One of the books which he read
at this time directed his attention to astronomical instruments, and
he was thus led to construct for himself a quadrant, by which he
could take some simple astronomical observations. He further
calculated a table to give the sun's altitudes at different hours,
and thus displayed those tastes for practical astronomy which he
lived to develop so greatly. It appears that these scientific
studies were discountenanced by his father, who designed that his son
should follow a business career. Flamsteed's natural inclination,
however, forced him to prosecute astronomical work, notwithstanding
the impediments that lay in his path. Unfortunately, his
constitutional delicacy seems to have increased, and he had just
completed his eighteenth year, "when," to use his own words, "the
winter came on and thrust me again into the chimney, whence the heat
and the dryness of the preceding summer had happily once before
withdrawn me. But, it not being a fit season for physic, it was
thought fit to let me alone this winter, and try the skill of another
physician on me in the spring."
It appears that at this time a quack named Valentine Greatrackes, was
reputed to have effected most astonishing cures in Ireland merely by
the stroke of his hands, without the application of any medicine
whatever.
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