406 Additional Notes. 



the name of JMr. Hadley, and which is generally ascribed to him 

 as the inventor, was really invented by Mr. Thomas Godfrey, of 

 rhiladelphin. It will be proper, in this place, to give the reader 

 some account of Mr. Godfrey, and of the evidence on which the 

 above, assertion was made. 



llie fullest and most satisfactor)'- information on both these points, 

 which the author has been able to obtain, is presented in the fol- 

 lowing letters, extracted from the American MagazinCj for the 

 months of July and August, 1758. Two of tliese letters are 

 wTitten by James Logan, esq., the distinguished classic scholar 

 and botanist whose name has been mentioned in several parts of 

 this work. For furnishing him with accurate copies of these do- 

 cuments, the author is indebted to his friend Ebenezer Hazard, 

 esq., of Philadelphia, a gentleman who has been long distinguished 

 for his researches in various departments of American history, 

 and who has probably amassed a larger store of curious relics and 

 facts relating to tiiis extensive subject, than any other individual 

 in the United States. 



From the American Magazine for July, 1758, p. 475. * 

 To the Proprietors, ^c. 

 Gentlemen, 



All civilised states have thought it their honour to have men of 

 great ingenuity born or bred among tliem. Many cities of ancient 

 Greece had long and sharp contentions for the honour of Homer's 

 Jjirth-place. And in latter times volumes have been written in 

 Enrope, in disputing which city had tlie true claim to the inven- 

 tion of the art of printing. Nor is it to be wondered that man- 

 kind should be so generally eager in this respect, since nothing re^ 

 dound.s more to the honour of any state than to have it said that 

 fnme science of general utility to mankind v/as invented or im- 

 proved by them. Nevertheless it often happens that the true au- 

 thor of many a useful invention, either by accident or fraud, 

 Icses the credit thereof, and from age to age it passes in the name 

 of another. 'I'hus it happened, heretofore, to Columbus and 

 many others 3 and thus also it happened to a native of Pliila- 

 ddplud. 



Mr. Thomas Godfiey, it is well known to many of us here, 

 wiLs the real inventor of that ^ cry useful instrument called Had- 

 Jey's quadrant or octant. To him the merit is due, and to his 

 j)osterity the profit ought to belong. This will fully appear from 

 tlie three following genuine letters, which, I persuade myself, 

 you w'i'X tliink v. orthy of being recorded in your magazine, in 



