KGM6 The Children of Rev John Mudge and his 3 wives from the Memoirs 1883

The Children of Rev John Mudge and his 3 wives  from the Memoirs 1883

JOHN, son of Zachariah and Mary Mudge, b. 1721; d. 1793; ni. 1st, Mary Bulteel, d. 1760. 

1. John b. 1742.  d  1760

2. Thomas b. 1743 ; d. 1782. 

3. Mary b. 1746.     

4. Charles b 1747 d. 1775.

5. Ann         bap. 1748; d. 1783.      m Rev James Yonge

6. Elizabeth bap. 1751.      

7. Kitty bap. 1758; d. 1789               m William Rosdew

 m. 2nd, Jane d. 1766. 

1. Jane b. 1761 ; d. 1818.  m  Richard Rosdew

2. William b. 1762 ; d. 1820.  m  Margaret Williamson

m. 3rd, Elizabeth Garrett d. 1808.

1. John b. 1768 ; d. 1793. 

2. Zachariah b. 1770; d. 1852.    m  Jane Granger d 1834

3. Elizabeth b. 1771; d. 1808.    m  Major Sir Richard Fletcher RE

4. Mary b. 1772. 

5. Charles Paul b. 1775 ; d. 1797. 

There were 15 recorded births over 33 years!  

 

1.5.   THOMAS, son of Rev. Zachariah and Mary Mudge, b. 1717; d. November 14th, 1794. Watchmaker. Married Abigail Hopkins in 1757, daughter of a gentleman in Oxford; she died in 1789. 

There was a John Hopkins who was a grocer in Oxfordshire, and in all likelihood, Abigail and Mary were sisters.

The Life and Times of Thomas Mudge from the Memoirs written in 1883

1.5 THOMAS MUDGE the second son of the Rev. Zachariah Mudge, was born in Exeter, in the month of September, 1717. 

Soon after his birth his father removed to the Grammar School at Bideford, in North Devon, where under his immediate care, he received his education. At a very early period of his life, Mr. T. Mudge gave strong indications of that mechanical genius, by which he afterwards became so eminently distinguished; for while he was yet a school boy, he could with ease take to pieces a watch, and put it together again, without any previous instructions. At the age of fourteen he was bound apprentice to Mr. George Graham, watchmaker, opposite Water-lane, Fleet-Street, a distinguished philosopher as well as the most celebrated mechanic of his time. 

He afterwards succeeded to Graham, as Graham succeeded Tompion, making, as it was said, the grandfather, father, and son, of watchmaking. Mr. Mudge soon attracted the particular attention of his master, who so highly estimated his mechanical powers, that upon all occasions he afterwards assigned to him the nicest and most difficult work ; and once in particular, having been applied to by one of his friends, to construct a machine new in its mechanical operation, his friend, some time after it had been sent home, complained that it did not perform its office. Mr. Graham answered, that he was very certain the complaint could not be well founded, the work having been executed by his 

apprentice, Thomas, and it appeared upon examination that Mr. Graham was fully justified in this implicit confidence in his apprentice, the work having been executed in a very masterly manner, and the supposed defect arising entirely from the unskilful management of the owner. 

On the expiration of his apprenticeship, Mr. Mudge took lodgings, and continued to work privately for some years. About the year 1757, he married Miss Abigail Hopkins, the daughter of a gentleman at Oxford. 

The circumstance which, as it were, first rescued him from obscurity is somewhat remarkable ; Mr. Ellicot, who was one of the most distinguished watchmakers of his time, and who had been often employed by Ferdinand VI, King of Spain, was desired by that prince to make him an equation watch. Mr. Ellicot, not being able to accomplish the under- taking, applied to Mr. Shovel, an ingenious workman, to assist him ; but he also being unequal to the task, mentioned it to Mr. Mudge, with whom he was very intimate, and who readily undertook to make such a watch. He not only succeeded to his own satisfaction, but to the admiration of all who had the opportunity of inspecting it. This watch having been made for Mr. Ellicot, his name was affixed to it, as is always the custom in such cases, and he assumed the whole merit of the construction. 

An unfortunate accident, however, did justice to the real inventor, and stripped Mr. Ellicot of his borrowed plumes. Being engaged one day in explaining his watch to some men of science, it happened to receive an injury, by which its action was entirely destroyed ; and he had the mortification to find, moreover, upon inspecting the watch, that he himself could not repair the mischief. This compelled him to acknowledge that Mr. Mudge was the real inventor of the watch, 

and that to him it must be sent to be repaired. 

This transaction having, in some way or other, come to the knowledge of his Catholic Majesty, who was passionately fond of all mechanical productions, and particularly of watches, that monarch immediately employed his agents in England to engage Mr. Mudge to work for him; and such was his approbation of his new artist's performances, that he honoured him with an unlimited commission, to make for him, at his own price, whatever he might judge worthy of his attention. 

Among the several productions of Mr. Mudge's genius, which thus became the property of the king of Spain, was an equation watch, which not only shewed the sun's time, and mean time, but was also a striking watch, and a repeater, and what was very singular, and had hitherto been unattempted, it struck and repeated by solar, or apparent time. As a repeater moreover, it struck the hours, quarters, 

and minutes. From a whim of the king, this watch was made in the crutch end of a cane; in the sides of which were glasses covered with sliders, on the removal of which the works might be seen at any time ; and his Majesty being very fond of observing the motions of the wheels at the time the watch struck, it was his practice, as he walked, to stop for that purpose. Those who saw him on these occasions observed that he shewed signs of the most lively satisfaction. The price of this watch was 480 guineas, which from the expensive materials and nature of the work, afforded Mr. Mudge but a moderate profit for his ingenuity, and he was strongly urged by several of his friends to charge 500 guineas for it, which the king would readily have paid. To this Mr. Mudge replied, that as 480 guineas gave him the profit to which he was fairly entitled, as an honest man, he could not think of increasing it, and he saw no reason why a king should be charged more than a private gentleman. 

Indeed, the king of Spain had such a high opinion of his integrity, that he not only used to speak of him as by far the most ingenious artist, as a watchmaker, he had ever employed, but excelling also in his sense of honor and justice. Mr. Townsend, then secretary to the Embassy at Madrid, once told Mr. Mudge, that his Catholic Majesty had often expressed to him his great admiration of his character, and would frequently ask his assistance to enable him to express the name of " Mudge." 

In 1750, Mr. Mudge entered into partnership with Mr. William Dutton, who had also been an apprentice of Mr. Graham. They took a house in Fleet Street , and till Mr. Mudge's retirement from business, worked together with perfect harmony, and good understanding. In 1760, an event happened, which Mr. Mudge ever after considered as the most fortunate in his life. This was his introduction to his Excellency the Count Bruhl, who first came to England that year, as Envoy Extraordinary from the Court of Saxony. This nobleman, who to many other valuable qualities united great knowledge of mechanical operations, and an attachment for such pursuits, ever after treated Mr. Mudge with the most generous friendship ; evincing on every occasion, the most ardent zeal for his 

fame and fortune by the most active services. 

About this time Mr. Mudge appears to have first turned his thoughts to the improvement of time-keepers ; for in the year 1765, he published a small pamphlet entitled Thoughts on the means of improving Watches, and particularly those for the use of the sea." In this publication, says Mr. Ludlam, the true principles upon which all time- keepers must be constructed, are clearly laid down, and the means of improvement fully pointed out. Mr. Mudge had formed the plan of his time-keeper in his mind sometime previously, even before Harrison obtained his rewards. 

Several years after, when Mudge had carried his invention into effect, and the excellence of it was shewn by the performance of his time-keeper, he was asked why he had not made it before the reward was granted to Mr. Harrison, and publicly disputed the prize with him. 

He answered, that he thought Mr. Harrison a great and deserving character, and that after having spent almost the whole of his life in the laborious pursuit of an object, for which his genius so well qualified him, he could not prevail upon himself, to attempt the production of anything, by which Mr. Harrison might be deprived of the reward to which he was so well entitled. 

It is in allusion to this, that Mr. Mudge, in his preface to "Thoughts on improving watches," 

says, as Mr. Harrison has now made his discovery, and in consequence of it will soon receive his reward, it cannot be supposed to be done with a view to prejudice him." 

In 1771, Mr. Thomas Mudge quitted business and retired to Plymouth, that he might devote his whole time and attention, to the improvement and perfection of time- keepers, especially for the purpose of discovering longitude at sea. It will doubtless not be considered out of place by those, who are unacquainted with the nature of the attempt to ascertain the longitude by time-keepers, to insert a clear and easy explanation of it by Harrison, in a pamphlet that he wrote in 1767, which will help them to estimate more truly the value of Mr. Mudge's labours. 

" The Longitude of any place, is its distance, east or west, from any other given place ; and what we want is a method of finding out at sea how far we have got to the east-ward or west-ward of the place we sailed from. The application of a time keeper to this discovery is founded upon the following principles : — the earth's surface is divided into 360 equal parts, (by imaginary lines drawn from north to south) which are called degrees of longitude : and its daily revolution east-ward round its own axis is performed in twenty four hours ; consequently, in that period, each of these imaginary lines, or degrees, becomes successively opposite the sun, which makes the noon, or precise middle of the day, at each of those degrees; and it must follow, that from the time any of these lines passes the sun, till the next passes, must be just four minutes, for twenty four hours being divided by 360 must give just that quantity; so that for every degree of longitude we sail west-ward, it will be noon with us four minutes the later; and for every degree east-ward, four minutes the sooner, and so in proportion for any greater or less quantity. 

Now, the exact time of the day, at the place where we are, can be ascertained by well known and easy observations of the sun, if visible for a few minutes, at any time from his being ten degrees high, till within an hour of noon, or from an hour after noon, till he is only ten degrees high in the afternoon ; if therefore at any time, when such observation is made, a timekeeper tells us at the same moment what o'clock it is at the place we sailed from, our longitude is clearly discovered. To do this it is not necessary that a watch should perform its revolutions precisely in that space of time which the earth takes to perform hers ; it is only required, that it should invariably perform it in some known time^ and then the constant difference between the length of one revolution and the other, will appear to be so much daily gained or lost by the watch, which constant gain or loss is called the rate of its going, and which being added to, or deducted from, the time shewn by the watch, will give the true time, and consequently the difference of longitude." 

The improvement of time-keepers for nautical purposes had long been an object of public attention, and in the reign of Queen Anne an Act of Parliament was passed, offering the following rewards to any person, who should either by the invention of a time-keeper or other methods therein stated, determine the longitude within the following limits : namely £10,000 if such method should determine the longitude to one degree of a great circle, or sixty geographical miles; £15,000 if to two thirds of the distance ; and £20,000 if to half the distance. Under this Act of Parliament, John Harrison, the celebrated mechanic, after prosecuting his labours with great assiduity during a considerable part of a very long life, and contending, it is asserted, with great personal opposition from an official quarter, obtained the reward of £10,000; and upon his petitioning Parliament for a further recompense, in consideration of the services he had rendered the public, such an additional sum was granted him, as, together with what he had received previously from time to time from the Board of Longitude, to enable him to continue the under- taking, made in the whole £20,000. 

Mr. Harrison's time-keepers, however, though very- ingenious machines, were not found after some time to answer the purpose of determining the longitude with so much certainty and exactness, as to render no further improvements necessary; and another Act of Parliament was passed in the 14th year of George III, offering other rewards for a more perfect method. But although the degree of exactness required by this Act, was four times as great as by the former, yet the rewards were lessened to 

one half. 

Mr. Mudge retired to Plymouth as we have already stated, in 1771, and a few years later in 1776, he was honoured by the king appointing him his watchmaker, which gratified him much, for, as he said, it was an office voluntarily given to him, when there was no prospect of his being enabled to 

execute any further work for their Majesties. 

He began to prosecute at once what he had meditated long before, the improvement of time-keepers for discovering longitude at sea ; after some years of labour he completed one time-keeper which he put into the hands of Dr. Hornby, Savilian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford. 

After this gentleman had tried it for four months, during which time it went with great accuracy, it was then committed to the care of Dr. Maskelyne, as Astronomer Royal, to be tried by him at the observatory at Greenwich, in the course of the years 1776 and 1777. After it had been under his care a considerable time, the Board of Longitude, by way of encouraging Mr. Mudge to make another, so as to become properly a candidate for the specific rewards of the Act of Parliament, thought proper 

to give him £500 ; for it was expressly required by the Act, that two time-keepers should be made upon the same principles, and both tried at the same time, that if each should go with the required degree of exactness, it might with the more certainty appear to result from the perfection of the principles upon which they were constructed and not from accident. 

It was asserted at the time, that this resolution of the Board of Longitude was not made in conformity to the wishes and representations of the Astronomer Royal, whose treatment of Mr. Mudge's time-keepers while under his care, it was further said, was neither fair nor proper. Be this as it may, Mr. Mudge was much annoyed at the treatment he received from Dr. Maskelyne, both at this time and on later occasions, though from the natural modesty and integrity of his character, and his high sense of honour, he refrained from taking any practical steps, to defend himself and the soundness of his inventions. One day, Dr. Maskelyne asked him, whether he intended to follow the example of Mr. Harrison, and write against him, Mr. Mudge assured him that, whatever might be the ultimate 

fate of his time-keepers, he certainly would not' 

Though unwilling to defend himself he found, however, an active champion of his cause, in his son, who brought the charge above mentioned against the Astronomer Royal in A Narrative of facts relative to the time-keepers constructed by Mr. Thomas Mudge." 

Dr. Maskelyne published a vindication of himself in " An Answer to the Narrative of Facts," and Mr. Thomas Mudge, jun., published " A Reply."  The first time-keeper, after it had been tried by the Astronomer Royal, was in possession of M. de Zach, Astronomer to the Duke of Saxe Gotha, from May 1786, to July 1788, during which time he carried it from London to Gorha, thence to Hyeres, thence by sea to Genoa, thence by land to Pisa, Milan, and back to Hyeres. 

At the end of about a year's absence from Gotha, to which place he returned by Genoa, after having travelled over several thousand miles, he found that it had preserved the same regularity of going, which it had when it first came into his possession ; and by its very great accuracy, he was enabled 

to ascertain the longitude of several places, with a greater degree of precision, than ever had been done before. 

In the years 1784 and 1785, this time-keeper was carried on two voyages to Newfoundland by Admiral Campbell, and in each voyage went so well, as to determine the longitude within one mile and a quarter, on the first voyage, and to six miles and an eighth on the second. In consequence of this, the Admiral, a man of great scientific knowledge, and accuracy of observation, repeatedly declared that in his opinion, such time-keepers were capable of answering every nautical purpose that could be required of them. 

After Mr. Mudge had received the £500, instead of making only one more time-keeper, which would have been sufficient to answer the purpose of the Act, he immediately set about making two ; the more fully, if they went well, to shew by the number made, that it was to the principle of their construction, and not to chance, that they were indebted to the accuracy of their going. When these were completed, they likewise in pursuance of the requirements of the Act, underwent a trial at the hands of the Astronomer Royal. 

These two time-keepers are known by the names of the Green and Blue ^  Chronometers, and were tested in 1779-80, 1783-84, and finally in 1789-90. While they were in the hands of Dr. Maskelyne for the first trial, those interested in their success, evidently suspected some mismanagement or unfair treatment of them. In a letter of Mr. Mudge to his friend, Mr. Button, dated Dec. 28th, 1779, he says: 

"You give me but a bad account of the watches at Greenwich. I am resolved not to suspect the integrity of those under whose care they are, till I have some glaring proof of unfair dealing ; though I assure you, that which I have here (meaning the first time-keeper) though nothing has been done to it except putting some oil to it, when you sent it down two years ago, goes incomparably better. I have been obliged to make use of it as my regulator for eight weeks past, and I found by a transit of the sun two days ago, that the observed error differed only about ten seconds, from the error computed from its rate of going" 

In July 1790, the year's trial required by the Act expired, about a fortnight previous to which a Board of Longitude was held, when Dr. Maskelyne's report of the going of the time-keepers was so favourable, that it was declared, that directions should be given at the next board, to apply to the Admiralty for a ship, in which they might be sent to sea in further compliance with the Act. At the 

meeting of the next Board, however, Dr. Maskelyne produced certain calculations, in order to prove that neither of them had gone within any of the limits of the Act; and therefore, at the Board, held towards the close of 1790, in consequence of the Doctor's Report, it was determined that no further trial of them should take place. 

It is a somewhat remarkable fact however, that in the face of this official censure on the instruments, these time-keepers went, even under the most unfavourable circumstances, so very much better, both before, and after Dr. Maskelyne's trial of them, with Dr. Hornby and Mr. Dutton, than they did while in possession of the Astronomer Royal. Dr. Maskelyne also, is stated to have said, after the year's trial had closed, that both the time-keepers had gone within the limits of the Act, that one of them had gone within the strictest limits appointed, and the other within the most extended limits. 

This was the immediate cause of the controversy before mentioned, and one or two extracts are introduced here, from the " Reply to the Answer of Dr. Maskelyne." 

Speaking of the excellence of his fathers work, Mr. Mudge, junr., says : "There are no time-keepers in existence made by Mr. Arnold, Mr. Earnshaw, and Mr. Emery, or by any other person which have been in use for several years, and still preserve so great a degree of perfection as to go generally within half a second a day; a degree of excellence which not only the two time-keepers that were last rejected, and are now with Mr. Dutton, continue to possess; but also the first, which was made about eighteen years since, and is now going in the hands of his excellency Count Bruhl. 

As I am at present speaking of the actual merit of my father, in comparison with that of other watchmakers, I will mention one proof of his superiority, which to my mind is incontrovertible, which is, that the natural vigour of his genius enabled him to strike out at once those principles of construction of his time-keepers which were calculated to impart the greatest excellence to them ; and it is a fact that though Mr. Arnold and other time-keeper makers, have been continually altering the construction upon which they have made their time-keepers, because they found from time to time, that they were not to be depended upon, my father has never made any alteration in the construction or invention of his, but they are exactly the same now as they were in the year 1774, when he finished the first he made; and in consequence of this certainty in their principles, they have not gone, some well and some ill, but all the three successively, which he has made, have invariably arrived at a great degree of perfection."  

In another place he says, I have always been led to consider my father's case, and Mr. Harrison's, to be similar ones, from an opinion that they were both men of genius, whose abilities have been engaged in the pursuit of the same object, in which pursuit, both have met with the same opposition from a prejudiced individual (Dr. Maskelyne), with this only difference, that in the end Mr. Harrison, when he was near eighty years of age, got £20,000 as a reward for his labours ; though my father, whose genius and merits, may by his friends be thought equal to Mr. Harrison's (for he does not pretend to superiority) who has made time-keepers which have been found to possess a degree of perfection many times greater than those of Mr. Harrison, and who like Mr. Harrison, has spent the greater part of a long life in the pursuit of objects of public utility, after having attained the same age, has, for his labours, received as yet but £500, and is now by increasing age and infirmities at last deprived of the power, however strong his inclinations may be, to attend to them any longer." 

"In referring to the comparative rate of going between my father's time-keepers and that made by Mr. Harrison himself, it will be found that one of them has gone with seven times, and the other with nine times the perfection, Mr. Harrison's did. " 

The following passage shows the simplicity and integrity of Mr. Mudge's character. 

''When Mr. Harrison's time-keeper was tested at the Observatory, precautions were taken that one of the two keys of the case in which the watch was, should be kept by one of the officers of Greenwich Hospital, who had to attend the daily observation, and see the watch wound up. 

Mr. Mudge, however, took no such precautions with regard to his, and was frequently condemned by Admiral Campbell, for his imprudence in leaving his time-keepers so entirely to the Doctor's mercy, without check or control whatever. 

The •case was this that Mr. Mudge felt the influence of a conscious pride, which is not unfrequently found to attend the minds of men of true genius, and in contradiction to what the world would reckon proper attention to the dictates of prudence, and a due regard to his own interest, was determined, that, if, when he had done what he was satisfied was of considerable benefit to the public, the public would not take care, that fair and proper measures were pursued to determine the merit of his labours, he would not take it upon himself, to describe the restrictions necessary for the purpose."  

Mr. Mudge s case seems specially a hard one, for, when he set to work to make the improvements he so well carried out, the Act of Queen Anne was still in force, and in view of the rewards, offered in this, he devoted his time and labour, but when however, the first time-keeper was completed and ready for trial, the new Act was passed with its more stringent regulations under which it had to be tested. And whatever doubts there may be about his being entitled to the rewards under the last Act, there can be no doubt entertained, but that he would have gained the highest rewards offered under the Act of Queen Anne. 

One more passage must be inserted, in which his son speaks of the assiduity and skill with which Mr. Mudge carried out his work, even when advanced in years. 

" The first of my father's time-keepers was completed in somewhat less than three years, and as it was then quite a new invention, much time must have been necessarily employed in making a variety of experiments, in order to ascertain the precise effect of the principles intended to be made use of, and the most proper method of applying them ; added to which it is likewise to be recollected, that my father was even then sixty years of age. The two last were made in about two years, and of the time that since elapsed, much has been taken up in various public and private trials ; my father also lost a considerable time by sickness, and other unavoidable interruptions of different kinds. Indeed old age had at last so entirely disqualified him for employments of this kind, that I have frequently heard him and his friends speak of his having finished some nice part of his work, merely by the touch, his eyes having so far failed him, that even with the assistance of glasses, they were not in this instance of any service to him."  

In June 1791 Mr. Thomas Mudge, junr., presented from his father, a memorial to the Board of Longitude, stating, that although his time-keepers, during the time of their public trial, had not been adjudged to go within the limits prescribed by the Act of Parliament, yet, as the Board were of opinion, that they were superior to any that had been hitherto invented, and were constructed on such principles as would render them permanently useful ; as the memorialist moreover had employed near twenty years to bring them to the perfection they possessed; and as the first time-keeper made by him, had been going upwards of sixteen years, with such an uniform degree of excellence, as evidently to prove, that the principles upon which his time- keepers were constructed, were permanent in their nature ; therefore the memorialist trusted that the Board would exercise the powers vested in them by Parliament, and give to him, on his making a discovery of the principles upon which his time-keepers were constructed, such a sum of money as his invention and great labours should appear to deserve. 

This memorial being unsuccessful, Mr. Mudge in 1792 presented a petition to the same effect to the House of Commons. Nothing could be done that year, on account of the lateness of the session ; but in the next, a committee of the House was appointed to consider the value of the invention, of which Mr. Windham was chairman, and Mr. Pitt, Mr. Elliott, afterwards Lord Minto, Mr. Bragg, Mr. Bathurst and others were members, and these were assisted by a committee of men of science, philosophical instrument makers, and watchmakers, including among their number, Atwood, Ramsden, Troughton, and De Luc. 

The committee reported so highly on Mr. Mudge's work, and admitted on all hands, that he was one of the first watchmakers which this country had produced, that notwithstanding all 

the opposition of the Board of Longitude, the merits of Mr. Mudge, from the testimony of so many men, of high rank in talents and science, appeared so conspicuously to the House, that it was pleased to vote him in the most honour- able manner, and by a great majority, the sum of £2,500, 

which, with £500 given him before by the Board of Longitude, made in all £3000.  Although this sum was confessedly inadequate to the just claims of Mr. Mudge, and far inferior to what Harrison had received, yet the grant in itself was a great public recognition of his labours, when it is considered, what a strong official opposition he had to contend with, and also, that the application to the House was made at a period, when the expensive demands of war caused all private applications for grants of money to be ill timed, however just the claim of the petitioners might be. 

June 17, "It was resolved: "That an address be presented to His Majesty; humbly representing to His Majesty, that Thomas Mudge, Watchmaker, having employed many years and much pain and labour in endeavouring to improve the principles of his art, had succeeded so far in his said endeavours as to be the author of an invention likely to be of the greatest advantage in the construction of time-keepers ; and humbly beseeching His Majesty that, in consideration of the merit of the said invention such as 

it now appears upon examination to this House, and without precluding the said Thomas Mudge from any further reward, which from future experience of the value of his invention, he may appear to be entitled to, His Majesty will be graciously pleased to grant to the said Thomas Mudge upon his making a discovery of the principles of his invention to such persons as His Majesty may think proper to appoint, a sum not exceeding;£2,500; and to assure His Majesty that this House will make good the same." 

His Majesty's answer was received by the House, June 19, 1793. 

Mr. Mudge did not long survive this honourable, though tardy testimony to the utility of his mechanical labours. In the year 1789, on the death of his wife, he had given up housekeeping, and resided sometimes with his eldest son in London, and sometimes in the country, with his other son, 

John Mudge, Vicar of Brampford Speke, near Exeter. 

He died on the 14th of November 1794, in the seventy eighth year of his age, at the house of his eldest son Thomas, in Newington Place, Surrey. 

A few days after this sad event his son wrote to Mr, Richard Rosdew of Beechwood, 

Dear Rosdew, 

"You will have learnt by my brother's letter, that on Friday last, we lost our father ; as it related to him, it was an event, that had long been desirable, for, having survived his powers of enjoyment, and suffering much infirmity both of mind and body, he had been accustomed to look forward 

to death, as a friend that would release him from his sufferings. In this state, I was very far from wishing the continuance of his existence; nevertheless, death is in itself so very serious an event, that it cannot take place without affecting our feelings, and it has now given to my mind a melancholy regret, as being separated from a parent, for whom I had the most lively affection. I would most readily have buried my father in the spot you mention, had he not expressed a wish to me, about 6 weeks ago, to be buried at St. Dunstan's, and I am sure you will think with me, that such a desire supersedes every other consideration. 

"To you my good friend I am persuaded, any memorial of my father will be considered as possessing some value, and as the only work of his, which remained in his possession at his death, was his striking clock,  (which indeed is the last of his performances) my brother and myself request it as a favour that you will accept it, and that you will consider it as a token, as well of the sense we both 

have of the many kindnesses for which we are indebted to you, as for the high estimation in which you were held by my father. 

As it wants cleaning, I will not send it to you, until I have got it cleaned, and then unless you would wish it conveyed in any other manner, I will have it packed in a box, and send it to Plymouth by the waggon. I am much concerned to hear of the illness of Mrs. Rosdew, but I hope it will soon be got the better of; and your brother who dined with me on Sunday, has given me much satisfaction in informing me, that he thinks there is nothing serious to be apprehended. 

All my family unite in best wishes for you and Mrs. Rosdew, Dear Rosdew, 

Your sincere friend, 

THOMAS MUDGE. New Inn, 18 Nov., 1794. 

The allusion in this letter to the place of burial selected for Mr. Mudge, refers to a suggestion made by Mr. Rosdew, that his remains would most fittingly be laid by the side of those of his great predecessors in the study of watchmaking, Tompion and Graham, in Westminster Abbey. 

He was buried, according to his desire, in St. Dunstan's. 

To speak of Mr. Thomas Mudge in general terms only, as the first watchmaker of his age, would be unjust. He excelled not only in scientific ability, but also in practical -workmanship, so much so, that few men have since been found equal to the construction of his time-pieces with the same degree of perfection; for his inventions were fully equalled, if not surpassed, by the execution of his work. 

Besides his superior merits, in bringing time-keepers to a greater degree of perfection than had been hitherto attained, he did the mechanical world no small service, by the invention of a scapement for pocket watches ; which was one of the most considerable improvements that had been made upon them for a great number of years. 

We cannot bring to a close this sketch of Mr. Mudge's life, more suitably than in the words of Count Bruhl. "Dr. Maskelyne speaks of my great attachment to Mr. Mudge. To that charge I must plead guilty, and bear with resignation any blame or reproach, arising from my partiality for a man, whose superior genius as an artist, united with the liberality of a mind replete with candour, simplicity, modesty, and integrity, deserves the highest admiration, and respect ; whose name will be handed down, to the remotest posterity, with the same veneration, which attends the names of his predecessors in the same line, Tompion, Graham, and Harrison, who, while living were admired by 

their contemporaries, and whose fame adds to the splendour and glory of this great nation." ^  

Two anecdotes still remain to be recorded as striking proofs of Mr. Mudge's great mental powers. Count Bruhl, when he first came to England in his diplomatic capacity, brought an ingenious watch from Paris, made by the celebrated Bertoud, intending it as a present to the king. This watch, however, not performing its offices, was sent back to the inventor in order to be rectified.                  

After its return, it still continued imperfect, and on further applications to M. Bertoud, that artist acknowledged with great candour, that although he thought the principles on which his watch was constructed were good, he was himself unable to carry them into effect. The Count then applied to Mr. Mudge, requesting him to undertake the task; but deeming it an indelicate circumstance, to interfere with the inventions of another artist, Mr. Mudge expressed his reluctance on the occasion. The importunity of the Count, however, added to the regard he had for his esteem, induced Mr. Mudge at last, to waive his objections ; and he had the satisfaction to be completely successful in setting the watch to rights. 

The other anecdote relates to a large and complicated watch belonging to his Majesty the King, which had long gone so ill, that it had been repeatedly put into the hands of the most distinguished watchmakers; all of whom, though confident in their own abilities to give it the requisite perfection, had been obliged to abandon the watch as incapable of amendment. It was then put into the hands of Mr. Mudge, who happily succeeded. This circumstance gave His Majesty a very high opinion of his superiority over every other watchmaker. In 1777, as has been already mentioned, he' appointed him his watchmaker, and often honoured him with conferences on mechanical subjects. 

Her Majesty Queen Charlotte likewise expressed a great esteem, not only for his talents as an artist, but his character as a man. At one time, she presented him with 50 guineas, for only cleaning a watch and it was through her recommendation to the Lord Chancellor, that his second son obtained the living of Brampford Speke. 

We conclude this short life of Mr. Mudge by appending one or two letters addressed by him to Count Bruhl. 

Plymouth, April 17, 1772. 

Sir, 

I received the letter your excellency did me the honour to write me, and it flatters me not a little, that you should think anything of mine, so much worth your trouble. 

The reason of my troubling you now is, to acquaint you that the bearer (Mr. Townley) has applied to me (he says at the request of several friends of mine) for my con-sent, to his taking a copper plate^  from the picture you did me the honour to have done of me, by Mr. Dance. I am myself entirely indifferent about it, and leave it therefore wholly to you, to do what you think proper. The gentleman, Mr. Townley, I know very well, but am an entire stranger to his ability as an engraver; that you will be able to judge of by the specimens he will bring with him, when he delivers you this, which he desired as an introduction to you. I have enclosed to you the letter he wrote to me upon this occasion. 

I know not well how to express the sense I have of the honour their Majesties do me, in condescending to remember and inquire after me. I assure you, it sits warm at my heart, and I do not know two (independent of their station) that I would sooner wish to be remembered by. 

To your excellency I owe that pleasure. 

I am, Sir, your most obliged — obedient servant, 

THOMAS MUDGE.' 

Plymouth, March1, 1776. 

Dear Sir, 

I write a line or two, rather because I have been long in your excellency's debt, than that I have anything in particular to say. The observations you were so kind as to make of my watch, I have mentioned to Mr. Button, with my reasoning upon them ; which, I find he has communicated to you, as I intended he should. 

I now begin to wish to know, how it has behaved since it has been in his Majesty's possession, which is near a month. I must confess, what Mr. Button told me, gives no great hopes. He says, that except the first day or two, it has gone very well ; but that exception destroys all the rest, as I do not see if it goes ill a day or two, what security there is against its going ill for a longer time, unless that going ill arises from apparent causes, and such as may be remedied. 

I did not know with certainty who the Mr. Pitt was, that was so kind as to offer to lend a helping hand to the further prosecution of it, if it should be found right to do so, till Mr. Button told me, it was the Mr. Pitt of this country; for I cannot boast the honour of being acquainted with him, although my brother is intimately so ; nor did I know that he had ever been acquainted with my having made such a watch, or that he was at all curious, or interested himself, in any branch of mechanism. 

I am 

THOMAS MUDGE." 

Mr. Pitt, afterwards Lord Camelford , proposed to Count Bruhl, that they should jointly be at the expenses of Mr. T. Mudge's machine, in order that he might be properly qualified to be a candidate for the public rewards. 

Plymouth, December 15th, 1776. 

" Dear Sir, 

To day I was honoured with your excellency's favour of the 12th instant, to acquaint me that I was appointed watchmaker to his Majesty, in the room of the late Mr. Lindley. To you. Sir, I entirely owe it, and am sorry I cannot make a better return for your good offices, than by barely acknowledging, and most gratefully thanking you for them, which I very sincerely do. I must confess my pleasure was much heightened by the warmth with which my Lady Egremont interested herself in my behalf, I have it from Mr. Dutton, for which her Ladyship will please to accept my sincere and hearty thanks.

 I have a letter also from my friend Mr. Dutton, to whom I am under the greatest obligations, acquainting me with the same circumstance, and to tell me, as you do, that it is necessary for me to come to town, either immediately, or at the meeting of Parliament, after the holidays, the sooner he says the better, to be sworn into the office, a ceremony that I did not before know was necessary. I shall certainly comply with your injunctions, but must confess should wish it to be postponed till after Christmas, for many reasons. If I am so far indulged, I will certainly be in town, by the time the Parliament meets ; but this shall depend upon the instructions I shall receive from you or Mr. Button, which, if necessary, you will be so good as to give, as soon as you conveniently can. 

Mr. Maskelyne, Mr. Button tells me, has changed his tone much of late, whether he has any end in it, I know not ; however, as so much depends upon him, it is more encouragement to go on, than to be constantly upon the hunt for something to depreciate my watch, which has been, I think  pretty evidently the case. If I am permitted to put off my coming to town till after Christmas, I shall bring your excellency's little clock with me, I hope with the satisfaction of having done everything that can be done to better it, and indeed everything that is necessary ; the going of it since the last alteration seeming to promise so much. 

I am ...... 

THOMAS MUDGE." 

 

Hans Moritz von Brühl (20 December 1736 – 9 June 1809) was a German diplomat and astronomer, resident for much of his life in London, where he was known as John Maurice, Count of Brühl. He was the son of F. W. Graf von Brühl of Martinskirchen, who died in 1760, and nephew of the Polish-Saxon statesman Heinrich von Brühl. Born at Wiederau in the Electorate of Saxony, he studied at Leipzig, and there formed a close friendship with Christian Gellert, who corresponded with him for some years. At Paris, in 1755, Brühl, then in his nineteenth year, took an active part in Saxon diplomacy, and was summoned to Warsaw in 1759. He was named, through his uncle's influence, chamberlain and commandant in Thuringia, and in 1764 appointed ambassador extraordinary to the court of St. James's.

He loved astronomy and promoted its interests. Through his influence Franz Xaver von Zach, who entered his family as tutor shortly after his arrival in London in November 1783, became an astronomer. With a Hadley's sextant and a chronometer by Josiah Emery, they together determined, in 1785, the latitudes and longitudes of Brussels, Frankfort, Dresden, and Paris. Brühl built (probably in 1787) a small observatory at his villa at Harefield, and set up there, about 1794, a two-foot astronomical circle by Jesse Ramsden, one of the first instruments of the kind made in England. He was intimate with William Herschel, and transmitted news of discoveries abroad through Johann Elert Bode's Jahrbuch. He supported the advancement of chronometry, in the work of Thomas Mudge and Emery.

He also gave attention to political economy, and made a tour through the remoter parts of England early in 1783 to investigate the state of trade and agriculture.
In 1765, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. From 1788 he belonged to the Saxon privy council, and was a knight of the White Eagle. Except for one journey homeward in 1785, he never afterwards left England, but died at his house in Old Burlington Street on 9 June 1809, aged 72.