Astronomical Query (Vol. vii., p.84.).—Your fair correspondent Leonora makes a mistake in reference to the position, in regard to the zodiac, of the newly-discovered planets. It is indeed not at all surprising that these bodies were not discovered before, for this reason—they do not move within the circle of the zodiac: they lie far beyond it, so much so, that to include them the zodiac must be expanded to at least five times its present breadth. Hence they lie out of the path of ordinary observation, and their discovery is usually the result of keen telescopic examination of distant parts of the heavens. Leonora is of course aware, that, with the exception of Neptune (the discovery of which is a peculiar case), all the recently discovered planets belong to the cluster of asteroids which move between Mars and Jupiter. These are all invisible to the eye with the exception of Vesta, and she is not to be distinguished by any but an experienced star-gazer, and under most favourable circumstances; their minuteness, their extra-zodiacal position, and the outrageous orbits which they describe, all conspire to keep them out of human ken until they are detected by the telescope, and ascertained to be planets either by their optical appearances, or by a course of watching and comparison of their positions with catalogues of the fixed stars.
Shirley Hibberd.
Tortoiseshell Tom Cat (Vol. v., p. 465.; Vol. vii., p. 271.).—See Hone's Year Book, p. 728.
Zeus.
Sizain on the Pope, the Devil, and the Pretender (Vol. vii., p. 270.).—This is given as one of the prize epigrams in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1735, vol. v. p. 157.
Zeus.
Wandering Jew (Vol. vii., p. 261.).—Your correspondent will find an account of the Wandering Jew prefixed to "Le Juif errant," the 3ième livraison of Chants et Chansons Populaires de la France.
Thos. Lawrence.
Ashby-de-la-Zouch.