Notice of some Mechanical Prodtictions of Ahv&hsim Sharp. 25 



Upon the whole, I apprehend we may fairly conclude, from 

 the observations of thirty-one years, that on or about the 25th 

 of December the barometer passes a maximum, and that this 

 maximum is above 29-500. This conclusion is strengthened 

 by the fact, that only two exceptions have been observed : a 

 low barometer on the 25th will consequently demand close 

 attention, and observations under such circumstances cannot 

 fail of possessing great interest. 



Should any of your readers be aware that between 1830 

 and 1840 depressions occurred on the 25th of December, a 

 notice of them would be valuable. 



I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, 



Your very obedient Servant, 

 2 Sidney Place, Cambridge Road, Bethnal Green. W. R. BiRT 



London, Dec. 5, 1846. 



VII. Relics of the Mecha^iical Productions o/'Abraham Sharp, 

 the assistant o/Tlamsteed. By the Rev. N. S. Heineken. 

 Gentlemen Sidmouth, November 23, 1846. 



AMONG my papers I have chanced to find one which I 

 had Intended some years since to forward for insertion in 

 the Philosophical Magazine, if upon perusal you deemed it 

 likely to interest any of your readers : again accidentally thrown 

 in my way, I transmit it to you, hoping that, notwithstanding 

 the interval which has passed, the statements therein made 

 may still be found to be correct. 



I am. Gentlemen, 



Respectfully yours, 



N. S. Heineken. 



It may perhaps be interesting to some of the readers of the 

 Philosophical Magazine, to be informed that several of the 

 mechanical productions of Abraham Sharp, the once cele- 

 brated assistant of Flamsteed, are still in existence and in 

 good preservation. My attention was directed to this subject 

 in consequence of observing his name mentioned in the review 

 of the Rev. W. Whewell's Flamsteed and Newton. Feeling 

 interested in everything which related to one so eminent in 

 his day, I endeavoured, while on a visit at Bradford (York- 

 shire), to obtain whatever information I could respecting the 

 papers and " reliques" of the once " indefatigable calculator," 

 and sought to procure some memento of him who is described 

 by his biographer as having " had a clear head for contriving 

 and a skilful hand for executing" any of the mechanical or 

 philosophical apparatus which he required. The result of my 

 in(]uiries I subjoin. 



The lathe, mentioned in tlie Encyclopcvdia I3ritannica{arUc\e 



