ch he then thought not fit
to declare; and 'tis this, that this Comet moves about the _Great Dog_, in
so great a Circle, that that portion, which is {18} described, is exceeding
small in respect of the whole circumference thereof, and hardly
distinguishable by us from a streight line.

Concerning the New Comet you mention, I saw it on the 11. of _February_,
about the 24. deg. of _Aries_, with a Northern latitude of 24. deg. 40.
min. The cloudy weather hath not yet permitted me to see it in _Andromeda_,
as others affirm to have done.

* * * * *

_Extract of a Letter, written from _Paris_, containing some Reflections on
part of the precedent _Roman_ Letter._

As to the _Hypothesis_ of _Georg. Domenico Cassini_, touching the motion of
the _Comet_ about the _Great Dog_ in a Circle, whose Centre is in a
streight line drawn from the Earth through the said Star, I believe it will
shortly be publish'd in print, as a thought I lighted upon in discoursing
with one of my Friends, who did maintain, that it turned about a Centre,
because that its _Perigee_ had been over against the _Great Dog_, as I had
noted in my _Ephemerides_. This particular I did long since declare to many
of my acquaintance, whereof some or other will certainly do me that right,
as to let the world know it by the Press. I have added an Observation,
which I find not, that Signior _Cassini_ hath made, _viz._ that there was
ground to think, that the _Comet_ of 1652. was the same with the present,
seeing that besides the parity of the swiftness of its motion, the
_Perigee_ thereof was also over against the _Great Dog_, if the
Observations extant thereof, deceive not. But, to make it out, what ground
I had for these thoughts, I said, that if they were true, the Comet must
needs acomplish its revolution from 10. to 12. years, or thereabout. But,
seeing it appears not by History, that a Comet hath been seen at those
determinate distances of time, nor that over against the _Perigee_ of all
the other Comets, whereof particular observations are recorded, are alwaies
found Stars of the first Magnitude, or such others, as are very notable,
besides other reasons, that might be alledged, I shall not pursue this
speculation; but rather {19} suggest what I have taken notice of in my
reflexions upon former Comets, which is, that more of them enter inter our
Systeme by the sign of _Libra_ and about _Spica virginis_, than by all the
other parts