, a very eminent English astronomer, was born of reputable parents
, a very eminent English astronomer, was born of reputable parents at Denby in Derbyshire, Aug. 19, 1646. He was educated at the free-school
of Derby, where his father lived; and at fourteen was
visited with a severe fit of sickness, which being followed
by other distempers, operating upon a very delicate constitution, prevented his going to the university, as was
designed. He was taken from school in 1662, and within
* month or two after had Sacrobosco’s book “De Sphscra,
”
put into his hand, which he set himself to read without any
director. This accident, and the leisure that attended it,
laid the groundwork of all that mathematical and astronomical knowledge, for which he became afterwards so justly
celebrated. He had already perused a great deal of
history, ecclesiastical, as well as civil: but astronomy was
entirely new to him, and he found great pleasure in it.
Having translated as much from Sacrobosco, as he thought
necessary, he proceeded to make dials by the direction of
such ordinary books as he could get together; and having
changed a volume of astrology, found among his father’s
books, for Mr. Street’s Caroline Tables, he undertook to
calculate the places of the planets, but found very little
help from that concise author.