By T. S. Maskelyne. 



133 



the stars omitted in Flamsteed's catalogue ; and she alludes to 

 many kind invitations to go to Greenwich, though she only once 

 paid a visit of a week there, occupying her time almost excusively 

 in astronomical work. Dr. Maskelyne showed his esteem and 

 appreciation of her services by having her " Index to Flamsteed's 

 Observation* " printed, and by making her a present of a binocular 

 and night-glass, for which service and honour she thanks him 

 warmly in letters, dated Slough, September, 1798, and January, 

 1800. 



He had been Astronomer Royal for seventeen years before any 

 mention is made of his meeting W. Herschel (at Bath), and it was 

 not till a year later (in 1782) that Herschel took his telescope to 

 Greenwich, and compared it with the greatly inferior instruments 

 which were, at that time, all Dr. Maskelyne had to work with, 

 and Herschel, in a letter to his sister, says that " Dr. Maskelyne in 

 public declared his obligation to me for introducing the high powers." 



Although a close prisoner to his work at the observatory he spent 

 part of every year at his Purton home (which he inherited on the 

 death of his brother), and his notebooks show the interest he took 

 in his country affairs — one note of more general interest than the 

 rest being, after a meeting of the county of Wilts to augment the 

 militia, April 14th, 1794, he " ordered Messrs. Coutts to subscribe 

 20 guineas for me at Messrs. Hoare's." 



He died the 9th February, 1811, aged 79 years, at the observatory, 

 having been Astronomer Royal forty- seven years, and was buried 

 in Purton Church, leaving an only child, Margaret, who subse- 

 quently married Mr. Anthony M. R. Story, afterwards (in 1845) 

 Story-Maskelyne. 



The portrait of Dr. Maskelyne, presented by his widow to the 

 Royal Society, was painted by Yanderpuyl in 1785. 1 



The crayon portrait at Basset Down, executed in 1804, together 



1 Said to have been painted by Vanderburgh — but the name is spelled 

 Vanderpuyl in Dr. Maskelyne's account books ; he gave £25 10.?. to the artist 

 for the portrait and frame on 19th November, 1785, and the same sum for a 

 portrait of his wife on May 24th, 1786. 



