464 Notices respecting New Books. 



fyjng power will sometimes, on some object?, give a difFereiift 

 character to the glass : and whatever difference there may be in 

 the size of the instruments, when we wish to become acquainted 

 v.iih their rcspecti^e advantages, they should each be charged 

 with tiie samo magnifying power, which, if the telescopes are 

 intended for a->tronomical use, should not be less than 100 times; 

 if for terrestrial puiposes, not less than fifty times." 

 f In a note there is an eleg;nit tribute to tlie merits of the late 

 celebrated instrunient-maker Ramsdcn : scanty as it is, it is the 

 only biography of him, we believe, which is cKtant : we there- 

 fore present it to our philosophical readers with much pleasure. 



" The highest jnaise is due to the merits of the late Mr. Jesse 

 Ramsden, for his iiigenuity,libcralitv, and persevering endeavours 

 to invent and perfect the various instruments used in astronomy, 

 philosophy, and mathematics ; to produce which, he devoted all 

 his time, and almost all the profits of his very extensive trade, in 

 carrying on which, his anxiety was not (like the razor-maker, 

 who merely made his goods to sell) to study and contrive how 

 cheap he could make an instrument, and how dear he could sell 

 it; his sole care vvas to make it as perfect as possible, and he 

 spared neither pains nor expense in forming an instrument, or 

 bringing it to perfection ; and the method he pursued, though 

 singular, almost invariably produced ultimate success. Without 

 the least ostentation, pride, or reserve in his manners, he vvas 

 polite, easy, and familiar to all that had business with him. 



'•' I have been favoured with the following anecdote from such 

 a source, that I can vouch for the authenticity of it. 



*' It was his custom to retire in the evening to what he consi- 

 dered the most comfortable corner in the house, and take his 

 seat close to the kitchen fire-side, in order to draw some plan 

 for the forming a new instrument, or schem.e for the improve- 

 ment of one already made. There, with his drawing implements 

 on the table before him, a cat sitting on one side, and a certain 

 portion of bread, butter, and a small mug of porter placed on 

 the other side, while four or five apprentices commonly made up 

 the circle, he amused himself with either whistling the favourite 

 air, or sometimes singing the old ballad of, 



' If .«l)e is not true to me, 

 ' What care I to whom she Ijc ? 

 ' \VI)at care I, what care I, to whom slie he?' 



and appeared, in this domestic group, contentedly happy. When 

 he occasionally sent for a workman, to give him necessary di- 

 rections concerning what he vvishcd to have done, he first showed 

 the recent finished plan, then explained the different parts of it, 

 and generally concluded by saying, with the greatest good hu- 

 mour, ' Now see, man, let us try to find fault with it;' and thus, 



by 



