A Letter from the Revd Ebenezer Latham, M. D. and V. D. M. to C. Mortimer, M. D. Sec. R. S. Containing a Proposal to Make the Poles of a Globe of the Heavens Move in a Circle Round the Poles of the Ecliptic; Read at a Meeting of the Royal Society, April 17. 1738

8. Eclipsis Solis *partialis*, qua die xix. Feb. St. Vet. five D. i. Martii St. Nov. A. 1737. contigit, Phases *decrecentes* Vitembergæ Saxonum observatae, a J. Frederico Weidlero, Math. Prof. & R. S. Lond. S. Digiti Eclipseos decrecentis. *Vide* Schema in H. M. S. TAB. II. FIG. II. | VIII | 4 | 50 | 31 | p. m. | | VII | 5 | 58 | 16 | | VII | 5 | 1 | 56 | | VII | 5 | 26 | | VII | 8 | 16 | | VI | 10 | 16 | Postea Sol ad occasum versgens nubes subiit. Initium propter nubes coelo obductas videri non potuit. VIII. *A Letter from the Revd Ebenezer Latham, M.D. and V.D.M. to C. Mortimer, M.D. Sec. R. S. containing a Proposal to make the Poles of a Globe of the Heavens move in a Circle round the Poles of the Ecliptic; read at a Meeting of the Royal Society, April 17. 1738.* S I R, Findern, April 14, 38. I take the Liberty through your Hands to commu- nicate the inclosed to the Royal Society, and at the same time to submit to that learned Body a Pro- posal posal I would make relating to an Improvement in the Construction of the Globes of the Heavens. As we now have them, you know they are only form'd for the present Age, and do not serve the Purposes of Chronology and History, as they might, if the Poles whereon they turn were contriv'd to move in a Circle round those of the Ecliptic, according to the present Obliquity of this. By this Means we might have a View of the Heavens suited to every Period, and that would answer the antient Descriptions, those of Eu- doxus, for Instance, who is supposed to borrow his from the most early Observations; and of Hipparchus, &c. Nor could any Contrivance better enable the lowest Reader to judge of the Merits of the Contro- versy about the Argonautic Expedition, as far as it depends on this: For it will verify to the Sight the Path of the Colures, &c. at any Time. I thought to have transmitted a Scheme of the whole, in which the Equator must be fix'd to the brazen Meridian, &c. But it is easily understood, and can only wait the Ap- probation of such great Judges to recommend it to the Artists. Your most obedient, Humble Servant, E. Latham. N. B. That Globes, to answer the End here proposed, tho' differently constructed, had long before been made and published by Mr. Senex, who at next Meeting gave the fol- lowing Account of his Contrivance.