a Memoirs of the Life and Works 
clination led him to pursue; he therefore applied to the 
study of it, and in a few months became master of the 
elements of geometry and algebra. This success was an 
earnest of that distinction to which he afterwards rose ia 
the knowledge of plane astronomy, and the deeper parts of 
physical. About this time he went to Cambridge, where 
he was first admitted at Catherine Hall, and afterwards re- 
moved to Trinity College, and he there greatly distinguished 
himself at his examination for his Bachelor’s degree. 
In 1755 he accepted a curacy in the neighbourhood of 
London, at which he resided during some years, devoting all 
his leisure to his favourite study. He now became inti- 
mate with the great astronomer Bradley, whom he assisted 
in making many important calculations. In 1756 he be- 
came fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and the fol- 
Jowing year fellow of the Royal Society of London. - 
But his astronomical career may properly be said to 
commence in 1761, when he was chosen to go to St. He- 
Jena to observe the transit of Venus. And to obtain further 
advantage from this voyage, he proposed to the Royal So- 
ciety to make observations on the parallax of Sirius. La 
Caille had frequently observed this fine star at the Cape of 
Good Hope; and calculating these observations, Dr. Masker 
lyne thought he perceived a parallax of 45 the result of 
which made the distance of Sirius from the earth much 
less than it is usually considered. Nevertheless, though he 
did ample justice to our celebrated astronomer, and to the 
excellent work containing his observations ; yet he remarked 
with truth, that these observations, made with another 
view, were neither sufficiently numerous, nor attended by 
circumstances suitable to verify the parallax; and the varia- 
tions observed, though sufficiently regular in general, might 
in part arise from inevitable errors in the observations, 
The Abbé La Caille, hearing of Maskelyne’s undertaking, 
wrote to Warton, their common friend, recommending 
him to make observations on the meridian passages of the 
moon, in order to verify the parallax of this heavenly body, 
in the determination of which he had, himself, been en- 
gaged at the Cape of Good Hope. He also sent him a 
Jist of the observations be thought most useful, thus giving 
a striking proof of that Jove of truth which he always made 
his first object, 
Dr. Maskelyne, on his part, had taken similar precau- 
tions ; and, without knowing he was anticipated, sent to the 
French astronomers a list of the observations he recom- 
mended. Cloudy weather prevented the observation of the 
transit 
