A Letter from Mr. John Dove to Edmund Halley, LL. D. F. R. S. and Reg. Astrom. at Greenwich, Containing an Account of a Comet Seen on February 29, 173 1/2

ness but as it neither acts as an Astringent, nor in a Way observed by Physicians, it must still remain among other Desiderata. IV. A Letter from Mr. John Dove to Edmund Halley, LL.D. F.R.S. and Reg. Astron. at Greenwich, containing an Account of a Comet seen on February 29, 1732. From on Board the Monmouth, James Montgomery Commander, in Table-Bay, March 17, 1732. SIR, I Had the Honour to wait on the Governor the 8th of February, in Latitude 33° South, where he parted with us for St. Hellena. The 29th of February, at about half an Hour past Ten at Night, I judge (having a good Observation at Noon) we were in Lat. 34° 28' South, and Long. 12° 35' West from Cape Bonne Esperance, the Moon shining very bright, being near the Full, we saw something very bright rise about West, which I judge to be a Comet: It set about East, passing from West to East in about five Minutes, between the Moon and our Zenith, and to the Southward of Spica Virginis; it carried a Stream of Light after it about 40° long, and 1° or 1° ½ broad; the Brightness of the Moon outshined the Comet as it came near it. Please to excuse the Trouble of this by the Way of Holland; but knowing your Curiosity in Astronomy, and viewing your Synopsis of the Astronomy of Comets, I thought it might be in some measure acceptable, though we had not Conveniency to take a very exact Observation of it. I am, SIR, Your most humble Servant, JOHN DOVE. P.S. Variation per Azimuth, a. M. about four or five Leagues West from this Bay, by two Compasses, 16° 23' West; and by eight Observations in this Bay, Azimuths and Amplitudes, the Medium 15° 56' West. V. An Account of two Experiments of the Friction of Pullies. By the Reverend J. T. Desaguliers, LL.D. F.R.S. As the Experiment which I made on Thursday, January 14, 173°, before the Royal Society (See Philos. Trans. No 423.) did perfectly agree with