If therefore _observation is itself a science_, it must necessarily _be the basis of theory_; observation may be set aside--which is what is actually done--in this way we may plod on, we may term our labour what we please; but whatever is produced in this way is not astronomy. But that glorious science whose sublime object is alone able to unfetter the mind of poor humanity--Astronomy--has a future before it. Any such as feel themselves called upon to study _seriously_ the phenomena of nature, may set about the task. _The sun is a sure guide._ The great mass of astronomical observations are almost exclusively of European origin, those which in later times have been made in other parts of the earth, are of a special character--they refer for the most part to the stars and are not numerous enough to furnish any general view, but here the question is of establishing a universal astronomy available for the whole earth, which, founded on the actual type of the phenomena, will become the result of science. With respect to astronomical knowledge and its dissemination, the discovery and proving of this type of the phenomena is of the greatest importance, they must be found out not by calculation, but _by actual observation_. When discovered, a large number of important and still undecided problems will be advanced towards solution. It may be asked: how and where shall we however find this _original type_? and the earth itself supplies the answer by means of its--=Equator=. No observer, placed either north or south the equator, can see the two poles of the heaven at once, he cannot see the _whole heavenly sphere_; at the equator the entire splendour of the firmament passes before his eyes during the space of--12 hours. The _equator of the earth_ is always turned towards the sun, and it thus indicates the direction taken by our planet; therefore we must be able to find this type _at the equator_. Either it is there, or it is nowhere else, and it is indispensably necessary that astronomical observations made elsewhere should be repeated at the equator thus as it were confirmed.