[ 774 ] 
I was then going down the hill adjoining to the 
fouth fide of Hornfey-church, and was not a little 
furprifed to find myfelf fuddenly furrounded with a 
light equal to that of the full moon, though the 
moon (which was then four days old) had been 
let about fifty minutes. 
I fhould perhaps have feen this appearance fooner 
than I did, if I had not had a lanthorri with me. 
The difadvantage however, which this might be, was 
mote than balanced by the opportunity it gave of 
looking upon my watch, which a day or two be- 
fore was adjufled by a meridian line and an equation 
table. 
As foon as I perceived the fky fo flrongly illu- 
minated, I turned towards that part of the horizon, 
from whence, by the fhadows of objects, I concluded 
the light muff proceed, and had a diftind, though 
fhort, view of a ball of fire, which, when I fir ft faw 
it, appeared to be about J5 0 high, W. by N. Its 
defcent was not exadly perpendicular, but made 
an angle of about 8o° with the S. S. W. part 
of the horizon, moving from left to right, fo that 
when it went below the horizon, its bearing from me 
was W. N. W. 
It moved with great velocity, not continuing vifi- 
ble much longer than two feconds; though (the air 
being clear and favourable) I did not lofe fight of it 
till it defcended below the horizon. But fhort as 
this duration was, its fhape might be well difcerned. 
The diameter of the nucleus or head of the meteor 
appeared to be equal to the femi- diameter of the me- 
ridional full moon, and the tail, which terminated 
in a point, feemed not longer than twice the dia- 
meter of the nucleus. See Tab. XXXI. where 
