the Rev. John Flatnsteed. 155 



face cost Mr Crosthwait much trouble; it was written in Eng- 

 lish by Flamsteed, but it was now required to be translated into 

 Latin ; no one, however, could for some time be found adequate 

 to the task, though repeatedly attempted. Mr Pound at one 

 time undertook it, but eventually, after much procrastination, 

 declined it ; and it was at last accomplished by a dissenting mi- 

 nister ; a considerable portion of it, however, being suppressed, 

 as already mentioned. The whole work was at length publish- 

 ed in three volumes in 1725, six years after Flamsteed's death. 

 The distribution of its several parts will stand thus : the first 

 volume, and the major part of the second volume, were printed 

 during Flamstecd'*s lifetime ; but the remainder of the second 

 and the whole of the third volume, were printed under the su- 

 perintendence of Mr Crosthwait. This latter portion therefore 

 may, in some measure, be considered as a posthumous work. 



There remained now only the maps^ the construction and en- 

 graving of which appear to have cost as much trouble and vexa- 

 tion as the letter-press, but arising from a totally different source. 

 It seems that only one of them was completely finished (Orion*) 

 when Flamsteed died ; for the rest we are indebted to Mr Sharp, 

 who constructed them anew, according to Flamsteed's principles, 

 from the catalogue. Sir James Thornhill drew the figures of 

 the constellations, and recommended engravers for the work ; 

 but the charges of the English artists were considered so enor- 

 mous, that Mr Crosthwait went over to Holland for the express 

 purpose of engaging some of the best Dutch engravers to com- 

 plete the work. The vexatious delays which necessarily occur- 

 red by adopting this method, its increased expense, and the con- 

 stant attention requisite to prevent mistakes, dispirited Mrs 

 Flamsteed ; and a temporary stop was consequently put to the 

 work, although Mr Sharp (now much advanced in years) and 

 Mr Crosthwait were willing to continue their services. At length 

 some English engravers being found who off^ered to execute the 

 maps at a more moderate charge, the labours of these gentle- 

 capable of serving him in these affairs), I had before this time left Green- 

 wich, and should have had a due regard to mj own future support ; but tliis I 

 have refused upon his account."— (Seep. 336). 



• There is no separate map of Orion in Flamsteed's Atlas ; nor is the whole 

 of that constellation depicted in any one map. It was probably obliged to be 

 redrawn, and reconstructed, in order to suit the subsequent arrangements. 



