C 54 ] 
Received January 14, 17 68 . 
VII. A Note concerning the Cold of 1740, 
and of this Tear . By J. Be vis, M \ D. 
F. R. S . 
Read March 3/jr Find in my journal of aRronomical ob- 
I/0 °* fervations made at Stoke Newington, 
in a detached or infulated obfervatory, whofe walls 
were of brick and two feet thick, that during moR 
part of the night of the 5th day of January 174®- the 
ink in my fhnd-difh would freeze in a few minutes, 
if brought within a foot of the wall ; and that the 
furface of the water wherein the ball of the plumb- 
line hung, for rectifying the pofition of my mural 
quadrant, was continually freezing, fo that I was 
obliged to thaw it frequently, by pouring in hot water; 
yet was there a good fire in the room all the night. 
At 5 in the morning, of the 6th,aFahrenheit’s thermo- 
meter, made by himfelf, expofed to the North, Rood 
fomewhat lower than 10, that is, more than 22 divi- 
fions below freezing. This was the coldeR night of 
that year there. 
This prefent year, in Brick-court, N° 1 , Middle Tem- 
ple, the fame thermometer, expofed out o’doors to the 
North, Rood loweRon New year’s day in the morning, 
to wit at 17, and once again at the Rime place ; but 
then Iamtoobferve that I am on that fide my chambers 
invironed with buildings almoR contiguous to the 
wall my inRrument is hung againR, wherein very pro- 
bably fires were kept up, which hindered the quick- 
fiiver from finking conRderably lower. 
J. Bevis. 
