78 Telescop*, &c. first known in England. 



that of th^ « learned Dr. Plott, who," says Campbell, 

 W considers the invention of the telescope at large, and de- 

 clares, that without wresting of words, or begging favour- 

 able constructions, it is very possible to prove, that friar 

 Bacon was either the inventor or improver of that useful 

 instrument." — " This learned Franciscan," says Dr. Plott, 

 m did so far excel the ancient magicians, that whereas they 

 represented the moon's approach by their magical charms, 

 he brought her lower with greater innocence, and with his 

 glasses did that in truth which the ancient poets always put 

 in a fable. All which put together, it must necessarily be 

 confessed, that he had some such instrument, though not 

 so trimly made, it is like, as our telescopes are now ; in 

 favour of which truth much more might be alleged, did I 

 not think this sufficient to evince it to the unprejudiced 

 leader*." 



30. But I must not dismiss the latter part of Dr. S.'s 

 Summation of the historical evidence on this question, 

 without expressing my wonder that he has taken no notice 

 either of Kecorde or of the Diggeses. It is indeed sur- 

 prising that a private individual like myself, led casually to 

 take a transient view of this subject, should presently pro- 

 cure the Stratioticos, the Pantometria, and the Path-way 

 to Knowledge ; and that a gentleman publicly known and 

 esteemed, who had all the libraries in one, if not both, of 

 the English universities at his command, should employ 

 many years in writing a very large quarto volume on the 

 principles and the history of Optics, without once mention- 

 ing, as far as I can see, any of those respectable testimo- 

 nials of English ingenuity. Had he consulted them, he 

 would have been constrained to place the invention of the 

 telescope in his own country, and many years " earlier than 

 the beginning of the seventeenth century ;" and this even 

 without going so far back as the days of Roger Bacon. My 

 opinion on this subject is of little consequence; but, after 

 attentively considering all the evidence which I could pro- 

 cure, I must say, that I can no more doubt that the re- 

 fracting telescope originated in the southern part of this 

 island, than that the reflecting (commonly called the Gre- 

 gorian) telescope was invented in the northern. 



31. What may be the fate of these last remarks I know 

 not; nor do I much care, while I am conscious of having 

 dune all the justice to the subject which my limited time and 



* Plott's Natural History of Oxfordshire, as quoted by Campbell, in 

 the Bmg. Brihvin. ait. liacon ( fcgw) note M. 



authorities, 



