my self a great Harvest of new Circumstances, Persons, and Things from this Proposal; and a World, which many think they are well acquainted with, discovered as wholly new.  This Sort of Intelligence will give a lively Image of the Chain and mutual Dependance of humane Society, take off impertinent Prejudices, enlarge the Minds of those, whose Views are confined to their own Circumstances; and, in short, if the Knowing in several Arts, Professions, and Trades will exert themselves, it cannot but produce a new Field of Diversion, an Instruction more agreeable than has yet appeared.

T.

[Footnote 1:  If this means the Marquis of Worcester, the exact ascertainment of the longitude was not one of his century of Inventions.  The sextant had its origin in the mind of Sir Isaac Newton, who was knighted in 1705, and living at this time, but its practical inventor was Thomas Godfrey, a glazier at Philadelphia.  Godfrey’s instrument is said to have been seen by John Hadley, or that English philosopher, after whom the instrument is named, invented it at the same time, about 1730.  Honours of invention were assigned to both Godfrey and Hadley.  Means of exact observation of the heavenly bodies would not suffice for exact determining of longitude until the sailor was provided with a timepiece that could be relied upon in all climates for a true uniform standard of time.  The invention of such a time-piece, for which Parliament offered a reward of L20,000, was the real solution of the difficulty, and this we owe to the Yorkshireman John Harrison, a carpenter and son of a carpenter, who had a genius for clockmaking, and was stimulated to work at the construction of marine chronometers by living in sight of the sea.  He came to London in 1728, and after fifty years of labour finished in 1759 a chronometer which, having stood the test of two voyages, obtained for him the offered reward of L20,000.  Harrison died in 1776 at the age of 83.]

[Footnote 2:  [horrid]]

[Footnote 3:  [that]]

* * * * *

No. 429.  Saturday, July 12, 1712.  Steele.

  ’—­Populumque falsis dedocet uti
  Vocibus—­’

  Mr.  SPECTATOR,

Since I gave an Account of an agreeable Set of Company which were gone down into the Country, I have received Advices from thence, that the Institution of an Infirmary for those who should be out of Humour, has had very good Effects.  My Letters mention particular Circumstances of two or three Persons, who had the good Sense to retire of their own Accord, and notified that they were withdrawn, with the Reasons of it, to the Company, in their respective Memorials.

    The Memorial of Mrs.  Mary Dainty, Spinster,

    Humbly Sheweth,

    That conscious of her own want of Merit, accompanied with a Vanity
    of being admired, she had gone into Exile of her own accord.