LIFE OP THE AUTHOR. 



left off drawing pictures, and employed myself in 

 the much pteasanter business of reading Lectures 

 on Mechanics, Hydrostatics, Hydraulics, Pneu- 

 matics, Electricity, and Astronomy : in all which, 

 my encouragement has been greater than I could 

 have expected. 



The best machine I ever contrived is the Eclip- 

 sareon, of which there is a figure in the 13th Plate 

 of my Astronomy. It shews the time, quantity, 

 duration, and progress of the solar eclipses, at all 

 parts of the earth. My next best contrivance is 

 the universal dialing cylinder, of which theie is u 

 figure in the 8th Plate of the Supplement to my 

 Mechanical Lectures. 



It is now thirty years since I came to London ; 

 and during all that time, I have met with the 

 highest instances of friendship from all ranks of 

 people both in town and country, which I here 

 acknowledge with the utmost respect and grati- 

 tude ; and particularly the goodness of our pre- 

 sent gracious Sovereign, who, out of his privy 

 purse, allows me fifty pounds a-year, which is 

 regularly paid without any deduction. 



AT the period when our Author concludes his 

 Memoir, he had acquired a large funded pro- 

 perty, and appeared likely to enjoy a considerable 

 share of that repose, which his previous labours 

 so justly merited. A series of misfortunes, how- 



