The Stars in Hevelius his Sextant and Monsceros. y^{e} Linx,
Camelopardalus, Canes, Vanatici, were calculated afterwards in 1705. 6.
7. 8 by my servants, J. Woolferman and J. Crosthwaite, and the
Constellations of Hercules and Cassiopeia enlarged with y^{e} addition
of many Stars observed in the years 1705. 6. 7. 8. by them and Mr. Ab.
Ryley.
In the mean time as often as I met with Sir I. N. he was very
inquisitive how the Catalogues went on, I answered as it stood; and when
he came here commonly shewed him how it stood in my books, not
suspecting any design, but hoping he might serve me as kindly as I had
assisted him freely with my pains when he desired me.
1698. At Michælmas was at Derby and Bakewell.
1697-8. Feb. 6, y^{e} CZAR first came to Greenwich.
1704. April 11. ♂ Mr. Newton came to the Observat^{y} dined with me,
saw the Volumes of Observations, so much of the Catalogue as was then
finished, with the Charts of the Constellations both J. W’s[248] and
those copied by Vansomer: desired to have the recommending of them to
y^{e} Prince: I knew his temper, that he would be my fr. no further than
to serve his own ends, and that he was spitefull and swayed by those
that were worse than himself; this made me refuse him: however, when he
went away he promised me he would recommend them, tho he never intended
me any good by it, but to get me under him, that I might be obliged to
boy him up as E H[249] has done hitherto.
1704. Nov. 8. Wrote the Estimate, which was read without my knowledge at
the R. S. The Members thought it ought to be recommended to the Prince;
the President joynd with them, a Committee was appointed to attend his
R. H. even without acquainting me with it, an estimate of the charges
drawn up without my knowledge: the Prince allows it--Mr. N. says
[_illegible_.]
He concludes me now in his power, does all he can to hinder the work, or
spoyls it by encouraging the printers to commit faults.
We must print the Observations, tho I had shewed in my printed Æstimate,
that for very good reasons the Charts of the Constellations ought first
to be set upon.
Mr. N. told me he hoped I would give a Note under my hand of security
for the Prince’s Money; this I knew was to oblige me to be his slave: I
answered that I had, God be thanked, some estate of my own which I hoped
to leave for my wife’s support, to her during her life, to my own
Relations after; that therefore I would not cumber my own estate with
imprests or securitys, but if they would please to take his R^{l.}
H^{s.} moneys into their hands I would sign the workmen’s bill to them,
whereby they would see if they were reasonable at the same time.
I was told I should have all the printed copys save what his R. H.
should have to present to the Universitys.
And Mr. N. granted that since I refused to handle any of his R. H. money
there was _no need of securitys_ or Articles--Nevertheless----
* * *
The preceding are all the memoranda by Mr. Flamsteed respecting himself:
he breaks off with the word “Nevertheless.”
* * * * *
To conclude this article a fac-simile is added of Mr. Flamsteed’s
autograph from his copy of “Streete’s Caroline Tables,” mentioned in the
preceding memoir, and now in the possession of the Editor of the
_Every-Day Book_. It is to a memorandum made in that book by Mr.
Flamsteed, in these words:--
“The greatest declination of y^{e} sun is not more y^{n} 23°. 29′. 00
his horizontall parallax but 10 seconds; the semidiameters of y^{e} Sunn
in the Caroline tables less y^{n} they ought to be by 12 seconds.”
[Illustration]
* * * * *