Proponimus itaque nos Africæ Promontorium Cap. Bonæ Spei, vel in Oceano Atlantico Sanctæ Helenæ Insulam, cumlocis in Europâ iis respondentibus, Satellitum Ope, ut docuimus, determinandis, in quibus istiusmodi Observationes commodissimè instituantur.
Upon the reading of these last Directions, Mr. Rook the Author of them being dead, I cannot forbear saying something of that excellent Man, which his incomparable Modesty would not have permitted me to write, if he had been living. He was indeed a Man of a profound Judgment, a vast Comprehension, prodigious Memory, solid Experience. His Skill in the Mathematicks was reverenc'd, by all the Lovers of those Studies; and his Perfection in many other Sorts of Learning deserves no less Admiration. But above all, his Knowledge had a right Influence on the Temper of his Mind, which had all the Humility, Goodness, Calmness, Strength, and Sincerity of a sound and unaffected Philosopher. This is spoken, not of one who liv'd long ago, in praising of whom it were easie to feign and to exceed the Truth, where no Man's Memory could confute me: but of one who is lately dead, who has many of his Acquaintance still living, that are able to confirm this Testimony, and to join with me, in delivering down his Name to Posterity, with this just Character of his Virtues. He died in the year sixty two, shortly after the Establishment of the Royal Society, whose Institution he had zealously promoted. And it was a deplorable Accident in his Death; that he deceas'd the very night which he had for some years expected, wherein to finish his accurate Observations on the Satellites of Jupiter: however this Treasure will not be lost, for the Society has
