2 Life of the Rev. John Flamsteed, 



this I could not get him to take notice of. In the mean- 

 time, some friend of mine (that was frequently in company 

 with me, and saw how the work went on, with such assist- 

 ance as I hired and paid myself, and was informed- what 

 the charge would he of printing the observations of thirty 

 years, and engraving the maps of the constellations I had 

 prepared), acquainted Prince George of Denmark with my 

 performances. Mr. Newton lived near the Court : I always 

 at a distance. He was the president of the Royal Society, 

 and had a great courtier as his friend, and one who was 

 frequently at his office, required at court, and attending on 

 the Prince. So that he could not but hear of the Prince's 

 inclination to make me easier in my work ; nor could Mr. 

 Newton fail to be informed of it. So, on the 10th of April, 

 1704, he came down to Greenwich, visited me on my request, 

 stayed and dined with me. At his first coming he desired 

 to see what I had ready for the press. I showed him the 

 books of observations, together with so much of the cata- 

 logue as was then finished (which was about half), and a 

 fair copy of it, with the maps of the constellations drawn, 

 both by my amanuensis and Vansomer. Which having 

 looked over carefully, he desired me to let him have the 

 recommending of them to the Prince. I was surprised at 

 this proposition. I had formerly tried his temper, and 

 always found him insidious, ambitious, and excessively 

 covetous of praise and impatient of contradiction. I had 

 taken notice of some faults in the fourth book of his Prin- 

 cipia, which, instead of thanking me for, he resented ill. 

 Yet was (so) presumptuous that he sometimes dared to ask 

 " Why I did not hold my tongue?" I considered that if I 

 granted what he desired, I should put myself wholly into his 

 power, or be at his mercy, who might spoil all that came 

 into his hands, or put me to unnecessary trouble and vexa- 

 tion about my own labours ; and all the while pretend that 

 he did it to amend faults where none were, but were un- 

 avoidable, or easy to be corrected, and, therefore, excusable. 

 I had further irritated him by not concealing some truths 

 that are since published in print, and notoriously known i 

 and, therefore, civilly refused what he desired. But still 

 he told me he would recommend them to the Prince, and 



