426 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. work entitled " British Trigonometry, or the Doctrine of Triangles," 1633. He was pressed to the publication of it by various eminent persons, to whom he gave the fullest satisfaction, as well as to the literati in Holland, where it was reprinted, and received with great applause. During the same year, upon the publication of Mr. Thomas James's "Account of his Voyage for the Discovery of a North-west Passage, and Wintering in Hudson's Bay," his piece, entitled " An Appendix concerning Longitude," was annexed to the work. It was at that season very much admired, and, notwithstanding the great improvements that have been since made, it may even now be very justly styled a curious and a useful piece. It is commonly believed that Mr. Gellibrand was the first who discovered the variation of the magnetic needle, the truth of which is founded upon the credit of a very great man, who has positively affirmed it as a fact. Some are, however, disposed to doubt the correctness of his statement. Be this as it may, it is certain that he was deeply versed in the subject, and upon which he wrote a very learned book, entitled " ADiscourse Mathematical on the Variation of the Magnetic Needle: Together with theadmirable Dimi- nution lately Discovered," 1635. This work, styled very curious, has been, and ever will be, esteemedby competent judges.* He wrote several other pieces in his particular profession, which were published some before and some after his death, a list of which is given below. These ex- cellent productions of his pen added greatly to the reputa- tion which he had before obtained, and .raised very high expectations of his future greatness. There are others of his labours yet remaining in manuscript, which, it is said, are no way inferior, either in merit or importance, to those that are published. All these taken together fully shew that his diligence and application were equal to his sagacity and penetration, and that he did great honour to the learned college to which he belonged ; and.fully answered the hopes that were entertained of him, when his friends at the uni- versity recommended him ;hither, as one possessed of a great genius for mathematical learning, andwas willing that the world should enjoy the benefit of his studies. His situation in the college, where he had free converse with learned men, and made uncommon progress in his mathe- matical inquiries, gave him an opportunity, it is said, of Biog. Britan. vol. iv. p. 2189, 2452.
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