b o o k his immediate direction. One o f thefe goblets, containing
^ . 65 medals o f the French kings, was the gift of the emprefe
Catharine, who equally availed herfelf of her huiband’svir-
tues and foibles to win upon his affections. Another article*
which engaged my attention, was the model of a veífel o f 120
guns, given by William 111. to Peter I. during his.refidence in
England. The emperor, who had received many marks of the
king’s attention and friendihip, prefented him at parting
with a diamond of great value, wrapped in a. piece: of common
brown paper : no bad emblem of himfelf or his nation,
whofe virtues and abilities were yet under a coarfe cover..
Before I clofe this account o f the Academy o f Sciences, I
muft mention the Celeftial Sphere, known by the name of
the Globe o f Gottorp, now placed in a detached building, in
order to preferve it from fire. It is a large concave fphere*
eleven feet in diameter, containing a table andfeats for twelve
perfons. The infide reprefents- the vifible furface o f the
heavens f the ftars and conftellations are diftinguiihed, according
to their refpe&ive magnitudes, by gilded nails. It is
fet to the meridian o f P e te r ib u rgh an d , being turned by
means of a curious piece o f mechanifm, exhibits the true po-
fition o f the liars, thek riling and fetting.. The outfide is a
terrefirial globe. This machine is called the Glohe of. Got-
torp, from the original one o f that name which, at the ex-:
pence of Frederic III. duke o f Holftein, was erected at Gottorp,
by Andrew Bulh, under the direft Lon of Adam Olea-
rius *. It was planned after a defign found among the papers;
o f the celebrated Tycho- Brahe, and was prefented by Frederic
IV. king o f Denmark to Peter the Great, who faw it in
1 7 13, and exprelfed much fatisfaflion at its curious firudlure
and mechanifm. The carriage of fo cumbrous a. machine
* Bufcbirrg E rd b e feh rd b im g , a r tic le G o t to rp . A¿la- P e t . fo r 17 77,.P a r t I I . p . 7.
5 from
from Gottorp to Peteriburgh was attended with great expence CHA1>-
and labour. It was conducted over the fnow upon rollers'— -
and fledges to Riga, the forefts being in many parts cleared;
and from Riga it was fent by fea to the new metropolis
This fphere was afterwards erefted in the building o f the
Academy o f Sciences, and was burnt in 174 7 . From the
iron plates or carcafe which remained, the prefent globe was
conftrufted, with confiderable additions, and placed in 1 7 5 1
in its prefent pofition. It is exaftly o f the fame fize with
the original, and is far preferable, becaufe all the modern
improvements in geography and aftronomy have been added.
The meridian and horizon were formed by Scott, an Engliflx
mechanick.
Travellers are too apt, in deferibing foreign countries, to,
overlook their own, and to reprefent many objefls as extraordinary
and peculiar, which may fometimes be found in
greater perfection at home. In order to avoid the imputation
of this partial proceeding, I fliall here add, that this'aftrono-
mical machine is far inferior in fize to one o f the fame kind
eredled at Pembroke College in the univerfity o f Cambridge,
by the late Dr. Long, mailer o f that.fociety, which is .thus
defcribed by the dodlor himfelf +,.
“ I have, in a room lately built in Pembroke-Hal], eredted a fphere of
“ 18 feet diameter, wherein above 30 perfons may lit conveniently ; the
“ entrance ir.to it is over the fouth pole by fix ffeps : the frame of the (phere
‘ confifts of a number of iron meridians, not complete femi-circles, the
northern ends of which are fcrewed to a large round plate of 'brafs, with
‘ an hole in the centre of it; throughthis hole, from a beam in the deling-,
* co,mes north pole, a round iron rod, about three inches long, and fup-
c- Ports tlie uPPeF Parts of the fphere to its proper elevation for the latitude
|| of Cambridge; the lower part of the.fphere, fo much of it asjs invifible
in England, is cut off; and the lower or fouthern ends of the meridians,
‘ ' ‘ M ° tra ye 8 H a v e ls . I L o n g ’s A ftro n om y , ,vol. I I . InlrodudHon.
V 2> if QJ*