Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 054.pdf/244

 view the transit of Venus last June. None of these accounts are circumstantial enough to ascertain the necessary particulars of magnitude, height, and velocity. All I can collect from them is, that the height must have been very great, and consequently the explosion very great likewise, to produce such a report in a highly rariﬁed medium.

Allow me, Sir, the honour of subscribing myself, with very great respect,

Your most obedient

Humble servant,

John Winthrop. 

the 3d of June 1739, as I was walking over the common in this town [Cambridge] about 10 o’Clock in the evening, the Moon, which was newly past the first quarter, shining bright, and but few clouds to be seen, I was on a sudden surprised with four or ﬁve ﬂashes of light, succeeding each other as quick as possible. This I at first took to be lightening; but, looking up, presently discovered the cause of it, which was a large Meteor moving almost in the meridian from South to North. The body of it was very bright, and left behind it