10 



MATHEMATICAL and 



city, together with fitting up the inftruments belonging to 

 the Honorable the Proprietaries of the province, 'uiz. the 

 equal Altitude and Tranfit Jnjlrufnent-, and the large aftro- 

 nornical Se£lor^ nothing would be wanting for the City 

 Obfewatory in the State-Houfe Square, but a good Time 

 Piece, which was eafily to be procured. 



We remained however ftill at a lofs, how to furnifh the 

 Norriton Ohfervatory. But even this difficulty gradually 

 vanifhed. Early in September^ 1768, foon after the no- 

 mination of our Committees^ I received a letter from that 

 worthy and honorable Gentleman, Thomas Penny Efq. 

 one of the Proprietaries of this Province, which he wrote 

 at the defire of the Rev. Mr. Majkelyne^ Aftronomer Roy- 

 al, expreffing their defire, " That we would exert our- 

 *« felves in obfervlng the Tranfit, for which our fituation 

 " would be fo favourable;" and inclofing fome copies of 

 Mr. Ma{lielyne\ printed diredions for that purpofe. 



This gave me an opportunity, which I immediately em- 

 braced, of acquainting Mr. Penn what preparations we 



had already made; and what encouragement the Aflem- 

 bly had given in voting One Hundred Pounds Sterling, for 

 the purchafe of one refleaing Telefcope and Micrometer, 

 for the City Obfervatory ; but that we fhould be at a great 

 lofs for a telefcope of the like conftrudion for the Norri^ 

 ton Obfervatory-, and requefting him to order a RejleBor of 

 two, or two and an half feet, with Dollond\ Micrometer, 

 to be got ready as foon as poflible in London. It was not 

 lono- before I had the pleafure to hear that Mr. Penn had 

 ordered fuch a Telefcope, which came to hand about the 

 middle of May, with a moft obliging letter, expreffing 

 the fatisfadion he had in hearing of the fpirit fliewn at 

 Philadelphia-, for obferving this curious Phocnomenon 



when it fliould happen; and concluding as follows ■ 



" I have fcnt by Captain Sparks., a refleding Telefcope 

 ^' with Dollond\ Micrometer, exad to your requeft, which 

 " I hope will come fafe to hand. After making your ob- 

 " fervation with it, I defire you will prefent it, in my 



" name 



^^iJiT-XT^f 



