Front Matter

ADVERTISEMENT. The Committee appointed by the Royal Society to direct the publication of the Philosophical Transactions, take this opportunity to acquaint the Public, that it fully appears, as well from the council-books and journals of the Society, as from repeated declarations which have been made in several former Transactions, that the printing of them was always, from time to time, the single act of the respective Secretaries, till the Forty-seventh Volume: the Society, as a Body, never interesting themselves any further in their publication, than by occasionally recommending the revival of them to some of their Secretaries, when, from the particular circumstances of their affairs, the Transactions had happened for any length of time to be intermitted. And this seems principally to have been done with a view to satisfy the Public, that their usual meetings were then continued, for the improvement of knowledge, and benefit of mankind, the great ends of their first institution by the Royal Charters, and which they have ever since steadily pursued. But the Society being of late years greatly enlarged, and their communications more numerous, it was thought advisable that a Committee of their members should be appointed, to reconsider the papers read before them, and select out of them such as they should judge most proper for publication in the future Transactions; which was accordingly done upon the 26th of March, 1752. And the grounds of their choice are, and will continue to be, the importance and singularity of the subjects, or the advantageous manner of treating them; without pretending to answer for the certainty of the facts, or propriety of the reasonings, contained in the several papers so published, which must still rest on the credit or judgment of their respective authors. It is likewise necessary on this occasion to remark, that it is an established rule of the Society, to which they will always adhere, never to give their opinion, as a Body, upon any subject, either of Nature or Art, that comes before them. And therefore the thanks which are frequently proposed from the Chair, to be given to the authors of such papers as are read at their accustomed meetings, or to the persons through whose hands they receive them, are to be considered in no other light than as a matter of civility, in return for the respect shewn to the Society by those communications. The like also is to be said with regard to the several projects, inventions, and curiosities of various kinds, which are often exhibited to the Society; the authors whereof, or those who exhibit them, frequently take the liberty to report, and even to certify in the public newspapers, that they have met with the highest applause and approbation. And therefore it is hoped, that no regard will hereafter be paid to such reports and public notices; which in some instances have been too lightly credited, to the dishonour of the Society. CONTENTS. I. Additional observations on the optical properties and structure of heated glass and unannealed glass drops. By David Brewster, LL.D. F.R.S. Edin. and F.S.A. Edin. In a Letter addressed to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K.B.P.R.S. p. 1. II. Description of a new instrument for performing mechanically the involution and evolution of numbers. By Peter M. Roget, M.D. Communicated by William Hyde Wollaston, M.D. Sec. R.S. 9. III. Experiments on the depolarisation of light as exhibited by various mineral, animal, and vegetable bodies, with a reference of the phenomena to the general principles of polarisation. By David Brewster, LL.D. F.R.S. Edin. and F.S.A. Edin. In a letter addressed to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K.B.P.R.S. 29. IV. On an ebbing and flowing stream discovered by boring in the harbour of Bridlington. By John Storer, M.D. Communicated by the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K.B.P.R.S. 54. V. On the effects of simple pressure in producing that species of crystallization which forms two oppositely polarised images, and exhibits the complementary colours by polarised light. By David Brewster, LL.D. F.R.S. Edin. and F.S.A. Edin. In a letter addressed to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K.B.P.R.S. p. 60. VI. Experiments made with a view to ascertain the principle on which the action of the heart depends, and the relation which subsists between that organ and the nervous system. By A. P. Wilson Philip, Physician in Worcester. Communicated by Andrew Knight, Esq. F. R. S. 65. VII. Experiments to ascertain the influence of the spinal marrow on the action of the heart in fishes. By Mr. William Clift. Communicated by Sir Everard Home, Bart. V. P. R. S. 91. VIII. Some experiments and observations on the colours used in painting by the Ancients. By Sir Humphry Davy, LL. D. F. R. S. 97. IX. On the laws which regulate the polarisation of light by reflexion from transparent bodies. By David Brewster, LL. D. F. R. S. Edin. and F. S. A. Edin. In a letter addressed to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K. B. P. R. S. 125. The President and Council of the Royal Society adjudged the Medal on Sir Godfrey Copley's Donation, for the year 1814, to James Ivory, Esq. for his various Mathematical Communications, printed in the Philosophical Transactions. X. On some phenomena of colours, exhibited by thin plates. By John Knox, Esq. Communicated by the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. G. C. B. P. R. S. - 161 XI. Some farther observations, on the current that often prevails, to the westward of the Scilly Islands. By James Rennell, Esq. F. R. S. - - - 182 XII. Some experiments on a solid compound of iodine and oxygene, and on its chemical agencies. By Sir Humphry Davy, LL.D. F. R. S. - - - 203 XIII. On the action of acids on the salts usually called hyperoxy-muriates, and on the gases produced from them. By Sir Humphry Davy, LL.D. F. R. S. - - - 214 XIV. Farther analytical experiments relative to the constitution of the prussic, of the ferruretted chyazic, and of the sulphuretted chyazic acids; and to that of their salts; together with the application of the atomic theory to the analyses of those bodies. By Robert Porrett, jun. Esq. Communicated by W. H. Wollaston, M. D. Sec. R. S. - - - 220 XV. On the nature and combinations of a newly discovered vegetable acid; with observations on the malic acid, and suggestions on the state in which acids may have previously existed in vegetables. By M. Donovan, Esq. Communicated by W. H. Wollaston, M. D. Sec. R. S. - - - 231 XVI. On the structure of the organs of respiration in animals which appear to hold an intermediate place between those of the class pisces and the class vermes, and in two genera of the last mentioned class. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. V. P. R. S. 256 XVII. On the mode of generation of the lamprey and myxine. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. V. P. R. S. - 265 XVIII. On the multiplication of images, and the colours which accompany them in some specimens of calcareous spar. By David Brewster, LL.D. F.R.S. Lond. and Edin. In a Letter addressed to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. G. C. B. P.R.S. - - - - 270 XIX. A series of observations of the satellites of the Georgian planet, including a passage through the node of their orbits; with an introductory account of the telescopic apparatus that has been used on this occasion; and a final exposition of some calculated particulars deduced from the observations. By William Herschel, LL.D. F. R. S. - - - - 293 XX. An account of some experiments with a large voltaic battery. By J. G. Children, Esq. F. R. S. - - - - 363 XXI. On the dispersive power of the atmosphere, and its effect on astronomical observations. By Stephen Lee, Clerk and Librarian to the Royal Society. Communicated by W. H. Wollaston, M. D. Sec. R. S. - - - - 375 XXII. Determination of the North Polar Distances and proper motion of thirty fixed Stars. By John Pond, Esq. Astronomer Royal, F. R. S. - - - - 384 XXIII. An essay towards the calculus of functions. By C. Babbage, Esq. Communicated by W. H. Wollaston, M. D. Sec. R. S. - - - - 389 XXIV. Some additional experiments and observations on the relation which subsists between the nervous and sanguiferous systems. By A. P. Wilson Philip, Physician in Worcester. Communicated by T. Andrew Knight, Esq. F. R. S. 424