1835.] First Astronomer- Royal. 411 



[* Flamsteed states that Sir Jonas was acquainted with the 

 attention which he had paid to the barometer, as an indica- 

 tor of the state of the weather, as well as to the thermometer 

 filled with tinged spirit, of both of which he had kept a 

 register three times a-day, at Derby, and requested him to 

 set up a pair of these glasses for his use. This Flamsteed 

 did, and gained the favour of the King and the Duke of 

 York through the candour of Sir Jonas. 



Having taken his degree of A.M. at Cambridge, he de- 

 signed to take orders and settle in a small living near 

 Derby, in the gift of a friend; but his intention having 

 reached Sir Jonas Moore, he was prevailed on to return to 

 the house of the latter, February 2, 1674-75, where he met 

 with a kind reception. In consequence of a disagreement 

 with the son of Sir Jonas, in whose favour the latter had 

 resigned his place, Flamsteed persisted in his resolution to 

 take Orders. Sir Jonas, on the 4th March, brought him a 

 warrant designing him the King's Astronomer, " with the 

 allowance of only £100. per annum, payable by the Office 

 of Ordnance." On the Easter following he took Orders, 

 at Ely House, at the hands of Bishop Gunning.] 



Betwixt my coming up to London, and Easter, an acci- 

 dent happened that hastened, if it did not occasion the 

 building of the Observatory. A Frenchman that called 

 himself Le Sieur de St. Pierre, having some small skill in 

 astronomy, and made an interest with a French lady, then 

 in favour at Court, proposed no less than the discovery of 

 the Longitude : and had procured a kind of Commission 

 from the King, to the Lord Brouncker, Dr. Ward (Bishop 

 of Salisbury), Sir Christopher Wren, Sir Charles Scar- 

 borough, Sir Jonas Moore, Col. Titus, Dr. Pell, Sir Robert 

 Murray, Mr. Hook, and some other ingenious gentlemen 

 about the town and Court, to receive his proposals ; with 

 power to elect, and to receive into their number, any other 

 skilful persons : and, having heard them, to give the King 

 an account of them, with their opinion whether or no they 

 were practicable, and would show what he pretended. Sir 

 Jonas Moore carried me with him to one of their meetings, 

 where I was chosen into their number; and, after, the 

 Frenchman's proposals were read : which were 



* The portions enclosed by brackets are abridged. — Edit. 



