144« Mr Baily's Account of 



Observatory, and in hiring assistants and computers, all of which 

 ought, in fact, to have been defrayed by the Government, from 

 whom, however, during this long period, he had never received 

 a single farthing beyond his scanty salary. Although by no 

 means a mercenary man, he might have indulged a hope of being 

 enabled to get a return for some portion of this outlay, by means 

 of subscribers to his work ; but this specific plan was in some 

 measure obviated by the interference of Prince George of Den- 

 mark, who, towards the end of the year 1704, having heard of 

 these extraordinary labours of Flamsteed, and being liimself a 

 patron of science, proposed to print the observations and the ca- 

 talogue at his own expense. A committee, consisting of Sir 

 Isaac Newton (then president of the Royal Society), Sir Chris- 

 topher Wren, Dr Arbuthnott, Dr Gregory, and Mr Roberts, 

 was appointed to inspect the papers, who reported favourably 

 upon them, and recommended them all to be printed.* The 

 publication of the work was therefore placed under their super- 

 intendence ; and Flamsteed, who did not anticipate much bene- 

 fit from Newton's interference, thus found himself unwarily in- 

 volved in fresh troubles and contentions. For the referees^ as 

 this committee was called, or rather Sir Isaac Newton (for he 

 appears to have assumed the principal management of the affair), 

 seem to have conducted the business without Flamsteed's privity 

 or concurrence, and, notwithstanding Flamsteed's repeated re- 

 monstrances, to have thrown every obstacle in the way of dis- 

 patch ; at least, this is Flamsteed's version of the matter, and 

 his view of it appears to be confirmed by the documents in the 

 appendix. Sir Isaac pretended to have discovered several er- 

 rors, and demanded the books containing the original entries, in 

 order that he might compare and examine them. Having got 

 these into his possession, he next required that that portion of the 

 catalogue which was completed (but which was not to be sent to 

 press till after the whole of the observations were printed, so as 

 to allow time for its being perfected) should be placed, sealed 

 up, in his hands. Flamsteed at first resisted : he told Sir Isaac 



• Although the referees here recommend that the whole of ,the observa- 

 tions should be printed, yet we shall find in the sequel, that their opinion 

 upon this subject experienced some alterations, at least, if we may judge by 

 the result. 



