Life and JaiIouvs of the late Mr. Ramsden. S53 



ilreii, four of whom, with three of my domestics, passed 

 regularly through the distemper ; and they soon after went 

 into the licensed small-pox hospital in this neighbourhood, 

 and all seven of them were inoculated by Dr. AspLnwall with 

 the matter of the small-pox, without the least trait of infec- 

 tion." Page 5. 



The error concerning the inoculation of the cow-pock la 

 America would not have happened if Dr. Chichester's ac- 

 count had not failed in getting to Europe ; nor would the 

 first introduction have been imputexl to the Vaccine Insti- 

 tution, as was supposed from a passage in Dr. Lettsora's 

 book on the cow-pock, viz. "The vaccine matter which 

 first succeeded with professor Waterhouse was transmitted 

 from England in a bottle with a glass stopper*." Page 24. 



London, 

 July 24, 1803. 



XT.V. Account of the Life and Lahours of the late Mr. 

 RaMsden, in a Letter from Professor PiAzzi, of Pa- 

 lermoj to M. De LALANDEf. 



When I had the pleasure of seeing you lately at London, 

 vou admired, as I did, the genius and works of the cele- 

 ijrated Pvamsden, which has induced me to address to you 

 f uch circumstances as I have been able to collect respecting 

 the life and labours of this incomparable artist. No one has 

 contributed more to the progress of astronomy than you have 

 done bv your zeal, and by your works on the principles and 

 calculations of that science; and INIr. Ramsden is certainly 

 the first for inventing and constructing instruments : but as 

 he is not so well known in France, perhaps, as he deserves 

 to be, my letter may serve to give your countrymen a just 

 idea of his merit. 



Jesse Ramsden was bom at Halifax, in Yorkshire, on 

 the Gth of October 1730. At an early period he conceived 

 a strong desire of devoting himself to literature, and espe- 

 cially to history and antiquities : the mathematics and che- 

 mistry emzage^ his attention also in their turn: but his 

 father was"auxious that he should pursue some occupation 

 which might be useful to him; and as he was a clothier, 

 young Ramsden applied to the same employment till he had 



* This mode of transmitting matter was peculiar for a time to the 

 Vaccine Institution, now at No. 4.4., Broad-street, Goldcn-squarc. 

 t I' iuoi xhc J'jitrml da S^avum, Nov. 1788. . 



•' allained 



