328 Life of the Rev. John Flamsteed, [Nov. 



unto it, though I had not time, nor ever shall have, I fear, 

 to conclude and finish it. I also busied myself very much 

 in calculating the nativities of several of my friends and 

 acquaintance, which I have since corrected, and shall tran- 

 scribe on a convenient paper. 



The former part of this year had been famous for the 

 appearance of the comet ; and this was much celebrated by 

 the report of the cures done in Ireland by Mr. Valentine 

 Greatrackes, by the stroke of his hands, without the appli- 

 cation of any medicine. At first, we supposed this to be 

 only a fiction ; but when the report was cbnfirmed by a 

 particular relation of several strange cures effected, my 

 father (who intended not to pretermit any occasion of [my] 

 recovering in strength) resolved to send me over into Ire- 

 land, to try if I might, by God*s blessing, receive my strength 

 again. But, upon some occasion, this journey was put off 

 till the 26th of August following; when, in the interim, 

 having some small time, I set myself to write the construc- 

 tion and uses of a quadrant, with necessary tables for the 

 framing of the same, as also of a ruler, which I had drawn 

 with my own hand, fitting both for the latitude of 53°. I 

 performed it for my loving friend, William Litchford, 

 beginning it on the 8th of August, and finishing it on the 

 24th day of the same month. I called it my Mathematical 

 Essay ^ it being the first piece that ever I wrote for any one ; 

 and it is still to be found in his hands, for aught I know to 

 the contrary. 



And now, on August the 26th, 1665, being aged nineteen 

 years and six days, (19^"-, 6^^^% 11^"), I set forth for Ire- 

 land, with Clement Spicer with me : and on Tuesday, about 

 noon, we came to Liverpool; where we stayed till Friday 

 the 1st of September, when the wind turned east. We 

 embarked in a vessel, called the Supply, about noon : and 

 on Saturday night came within sight of Dublin ; but by 

 reason that we wanted water, could not cross the bar that 

 night. In the mid night we thought to have gotten in with 

 the tide, but had like to have run upon the Lambay: so 

 that we cast anchor again, and lay still that night ; and on 

 the next day, at noon, we put in, but could not be suffered 

 to land, by reason that the sickness being very hot at that 

 time in London, all passengers were examined whence they 



