n in my flesh, and I may say I am attended with a
complication of disorders, at this present writing, so that
I cannot with any pleasure or delight, gratify your
curiosity in that particular, at this present time, yet I
say my will is good to oblige you, if I had it in my power,
because you gave me good advice, and edifying language, in
that piece of poetry which you was pleased to present unto
me, and I can but love and thank you for the same; and if
ever it should be in my power to be serviceable to you, in
any measure, your reasonable requests, shall be armed with
the obedience of,

"Your sincere friend and well-wisher,
"BENJAMIN BANNEKER.

"MRS. SUSANNA MASON.

"N.B. The above is mean writing, done with trembling hands.
B.B."

With the use of Mayer's Tables, Ferguson's Astronomy, and Leadbeater's
Lunar Tables, Banneker had made wonderful progress in his astronomical
investigations. He prepared his first almanac for publication in 1792.
Mr. James McHenry became deeply interested in him, and, convinced of
his talent in this direction, wrote a letter to the firm of Goddard &
Angell, publishers of almanacs, in Baltimore. They became the sole
publishers of Banneker's almanacs till the time of his death. In an
editorial note in the first almanac, they say,--

"They feel gratified in the opportunity of presenting to the
public, through their press, what must be considered as an
extraordinary effort of genius; a complete and accurate
Ephemeris for the year 1792, calculated by a sable
descendant of Africa," etc.

And they further say,--

"That they flatter themselves that a philanthropic public,
in this enlightened era, will be induced to give their
patronage and support to this work, not only on account of
its intrinsic merits, (it having met the approbation of
several of the most distinguished astronomers of America,
particularly the celebrated Mr. Rittenhouse,) but from
similar motives to those which induced the editors to give
this calculation the preference,--the ardent desire of
drawing modest merit from obscurity, and controverting the
long-established illiberal prejudice against the blacks."

The title of his almanac is given below as a matter of historic
interest.

"Benjamin Banneker's Pennsylvan