down a memorandum, fetch and carry
instruments, or measure the ground with poles, etc., etc., of which
something of the kind every moment would occur. For the assiduity
with which the measurements on the diameter of the _Georgium Sidus_,
and observations of other planets, double stars, etc., etc., were
made, was incredible, as may be seen by the various papers that were
given to the Royal Society in 1783, which papers were written in the
daytime, or when cloudy nights interfered. Besides this, the
twelve-inch speculum was perfected before the spring, and many hours
were spent at the turning-bench, as not a night clear enough for
observing ever passed but that some improvements were planned for
perfecting the mounting and motions of the various instruments then
in use, or some trials were made of new constructed eye-pieces,
which were mostly executed by my brother's own hands. Wishing to
save his time, he began to have some work of that kind done by a
watchmaker who had retired from business and lived on Datchet
Common; but the work was so bad, and the charges so unreasonable,
that he could not be employed. It was not till some time afterwards,
in his frequent visits to the meetings of the Royal Society (made in
moonlight nights), that he had an opportunity of looking about for
mathematical workmen, opticians, and founders. But the work seldom
answered expectation, and it was kept, to be executed with
improvements by ALEXANDER during the few months he spent with us.

"The summer months passed in the most active preparation for getting
the large twenty-foot ready against the next winter. The carpenters
and smiths of Datchet were in daily requisition, and, as soon as
patterns for tools and mirrors were ready, my brother went to town
to have them cast, and, during the three or four months ALEXANDER
could be absent from Bath, the mirrors and optical parts were nearly
completed.

"But that the nights after a day of toil were not given to rest, may
be seen by the observations on _Mars_, of which a paper, dated
December 1, 1783, was given to the Royal Society. Some trouble,
also, was often thrown away, during those nights, in the attempt to
teach me to remeasure double stars with the same micrometers with
which former measures had been taken, and the small twenty-foot was
given me for