, though not (I grant) of immediate misconception; because foreigners in general can have no conception of what is intended by that sound, which is unknown to their ears; except indeed, that a German (having a similar sound in the diphthong E I in his own language) may be able to guess at the Englishman's meaning.

I say nothing of the U, though, in some cases, to be mistaken for I U: but, to VOL. IV.-No. IV.

37

In the mean time, I do not conceive that this innovation, or rather, this restoration of the genuine sounds, can be liable to any valid or serious objections from those who are the most deeply interested in the question-our classical scholars, I mean; though it might perhaps prove not altogether palatable to another description of our fellow citizens who might be disposed to consider it as an odious Shibboleth, furnishing a too ready criterion to distinguish the real latinist from

to quote or read Latin words or phrases which he does not understand.

the unlatined pretender, who attempts the length of the arc, at the extremities of which the pole is higher at one extremity than at the other, by one degree, is always esteemed the length of a degree on the surface of the earth. The latitude found by the pole's altitude agrees exactly with another method by which we ascertain the zenith distance, and then add or substract the sun's declination as is shown in books of Astronomy. This latitude also agrees with the other celestial arcs or angles, and from it, the azimuths, times, &c. are deduced without any error.

Observations on the Latitude, the Earth being considered as a spheroid; by W. MARRAT, A. M. Teacher of Navigation, 39 Fulton-street, New-York.

As the drawing the parallel through the 45 degree of north latitude, which is intended to be the boundary line between the United States and the British settle

ments, is become a matter of dispute, the following remarks may serve to elucidate the subject. It would appear from the statements made by gentlemen engaged in the operation, that the latitude found by observation is not the true latitude. In books of navigation and geography, the earth is generally represented as a globe or sphere; and, according to Dr. Mackay, "the latitude of any place, is that portion of the meridian of that place which is contained between the equator and the given place." Dr. Bowditch calls it "the angular distance from the equator measured on its secondary, or the meridian passing through it." These definitions have no reference to the earth as a spheroid; but the latitude is, and always must be found, in practice, on the earth's surface; and the figure of the earth is not a globe, but an oblate spheroid. Others say, that "the latitude of any place on the earth, is equal to the altitude of the pole above the horizon of that place, measured on a meridian passing through the zenith of the place and the pole." La Place (Exposition du systeme du Monde) says, La distance à l'équateur, depend de l'angle compris entre le zénith et l'équa-' teur céleste, et cet angle est evidemment égal à la hauteur du pôle sur l'horizon; cette hauteur est ce que l'on nomme latitude, en géographie." In the very delicate operations for determining the length of a degree on the earth's surface, the height of the pole is always determined at each extremity of the measured arc, with the greatest possible accuracy; and

Astronomers make use of the terms reduced latitude, and corrected latitude (see Delambre); but these have no reference to the observed geographical latitude under consideration. The latitude of the Observatory, at Greenwich, was found by more than one hundred observations of circum-polar stars, to a fraction of a second; and who ever imagined that this was not the true latitude? Or who will dispute that the latitude of the Observatory at Paris, is not truly found; or that the French astronomers have taken a false for a true latitude? The reduced latitude is sometimes called the true latitude, and it is so; and the observed latitude would give wrong results when referred to certain astronomical operations: it is also true in reference to the spheroidal earth; but no more so in the latter case than the observed latitude: both are true. Whatever the exact figure of the earth may be, that is, whether we use the eccentricity found by Sir Isaac Newton, La Place, or the more correct one of Dr. Adrain, the reduced latitude is easily determined; but in every case it will come out a different quantity. Adopting that discovered by Dr. Adrain, the parallel required to be drawn, would be in a parallel 12 1-4 miles to the north of the parallel passing through north latitude 45° 5′ 22′′ 8-10. But is this the latitude as commonly understood by astronomers and navigators? and if the new latitude were adopted, should we not be under the necessity of reducing the latitudes of every other place upon the earth, to correspond with the latitude of the above parallel,

or else the latitude of this boundary parallel would not correspond with that of any other place on the earth; and what benefit would result from such an alteration of the latitude? The mariner, after having found his latitude by the usual method, would have to reduce it to the new latitude by this rule, "As the square of the earth's transverse axis is to the square of the conjugate, so is the tangent of the observed latitude to the tangent of the correction; which substracted from the observed latitude, gives the corrected

latitude." For this extra trouble, mari-
But is this re-
ners would not thank us.
duced latitude more commodious, either
at sea or land, than the observed latitude
now in use?-No. Is the reduced lati-
tude true, and the observed latitude false?

No. Can any good reason, then, be assigned why we should make use of the reduced latitude in preference to the observed latitude?—None: for it would in all cases be vastly more troublesome to determine, and have no advantage whatever over the other when determined.

ART. 7. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

DOMESTIC.

The New-York Selection of Sacred

ORIGINAL works recently published Music, compiled by F. D. ALLEN.

by the principal booksellers: An Anniversary Discourse, delivered before the New-York Historical Society, December 7, 1818. By GULIAN C. VERPLANCK, Esq.

"Omnibus his niveâ cinguntur tempora vittâ.” VIRGIL. "Heureux qui est digne de peindre la vertu. Je n'espere point l'embellir; elle est trop au dessus des ornemens frivoles de l'esprit-mais je lui rendrai homage. Je la presenterai dans sa majesteuse simplicitè." -Thomas, Eloge de, D'Aguesseau.

Catalogus Collegii Neo-Cæsariensis. Rerumpublicarum Fœderatarum Americæ Summæ Potestatis Anno XLIII.

Songs of the Temple, or Bridgewater Collection of Sacred Music. Sixth edition, improved and enlarged.

A Directory to the Holy Scriptures, for the use of Unfortunates under Confinement. By JOHN STANFORD, M. A.

"Search the Scriptures."-JOHN V. 39. An Address delivered in behalf of the New-York Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb, before the NewYork Forum, at the conclusion of a Volunteer Debate for the benefit of said Institution, December 24, 1818. By SuVANUS MILLER, one of the Directors. Published by order of the Directors, and for the benefit of said Institution.

Documents relative to Savings Banks, Intemperance, and Lotteries. Published by order of the Society for the Prevention of Pauperism in the City of NewYork.

Report of the New-York Peace Society, at the Anniversary, Dec. 25, 1818.

Memoirs of the Philadelphia Agricultural Society, for Promoting Agriculture. Containing Communications on various Subjects in Husbandry and rural affairs. Vol. 4th.

The Christian's Monitor, or Practical Guide to Future Happiness; intended for the use of Roman Catholics in the United States. Under the approbation of Bishop Connolly. By the Rev. WM. TAYLOR, A. B. of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

The Printer's Guide, or an Introduction to the Art of Printing, including an Essay on Punctuation, and Remarks on Orthography; with a copperplate, exhibiting the manner of marking a Proofsheet for the press, and a scale for calculating the expense of printing a work. By C. S. VAN WINKLE.

Minutes of the proceedings of a special meeting of the fifteenth American Convention for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, and improving the condition of the African race; assembled at Philadelphia, on the 10th day of December, 1818, and continued by adjournments until the 15th of the same month, inclusive.

An Examination into the expediency of establishing a Board of Agriculture in the State of New-York. Published by the New-York Corresponding Association for the promotion of Internal Improvements.

A List of the Post-offices in the United States, with the names of the Postmasters, the Counties and States in which they