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view the tranfit of Venus laft June. None of thefe 
accounts are circumftantial enough to afcertain the 
neceffary particulars of magnitude, height, and velo- 
city. All I can collect from them is, that the height 
muft have been very great, and confequently the ex- 
plofion very great likewife, to produce fuch a report 
in a highly rarified medium. 
Allow me, Sir, the honour of fubfcribing myfelf, 
with very great refped. 
Your mod obedient 
Cambridge, Ncw-England, Humble iervant, 
November 17, 1761. 
John Winthrop. 
Account of Three Meteors fecn in North- 
America. 
Read^une7, L^NN the 3d of June 1739, as I was 
walking over the common in this 
town [Cambridge] about 10 o’clock in the evening, 
the Moon, which was newly pad: the fird quarter, 
fhining bright, and but few clouds to be feen, I was 
on a fudden furprifed with four or fiveflalhes of light, 
fucceeding each other as quick as poffible. This I at 
hrft took to be lightening} but, looking up, presently 
difcovered the caufe of it, which was a large Meteor 
moving almod in the meridian from South to North. 
The body of it was very bright, and left behind it 
feveral 
