Mr. Lalande (in his _Astronomie_) has been careful to mention, that the celebrated astronomer Hevelius possessed a similar merit. He constructed, himself, the very large telescopes and other instruments, described (with plates) in his great work entitled, _Machina Cœlestis_, and with which he furnished the Observatory that he established at his own residence, in the year 1641. Hevelius (whose true name was John Hoelké.) was the son of a brewer; but was well educated. He was born at Dantzic the 28th of January, 1611: and after having made the tour of England, France and Germany, from 1630 to 1634, he was, on his return to his native city, occupied for some time in the affairs of that little republic; of which he officiated as consul, in 1651. He died on the anniversary of his birth-day, at the age of seventy-six years. ----- 1. An _Equal Altitude Instrument_—its telescope three and an half feet focal length, with two horizontal hairs, and a vertical one in its focus; firmly supported on a stone pedestal, and easily adjusted to a plummet-wire four feet in length, by two screws, one moving in a North and South, the other in an East and West direction. 2. A _Transit Telescope_, fixed in the meridian, on fine steel points; so that the hair in its focus could move in no other direction than along the meridian; in which were two marks, South and North, about 330 yards distance each; to which it could be readily adjusted in an horizontal position by one screw, as it could in a vertical position, by another. 3. An excellent _Time-piece_—having for its pendulum-rod a flat steel bar, with a bob weighing about twelve pounds, and vibrating in a small arch. This went eight days, did not stop when wound up, beat dead seconds, and was kept in motion by a weight of five pounds.[117] ----- Footnote 117: For some of the reasons which induced the writer to describe the instruments used on that occasion, see Note 125. -----