TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 4G5 



solved to proceed in the work at his own cost. Before 

 his decease, which happened on Dec. 31st, 1719, he had 

 completed that volume, having been occupied nearly nineteen 

 years in the prosecution of the work, struggling with difficul- 

 ties of various kinds, and thwarted and opposed in various 

 ways. It is to his perseverance and public spirit, supported 

 afterwards by the gratuitous exertions of Mr. Sharp and Mr. 

 Crosthwait, that we are indebted for the British Catalogue, 

 and for that vast mass of observations made at the Royal 

 Observatory, which are still of use in various branches of 

 astronomical research, and which will render his name illus- 

 trious as long as the science exists. 



The correspondence of Mr. Crosthwait relates principally to 

 the difficulties, impediments, and delays which still prevented 

 the work from being brought to a final conclusion ; and it may 

 be safely stated, that had it not been for the extraordinary 

 exertions of Mr. Sharp and Mr. Crosthwait, the whole would 

 never have been completed. The Catalogue was reexamined 

 and compared with the observations, and afterwards reprinted 

 with several amendments. The preface cost him much trouble: 

 it was required to be translated into Latin, but no one could 

 be found adequate to the task, though repeatedly attempted. 

 Mr. Pound undertook it, but eventually declined it ; and it 

 was at last accomplished by a Dissenting minister. The third 

 volume was at length finished, and the whole work published 

 in 1725, six years after Flamsteed's death. 



There remained now only the maps, the construction and en- 

 graving of which appear to have cost as much trouble and vex- 

 ation as the letter-press. Only one of them was finished (Orion) 

 when Flamsteed died. For the rest we are indebted to Mr. 

 Sharp, who constructed them anew, according to Flamsteed's 

 principles, from the Catalogue. Sir James Thornhill drew the 

 figures of the constellations, and recommended engravers for 

 the work ; but the charges of the English artists were consi- 

 dered so enormous, that Mr. Crosthwait went over to Holland 

 for the express purpose of engaging some of the best Dutch 

 engravers to complete the work. The vexatious delays which 

 necessarily occurred by adopting this method, its increased ex- 

 pense, and the constant attention requisite to prevent mistakes, 

 dispirited Mrs. Flamsteed, and a temporary stop was conse- 

 quently put to the work, although Mr. Sharp (now much ad- 

 vanced in years) and Mr. Crosthwait were willing to contiime 

 their services. At length, some English engravers being found 

 who offered to execute the maps at a more moderate expense, 

 the labours of these gentlemen were renewed, and continued till 



1833. 2 u 



