1. That side of the _Brazen Meridian_, which is divided into degrees, represents the _true Meridian_; this side is commonly turned towards the East, and ’tis usual to place the globe so before you, that the North be to the right hand, and the South to the left. The meridian is divided into 4 quadrants, each being 90 degrees, two of which are numbered from that part of the equinoctial, which is above the horizon, towards each of the Poles; the other two quadrants are numbered from the Poles towards the equator. The reason why two quadrants of the meridian are numbered from the equator, and the other two from the Poles, is because the former of these two serve to shew the distance of any point on the globe from the equator, and the other to elevate the globe to the latitude of the place. [Sidenote: _Wooden Horizon._] 2. The upper side of the wooden frame called the _Wooden Horizon_; represents the true horizon; the circles drawn upon this plane have been already described; we may observe, that the first point of ♈ is the East, and the opposite being the first point of ♎ is the West, the meridian passing through the North and South points. [Sidenote: _Quadrant of Altitude._] 3. The _Quadrant of Altitude_ is a flexible plate of thin brass, having a nut and screw at one end, to be fastened to the meridian of either globe, as occasion requires. The edge of this quadrant which has the graduations upon it, called the fiducial edge, is that which is always meant whenever we make mention of the quadrant of altitude. [Sidenote: _Hour Circle._] 4. The _Horary_ or _Hour Circle_, is divided into twice twelve hours, the two XII’s coinciding with the meridian; the uppermost XII is that at _Noon_, and the lowermost towards the horizon is XII at _Night_. The hours on the _East_ side of the meridian are the _Morning Hours_, and those on the _West_ side the _Hours_ after _Noon_. The axis of the globe carries round the _Hand_ or _Index_ which points the hour, and passes through the center of the hour circle. The things above described are common to both globes; but there are some others which are peculiar or proper to one sort of globe. The two _Colures_, and the _Circles_ of _Latitude_ from the ecliptic, belong only to the _Celestial Globes_; also the ecliptic itself does properly belong only to this globe, tho’ it is always drawn on the Terrestrial, for the sake of those that might not have the other globe by them. The equinoctial on the celestial globe is always numbered into 360 degrees, beginning at the equinoctial point ♈; but on the terrestrial, it is arbitrary, where these numbers commence, according to the meridian of what place you intend for your first; and the degrees may be counted either quite round to 360, or both ways, ’till they meet in the opposite part of the meridian, at 180. [Illustration] SECT. III. _The USE of the_ GLOBES.