Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Mr. William Whiston Volume 1; Containing, Memoirs of Several of His Friends Also

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1749 Excerpt: ...reprinted, and made The Second Appendix to my Historical Preface, when it was become the real Preface to my first Volume, which was published a little before the End oPtbat Year, thither I refer the Reader. N. B. I also read about a Year other publick Lectures, after those before-mentioned, and before my Banishment from the University: Which contained an Account of all the ancient Eclipses of the Sun and Moon, that have been preserved to us, io the very-Words of the original Historians. A Copy of whjch Lectures was reposited in the Archives of that University. Which Lectures were afterward printed, and ought to be added at the End of some of the fore-mentioned Astronomical, or Physico Mathematical Lectures. The Reader is also to observe, that I intended the Copernious, an Astronomical Instrument by me then first invented, and afterwards published, for the Examination of all those, and indeed of all the ancient Eclipses, that could possibly be seen in any Parts of the World, of which we have any ancieHt Histories preferv'd, and this with much greater Ease, tho' not with quite the Exactness, than formerly by the usual tedious Calculations; that so no Historians or Chonologers might ever be at a Loss hereafter, for the Circumstances of such Eclipses as are mentioned by any ancient Author whomsoN 3' ever. ever. Accordingly I calculated by it the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon for four several Periods of Eclipses,/, e. for four i8y. nd. yh. 43m. atthe Distance each from other of 800 years, i, e. for 418 to 400 Years before; and 400 to 418, and for 1200 to 1218 years after the Christian Æra: Besides those in my own Time from 1700 to 1718. A Table of which Eclipses, 250 in Number, I have now by me not yet published; but which ought to be added to the future Add...