SOS 



BRADLEY. 



Bradley, which Bradley had already s-hewn for his favourite 

 * science, and the talents which he had already dis- 

 played in the pursuit of it, introduced him to the 

 notice of the honourable Mr Molyneux, then secre- 

 tary to the Pnnce c.f Wales, and distinguished for 

 his successful cultivation of the sciences of optics and 

 astronomy. This patron of learning was not satis- 

 fied with paying to our young astronomer that ge- 

 neral and unsubstantial attention, which checks of- 

 tener than it invigorates the blossom of youthful ge- 

 nius, lie saw that science could only be cultivated 

 with success, when the mind was free from the anxie- 

 ties of dependent circumstances, and he exerted him- 

 self, with zeal, in procuring for Bradley the sine- 

 cure rectory of Landowy Welfry, in Pembrokeshire, 

 to which he was admitted in 1719. 



The taste for astronomy which Bradley had che- 

 rished from his earliest years, was encouraged by the 

 instructions of his maternal uncle, the Rev. Dr 

 Pound, who is well known as an astronomical obser- 

 ver, aiid who resided at his living of Wanstead in 

 EdseXj where his nephew was for some time curate. 



It was in this scientific retreat, during the intervals 

 which he stole frjin his professional avocations, that 

 our author commenced those astronomical observations 

 which afterwards conducted him to some of the finest 

 discoveries of which astronomy can boast ; and though 

 at this early period he exhibited no other merit but 

 that of an accurate observer, he was honoured with 

 the notice of the Lord Chancellor Macclesfied, Sir 

 Isaac Newton, Dr Halley, and of many of the illus- 

 trious men who were at that time the ornaments of 

 the Royal Society. 



In consequence of the death of Dr Keill, he was 

 appointed Savilian Professor of Astronomy in the 

 university of Oxford, on the 31st October 1721 ; and 

 thus had the felicity of being associated with the il- 

 iustrious Dr Halley, who was at that time Savilian 

 Professor of Geometry. In this new situation, Brad- 

 ley seems to have abandoned all views of ecclesiasti- 

 cal preferment. He saw that his fame was now to 

 depend on his astronomical labour. , and perceiving 

 that his progress would be retarded by the duties of 

 a profession, which it would be sinful to neglect, he 

 cheerfully resigned all his livings in the church, and 

 bent the undivided vigour of his mind to the cultiva- 

 tion of his favourite science. 



In the year 1724, he communicated to the Royal 

 Society his observations on the comet of 1723 ; and 

 in 1726, his observations on some eclipses of Jupi- 

 ter's satellites were laid before the same learned 

 body ; but none of these papers were distinguished 

 by any other merit but the accuracy with which the 

 observations were made. 



About the end of 1725, when on a visit to Mr 

 Molyneux at Kew, Mr Bradley's attention was di- 

 rected to the subject of the parallax of the fixed 

 stars, by which he was led to his two brilliant dis- 

 coveries of the aberration of the celestial bodies, and 

 the nutation of the earth's axis. The theory of the 

 aberration of the fixed stars, of which we have al- 

 ready given a very full account under the article 

 ABERRATION, was published in the Transactions of 

 the Royal Society for 1728, and extended the fame 

 of Bradley, not only as an accurate observer, but as 



a profound philosopher, over the whole of Eu- 

 rope. 



In the year 1730, Mr Bradley was appointed to suc- 

 ceed MrWhiteside as lecturer in astronomy and expe- 

 rimental philosophy in the university of Oxford, an 

 office which he held during the remainder of his life; 

 and in 17'>7, he published his observations on the co- 

 met which appeared at the beginning of that year. 

 From the situation which our author held at Oxford, 

 he was intimately acquainted with Dr Halley, who 

 soon perceived and appreciated the excellence of 

 his character, and the extent of his attainments. 

 Worn out with the labours of study, and sensible 

 that his health was rapidly declining, this veteran 

 philosopher was solicitous that Dr Bradley should 

 succeed him as astronomer royal at Greenwich, 

 a situation for which he was, above all others, 

 so eminently qualified. He accordingly made fre- 

 quent applications for the reversion of this office to 

 his young friend, and even offered to resign it in his 

 favour, if such a step were necessary to his success. 

 Death, however, put an end to the friendly solicita- 

 tions of this venerable man, before they had been 

 crowned with success ; but through the influence of 

 the Earl of Macclesfield, the president of the Royal 

 Society, Bradley was appointed to the office of astro- 

 nomer royal in 1742; an appointment which the uni- 

 versity of Oxford very properly distinguished, by 

 conferring upon Bradley the degree of doctor in di- 

 vinity. 



In the year 1744, Dr Bradley married Mrs Susan- 

 nah Peach, the daughter of Samuel Peach, Esq. of 

 Chalford in Gloucestershire. The result of this mar- 

 riage was only one daughter, who survived her father. 



In the course of his observations on the declina- 

 tions of the fixed stars, Dr Bradley was led, in 1745, 

 to the discovery of the nutation of the earth's axis, of 

 which he communicated a detailed account to the Royal 

 Society, in 1747, in a letter addressed to the Earl 

 of Macclesfield. In this admirable letter, which is 

 equally remarkable for its philosophical precision, and 

 for the simplicity and modesty with which it is writ- 

 ten, Dr Bradley takes an opportunity of expressing 

 the obligations which he lay under to Mr George 

 Graham, by whom his instruments were principally 

 made; and we cannot help contrasting his conduct, in 

 this respect, with that of many modern mathemati- 

 cians, who are too apt to overlook the high claim to 

 reputation, which the makers of philosophical instru- 

 ments most undoubtedly possess. " I am sensible," 

 says Dr Bradley, " that if my own endeavours have, 

 i.i any respect, been effectual to the advancement of 

 astronomy, it has principally been owing to the ad- 

 vice and assistance given me by Mr George Graham, 

 whose great skill and judgment in mechanics, joined 

 with a complete and practical knowledge of the uses 

 of astronomical instruments, enable him to contrive 

 and execute them in the most perfect manner." 

 The important discovery of the nutation of the earth's 

 axis, was rewarded with the gold medal, which was 

 annually given by the Society. 



From the numerous observations which Dr Brad- 

 ley had now made, he became more and more sensible 

 of the necessity of having instruments even more accu- 

 rate than those which he had used ; for, to use his own 



