ASTRONOMY IN WANSTEAD. 163
exhibited by the Society at the Special Loan Collection of Scientific
Apparatus, held at South Kensington in 1876, together with a
wooden model of the stage, designed by Dr. De la Rue in 1855.
Amongst other early telescopes then on loan were two small ones
constructed by Galileo in 1609, with object-glasses respectively of 40
and 50 mm. in diameter. With these he made his most important
discoveries. They were lent for the occasion by the Royal Institute
of Florence.
Another interesting exhibit was the first reflecting telescope,
designed and made by Sir Isaac Newton in 1671, who subsequently
presented it to the Royal Society. It is a tiny instrument with a
cardboard tube, about seven inches in length, and an ebony eye-
piece. It has a focal length of 61/3 inches, and a magnifying power
of only 38 diameters,
[The Rev. W. C. Howell, M.A., has communicated a copy of the note of the
observation of y Draconis, made by Bradley at Kew, with the Zenith Sector of
Molyneux, on the 21st of December, 1725 ; the discordance of which with the
results of previous observations revealed to him the first glimpse of his immortal
discovery of the Aberration of Light, alluded to by Mr. Crouch in the above
paper. This note was found by the late Prof. Rigaud among the MSS. of
Bradley, written upon a loose piece of paper :—
[With reference to the above note by Mr. Howell, Mr. Crouch has added the
following to the proof:—