the 90th anniversary of his birthday (the actual anniversary was on July 27th).  None of his early friends were there:  he had survived them all.  But invitations were sent to all his scientific and private friends who could be expected to come, and a large party assembled.  The afternoon was very fine, and he sat in the garden and received his friends (many of whom had come from long distances) in good strength and spirits.  It was a most successful gathering and was not without its meaning; for it was felt that, under the circumstances of his failing powers, it was in all probability a final leave-taking.—­On July 27th he went down to the Greenwich Parish Church at 9 p.m., to be present at the illumination of the church clock face for the first time—­a matter of local interest which had necessitated a good deal of time and money.  On this occasion at the request of the company assembled in and around the Vestry he spoke for about a quarter of an hour on Time—­the value of accurate time, the dissemination of Greenwich time throughout the country by time-signals from the Observatory, and the exhibition of it by time-balls, &c., &c.,—­the subject to which so large a part of his life had been devoted.  It was a pleasant and able speech and gave great satisfaction to the parishioners, amongst whom he had lived for so many years.—­He received two illuminated addresses—­one from the Astronomer Royal and Staff of the Royal Observatory; the other from the Vorstand of the Astronomische Gesellschaft at Berlin—­and various private letters of congratulation.  The address from the Staff of the Observatory was worded thus:  “We, the present members of the Staff of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, beg to offer you our most sincere congratulations on the occasion of your 90th birthday.  We cannot but feel how closely associated we are with you, in that our whole energies are directed to the maintenance and development of that practical astronomical work, of which you essentially laid the foundation.  It affords us great pleasure to think that after the conclusion of your life’s work, you have been spared to live so long under the shadow of the noble Observatory with which your name was identified for half a century, and with which it must ever remain associated.”

After his return from Playford he seemed to rally a little:  but he soon fell ill and was found to be suffering from hernia.  This necessitated a surgical operation, which was successfully performed on Dec. 17th.  This gave him effectual relief, and after recovering from the immediate effects of the operation, he lay for several days quietly and without active pain reciting the English poetry with which his memory was stored.  But the shock was too great for his enfeebled condition, and he died peacefully in the presence of his six surviving children on Jan. 2nd, 1892.  He was buried in Playford churchyard on Jan. 7th.  The funeral procession was attended at Greenwich by the whole staff of the Royal Observatory, and by other friends, and at his burial there were present two former Fellows of the College to which he had been so deeply attached.