36 THE AMERICAN GLAZIER. 



way, and afterwards inventor of what is now called Hadley's Quadrant." 

 Even the Royal Society, in investigating the claims of tlie rival candi- 

 dates, expressed the opinion that both Godfrey and Hadley were ori- 

 ginal inventors and entitled to the honor. Button, the Edinboro' Pro- 

 fessor, (a name connected with many pleasing reminiscences, and around 

 "which the most interesting associations cluster,) says, the truth may pro- 

 bably be, that each of these gentlemen discovered the method indepen- 

 dently of one anotlier. 



From the following language employed by Mr. Walsh we naturally 

 conclude that Godfrey must, with very remarkable talents, have pos- 

 sessed an intuitive genius, which enabled him to conquer tlie most ab- 

 struse points connected with the exact sciences. "When Newton's Prin- 

 cipia made its appearance, the best mathematicians were obliged to study 

 them with care, and those of a lower rank durst not venture upon them 

 till encouraged by the testimony of the learned. Godfrey, without en- 

 couragement from any quarter, wholly self-taught in the Mathematics 

 and in the Latin, ventured upon and mastered this great work at an early 

 age. Truly he cannot fail to attract the highest admiration for the 

 strength of iiis intellectual powers and the resolution and perseverance 

 of his spirit." 



Logan, in his communication to tlie Royal Society, thus refers to 

 him: ''A young man, born in tliis country, Thomas Godfrey by name, 

 by trade a glazier, who had no other education than to learn to read and 

 write, witli a little common arithmetic, having in his apprenticcsliip with 

 a very poor man of tliat trade accidentally met witli a mathematical 

 book, took such a fancy to the study, that by the natural strength of his 

 genius, without any instructor, he soon made himself master of that, 

 and of every other kind he could procure or borrow in English ; and 

 finding there was more to be had in Latin books, under all imaginable 

 discouragements, applied himself to the study of that language, till he 

 could pretty well understand an author on these subjects; after which, 

 the first time I saw or heard of him, he came to borrow Sir Isaac New- 

 ton's Principia of me. Inquiring of him who he was, I was indeed as- 

 tonished at his request; but alter a little discourse, he soon became wel- 

 come to that or any other book I had." 



Godfrey was not more than twenty-six years of age when lie in- 

 vented the Quadrant, and evinced such a thorough acquaintance with the 

 Mathematics and the Latin; and his success in the acquisition of know- 

 ledge under the most discouraging circumstances, furnishes another proof 

 of the correctness of the adage, Resolution u omnipoteni. ' Z. 



