The special object of this vast undertaking
was to improve the theory of the moon's motion, so that it might
serve more accurately to determine longitudes at sea. This
self-imposed task Halley lived to carry to a successful termination,
and the tables deduced from his observations, and published after his
death, were adopted almost universally by astronomers, those of the
French nation being the only exception.
Throughout his life Halley had been singularly free from illness of
every kind, but in 1737 he had a stroke of paralysis. Notwithstanding
this, however, he worked diligently at his telescope till 1739, after
which his health began rapidly to give way. He died on January 14th,
1742, in the eighty-sixth year of his age, retaining his mental
faculties to the end. He was buried in the cemetery of the church of
Lee in Kent, in the same grave as his wife, who had died five years
previously. We are informed by Admiral Smyth that Pond, a later
Astronomer Royal, was afterwards laid in the same tomb.
Halley's disposition seems to have been generous and candid, and
wholly free from anything like jealousy or rancour. In person he was
rather above the middle height, and slight in build; his complexion
was fair, and he is said to have always spoken, as well as acted,
with uncommon sprightliness.
Pages:
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209