GEEENWICH OBSERVATORY. 279 



given to it. Sir James Moore and Sir Christopher Wren pointed out the site of this fortress to 

 Charles II. as the best place for the construction of an observatory. The old feudal tower was 

 therefore pulled down, and over its remains was raised an edifice dedicated to the contemplation 

 of the stars. 



" The building was scarcely finished ere Flamsteed was installed in it, with the title of 

 Astronomer Royal, and an emolument of 100 a year. He presided over the new establishment 

 for more than half a century, and spent more than 2,000 of his own money. His works will 

 always be looked upon in England as the starting point of modern astronomy. He may be 

 deemed the founder of Greenwich observatory. His successors were Halley, Bradley, Nathaniel 

 Bliss, and Dr. Nevil Maskelyn, the author of four volumes, of which it is said by Delampre, 

 ' that if, in consequence of some great revolution every record of science had been lost, with the 

 exception of this collection, in it would be found materials quite sufficient for building up again 

 the science of modern astronomy/ Maskelyn was followed by John Pond, who died in 18-35 ; 

 his place is now supplied by Mr. Airy. 



" The Astronomer Royal is nominated by the First Lord of the Treasury, and performs 

 his functions under the warrant of the great seal of state ; his salary is fixed at 800 per 

 annum. One of his principal duties is to preserve for Greenwich observatory that character 

 which the founder himself wished to impress upon it. The Astronomer Royal is therefore 

 bound by the express terms of his commission, ' fo devote himself with the greatest care to 

 correcting the tables of the celestial movements, and to determine the positions of the fixed 

 stars, in order to furnish the long-desired means of discovering the longitude at sea, and of 

 thus bringing to perfection the art of navigation/ It is also necessary that he should reside 

 in the observatory, and devote all his time to the duties of his office, never absenting himself 

 for any long period without having previously obtained the sanction of the Lords of the 

 Admiralty. 



" Consulted as he is by various branches of the Government, he is able to render assistance 

 to the public service by his advice and information, well assured that he himself can never be 

 affected by any of the changes in official power, or by any of the results of political conflict. 

 His residence has a garden attached to it, which is parted off: from the grounds of the park, and 

 well planted with fruit-trees. He has under his control eight assistants, and ordinarily six 

 computers. 



" It is curious to see these computers in their two offices, one situated on the ground floor 

 near the study of the Astronomer Royal, and the other isolated in one of the quietest parts of 

 the observatory, all sedately occupied in reckoning up, from morning to night, dull columns of 

 figures. 



" Before describing what Greenwich observatory is, it would be better perhaps to state first 

 what it is not,. It relinquishes to other inquirers the task of discovering spots in the sun and 

 mountains in the moon. The observations of the assistants are not directed either to the figures 

 of the planets or to the extraordinary movements of the double stars, revolving one round the 

 other in the depths of the firmament, or the mysteries of the nebula?. What a firmness of 

 character, what a truly English strength of will have these observers shown, in voluntarily 

 drawing a veil over some of the most splendid wonders of the heavens ! At the time of John 

 Pond, a telescope twenty feet in length had been erected in the establishment at great expense, 



