The Eclipses from STRUYK were observed; those from RICCIOLUS calculated the following from L'Art de vérifier les Dates are only those which are visible in Europe for the present century: those which are total are marked with a T.; and M. signifies Morning, A. Afternoon. VISIBLE ECLIPSES FROM 1700 TO 1800. 328. A List of Eclipses, and historical Events, which happened about the same Times, from RIC But according to an old calendar, this eclipse of the Sun was on the 21st of April, on which day the foundations of Rome were laid; if we may believe Taruntius Fir manus. A total eclipse of the Moon. The Assyrian Empire at an end; the Babylonian established. eclipse.. An eclipse of the Sun foretold by Historical THALES, by which a peace was brought about between the Medes and Lydians. An eclipse of the Moon, which was followed by the death of CAM -1009 1133 August 2 An eclipse of the Sun. This is reckoned among the prodigies, on account of the murder of Agrippinus by Nero. A total eclipse of the Sun. A sign that the reign of the Gordiani would not continue long. A sixth persecution of the Christians.. An eclipse of the Sun. The stars were seen, and the Emperor Constantius died. A dreadful eclipse of the Sun. And Lewis the Pious died within six months after it. And An eclipse of the Sun. Jerusalem taken by the Saracens. A terrible eclipse of the Sun. The stars were seen. A schism in the church, occasioned by there being three Popes at once. *This eclipse happened in the first year of the Pelopon nesian war. stitious 329. I have not cited one half of RICCIOLUS's The superlist of portentous eclipses; and for the same reason notions of that he declines giving any more of them than what the anci that list contains; namely, that it is most disagree-ents with regard to able to dwell any longer on such nonsense, and as eclipses. much as possible to avoid tiring the reader: the superstition of the ancients may be seen by the few here copied. My author farther says, that there were treatises written to shew against what regions the malevolent effects of any particular eclipse was aimed; and the writers affirmed, that the effects of an eclipse of the Sun continued as many years as the eclipse lasted hours; and that of the Moon as many months. of once for PHER COLUM- 330. Yet such idle notions were once of no small Very for advantage to CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, who, in tunate the year 1493, was driven on the island of Jamaica, CHRISTOwhere he was in the greatest distress for want. provisions, and was moreover refused any assistance from the inhabitants; on which he threatened them with a plague, and told them, that in token of it, there should be an eclipse. This accordingly fell on the day he had foretold, and so terrified the Barbarians, that they strove who should be first in bringing him all sorts of provisions; throwing them at his feet, and imploring his forgiveness. RICCIOL.US's Almagest, Vol. I. 1. v. c. ii. visible than of 331. Eclipses of the Sun are more frequent than Why there those of the Moon, because the Sun's ecliptic-limits are more are greater than the Moon's, 317: yet we have eclipses of more visible eclipses of the Moon than of the Sun, the Moon because eclipses of the Moon are seen from all parts the Sun. of that hemisphere of the Earth which is next her, and are equally great to each of those parts; but the Sun's eclipses are visible only to that small portion of the hemisphere next him whereon the Moon's shadow falls, as shall be explained by and by at large. 332. The Moon's orbit being elliptical, and the Earth in one of its focuses, she is once at her least ૨૧ |