ASTRONOMY IN WANSTEAD.
157
In token of the high esteem and honour in which he was held,
we find that in August, 1721, when the Savilian Professorship of
Astronomy in the University of Oxford became vacant by the death
of Dr. Keill, Lord Chancellor Parker was desirous of appointing Dr.
Pound, considering him "the fittest man perhaps in Europe," but
the offer was declined by the doctor, as it would have involved the
giving up of his quiet life and Church prefermeat.
Though other applicants came forward, the Rev. Tames Bradley,
his sister's child, was ultimately appointed Professor. He, for some
years, had been helping his uncle in observations, had caught his
enthusiasm, and spent most of his time at Wanstead ; helping even
in clerical work, so as to be resident here. No doubt his appoint-
ment was greatly helped by a letter of Martin Foulkes (afterwards
President of the Royal Society) to Archbishop Wake, dated 4th
September, 1721, in which he says : "He has lived for some years
with his uncle, Mr. Pound, of Wanstead, where he has had great
opportunities of joining to his theory the practical part of astronomy,
in which he has made himself very eminent, having prepared for the
press accurate tables of the satellites of Jupiter, with some other
curious pieces ; and I am satisfied his being Professor will do honour
and service to the science. I shall only take the liberty of adding,
that he is perfectly approved, and will be entirely recommended by
Sir Isaac Newton, whom your Grace knows for the great judge of this
sort of learning."
The Bradleys came of an old family, settled as far back as the
fourteenth century at Bradley Castle, Durham. A branch of these
settled near Cirencester; one of the descendants, William Bradley,
was married in 1678 to Jane Pound, and James Bradley, namesake
of his uncle, was their third son. He was born at Sherbourne,
Gloucester, about 1692. After instruction at the Northleach
Grammar School, he went to Balliol College, Oxford, 15th March,
1710-11, being then (according to the matriculation books) in his
eighteenth year. He became B.A. in 1714, and M.A. 1717. In
this year he caught the small-pox, and it was Dr. Pound who then
took care of him.
The earliest of Bradley's recorded observations are dated 1715
(age twenty-three), and in the Phil. Trans., xxx , Halley published
two of Bradley's, made in 1717 and 1718. He then describes him
(p. 853) as "eruditus juvenis, qui simul ingenio et industria pollens
his studiis promovendis aptissimus natus est" ; and again in the vol.