In the year 1760, Lalande was charged with the compi lation ol the des Temps; and between the years 1775 and 1807, he published no fewer than thirty two volumes of that work. In 1770, he published his Dissertation sur la cause de Ptlevation des liqueurs clans les tubes capillaires ; and in 1769. appeared in 8 vols. 12mo. his Voyage d'un Francois en Italie dana lea ?Innees 1765 et 1766. containing the lullest and best description of Italy that has been published.
Lalande composed all the astronomical articles for the Encyclopedia of Yverdun, which was published in 38 vols. quarto, and also those for the Supplement to the Ehcyclo pectic ; and those for the Encyclope.lie Methodique. He wrote also the mathematical articles in the Journal de Sa vans, front 1766 downwards.
In the year 1761, Lalande succeeded M. De Lisle in the chair of astronomy in the College of France, and he dis charged the duties of his new office with such ability, that his school became a seminary of disciples, who filled most of the observatories in the world.
In 1788, M. De Lalande made a journey into England, with the view of witnessing the progress or the arts and sciences in our country, and of bringing to perfection the third edition of his astronomy, with which he was then occupied. He spent much of his time with Dr. Herschel, Dr. Maskelyne, and Mr. Ramsden, and he considered him self as peculiarly fortunate in having had the honour to walk through the 40 feet telescope of Dr. Herschel.
He published about this time his Troia. des Canaux, and in 1793 appeared his Bibliographie ?stronomique, in one volume 4to; a work which contains the most com plete catalogue of astronomical works that has ever been published, with occasional biographical notices of the dif ferent authors In 1793. he published his ?lbrege de Xa vigation Historique, Theorique, et Pratique ; and in 1802 he published a new edition of Montucla's Histoire des Ma thematiques, in 4 vols. 4to. The two last volumes were
prepay ed from the papers of Montucla, with the assistance of Laplace, Lacroix, and other eminent mathematicians. In the same year, he published his pock, t volume, contain ing tables of logarithms, sines, tangents, &c. During the last years of Lalande's life, he published an annual history of astronomy, containing a short view of the most re markable facts, discoveries, and inventions, with which the science had been enriched during the preceding year.
When the old observatory of the Military School was demolished in 1788, a new one was constructed, at the so licitation of Lalande, and furnished with the best instru ments which could then he obtained. The direction of it was given to Lalande ; and in 1789, he and his nephew began their observations. Between 1789 and 1791, they had observed about 10,000 of the northern stars, n ith very excellent instruments.
Lalande was a member of almost all the distinguished academies and societies in Europe, and corresponded with all the principal astronomers of the age. He published no fewer than 150 memoirs in the Memoirs of the French Academy. He died at Paris, on the 4th April, 1807, in the 75th year of his age.
Although the name of Lalande is not associated, in the history of astronomy, with any important discovery, yet there is perhaps no individual to whom this science is tin der deeper obligations. By the most unremitting activity, during more than half a century, he excited a love for astronomy, and contributed essentially to its progress in every part of the world. He had the honour also of found ing an annual medal, which the Academy of Sciences awards to the auti!or of the best astronomical memoir, or of the most curious observation made during the year. A full account of the character and writings of Lalande will be found in M. Delambre's Eloge in the Memoires de l'In stitut, tom. x.