re was a controversy about the revelations made in this work; but as the
eccentric anomalies took no part in it, there is nothing for my purpose.
The following valentine from Mrs. Flamsteed,[672] which I found among
Baily's papers, illustrates some of the points:

"3 Astronomers' Row, Paradise: February 14, 1836.

"Dear Sir,--I suppose you hardly expected to receive a letter from me,
dated from this place; but the truth is, a gentleman from our street was
appointed guardian angel to the American Treaty, in which there is some
astronomical question about boundaries. He has got leave to go back to
fetch some instruments which he left behind, and I take this opportunity of
making your acquaintance. That America has become a wonderful place since I
was down among you; you have no idea how grand the fire at New York {311}
looked up here. Poor dear Mr. Flamsteed does not know I am writing a letter
to a gentleman on Valentine's day; he is walked out with Sir Isaac Newton
(they are pretty good friends now, though they do squabble a little
sometimes) and Sir William Herschel, to see a new nebula. Sir Isaac says he
can't make out at all how it is managed; and I am sure I cannot help him. I
never bothered my head about those things down below, and I don't intend to
begin here.

"I have just received the news of your having written a book about my poor
dear man. It's a chance that I heard it at all; for the truth is, the
scientific gentlemen are somehow or other become so wicked, and go so
little to church, that very few of them are considered fit company for this
place. If it had not been for Dr. Brinkley,[673] who came here of course, I
should not have heard about it. He seems a nice man, but is not yet used to
our ways. As to Mr. Halley,[674] he is of course not here; which is lucky
for him, for Mr. Flamsteed swore the moment he caught him in a place where
there are no magistrates, he would make a sacrifice of him to heavenly
truth. It was very generous in Mr. F. not appearing against Sir Isaac when
he came up, for I am told that if he had, Sir Isaac would not have been
allowed to come in at all. I should have been sorry for that, for he is a
companionable man enough, only holds his head rather higher than he should
do. I met him the other day walking with Mr. Whiston,[675] and disputing
about the deluge. 'Well, Mrs. Flamsteed,' says he, 'does old Poke-the-Stars
understand gravitation yet?' Now you must know that is rather a sor