A HISTORY OF SCIENCE 



to the eastward of London, it appeared a little to the 

 westward of the south, suppose south by west, and 

 was seen about thirty degrees high, sliding obliquely 

 downward. I was shown in both places the situation 

 thereof, which was as described, but could wish some 

 person skilled in astronomical matters had seen it, 

 that we might pronounce concerning its height with 

 more certainty. Yet, as it is, we may securely conclude 

 that it was not many more miles westerly than Red- 

 grove, which, as I said before, is about forty miles more 

 easterly than London. Suppose it, therefore, where 

 perpendicular, to have been thirty-five miles east from 

 London, and by the altitude it appeared at in London 

 viz., fifty degrees, its tangent will be forty- two miles, 

 for the height of the meteor above the surface of the 

 earth; which also is rather of the least, because the 

 altitude of the place shown me is rather more than 

 less than fifty degrees; and the like may be concluded 

 from the altitude it appeared in at Redgrove, near 

 seventy miles distant. Though at this very great 

 distance, it appeared to move with an incredible 

 velocity, darting, in a very few seconds of time, for 

 about twelve degrees of a great circle from north to 

 south, being very bright at its first appearance; and 

 it died away at the east of its course, leaving for some 

 time a pale whiteness in the place, with some remains 

 of it in the track where it had gone; but no hissing 

 sound as it passed, or bounce of an explosion were 

 heard. 



"It may deserve the honorable society's thoughts, 

 how so great a quantity of vapor should be raised to 

 the top of the atmosphere, and there collected, so 



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