First Astronomer- Royal. 19 



design, and obviated it by my answers, broke out into a 

 passion, and used me as I was never used before in my life. 

 I gave no answers, but only desired him to be calmer, and 

 moderate bis passion ; thanked him for the many honourable 

 names he gave me, and told him God had blessed my endea- 

 A-ours hitherto : that his wisdom was beyond the wisdom of 

 men, and that I committed myself to him. Dr. Mead 

 seconded him, unprovoked, in his ill language ; but Dr. 

 Sloane held his face. I thanked him for his civility ; per- 

 mitted him to help me down stairs ; and, at the door, met 

 Halley, who had not been far off all the time ; and, I believe, 

 heard Sir Isaac Newton shew his best g****f It would be 

 too long to give an account of it all : there is a longer in 

 my old book of letters, A, page 104-105, where those who 

 come after me will find it. I pray God forgive him. I do. 

 I do not remember that I ever saw the observations of mine 

 (printed at the same press with my corrupted catalogue) 

 till three years after ; when there were 300 copies of the 

 printed edition of the Observations given me (as they were 

 designed) by King George. The whole was intended for 

 me, by the Prince George of Denmark, but I was forced to 

 be content with this part of them, and took them with 

 thanks. I found them as much corrupted as the Catalogue, 

 but if God spares me life I hope to present the world with 

 a perfect edition of them, the editor having transcribed 

 only the Observations of the Planets, and made a sorry and 

 fallacious excuse for his omitting the Observations of all 

 the fixed stars that were not employed for finding of the 

 planets' places. 



On the 18th of June, 1712, the impudent editor, with 

 wife, son, and daughters, attending him, and a neighbouring 

 clergyman in his company, came hither. I said little to him. 

 He offered to burn his Catalogue (so he called his corrupted 

 and spoiled copy of mine, of which I had now a correct and 

 enlarged edition in the press, and the second sheet printing 

 off) if I would print mine. I am apt to think he knew it 

 was so, and was endeavouring to prevent it. But to render 

 his design ineffectual I said little to him of it ; so he went 

 away not much wiser than he came. 



Saturday, August 1st, 1712. Sir Isaac Newton came 



t The remainder of the word is illegible. 



2c 



