Mr. Troughton's larger works, such as his equatorial instruments, circles, transits, &c., are as well known in the astronomical world as those of Wren in the architectural; they are too numerous to mention here, and are distributed in various parts of the world. The gigantic zenith tube at Greenwich was about the last work on which he was engaged, and he had just time to finish it before his strength failed. The only astronomical instrument which is not greatly indebted to Mr. Troughton is the telescope, and he was deterred from making any attempt in this branch of his art by the curious physical defect of colour blindness, which existed in many members of his family. Like Dalton he could not distinguish colours, and had little idea of them, except generally as they conveyed the impression of greater or less light. The ripe cherry and its leaf were to him of one hue, only to be distinguished by their form. With this defect in his vision he never attempted any experiments in which colour was concerned; and it is difficult to see how he could have done so with success.
The most remarkable of Troughton's writings are, 'An account of a method of dividing astronomical and other instruments by ocular inspection,' &c.—Phil. Trans., 1809, which was awarded with the Copley medal; 'A comparison of the repeating circle of Borda, with the altitude and Azimuth Circle'—Memoirs R. Ast. Soc.; and several articles in Brewster's 'Edinburgh Cyclopædia,' such as 'Circle,' 'Graduations,' &c.
In the year 1825 Mr. Troughton paid a visit to Paris, and in 1830 he received an honorary gold medal from the King of Denmark. During the latter portion of his life he became almost entirely deaf, only hearing by the aid of a powerful trumpet. He died at his house in Fleet Street, June 12, 1835, in the eighty-second year of his age, and was buried at the Cemetery, Kensal Green.—Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 3, February, 1836.
RICHARD WATSON, BISHOP OF LLANDAFF, D.D., F.R.S., &c.
Born August, 1737. Died June 4, 1816.
Richard Watson, celebrated both as an able theologian, and as a professor of chemistry, was born at Haversham, near Kendal in Westmoreland. His ancestors had been farmers of their own estates for several generations, and his father, a younger son, was for forty years the head master of the Grammar-school at Haversham, but had resigned his duties about the period of the birth of his son Richard. Young Watson received his education at this school, and about a year after his father's death, in 1753, was sent on an exhibition of 50l. belonging to the school, to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was admitted as a sizar on the 3rd of November, 1754. All he had, besides his exhibition, to carry him through college, was a sum of 300l. which his father had left him, but he set bravely to work, to make his way to independence by hard study and hard living; his dress is said at first to have been a coarse mottled Westmoreland coat, and blue yarn stockings.
In May, 1757, he obtained a scholarship, and in the September following, while still only a junior soph, he began to take pupils, continuing to be employed, first as private, then as a college tutor, until in October, 1767, he became one of the head tutors of Trinity College. Meanwhile Watson had taken his degree of B.A. in January, 1759, being classed as second wrangler, which he seems to have considered, and not without reason, as the place of honour for the year; the senior wrangler, who was a member of St. John's, having, as it was generally believed, been unfairly preferred to him.
In October, 1760, he was elected a fellow of his college, and in November, 1764, on the death of Dr. Hadley, he was unanimously elected by the senate to the professorship of chemistry, although at that time he knew nothing of the science. Watson did not, however, disappoint the confidence that was placed by others in his abilities. With the assistance of an operator, whom he immediately sent for from Paris, and by shutting himself up in his laboratory, he acquired such an acquaintance with his new subject, as to enable him in about fourteen months to read his first course of lectures, which were honoured with a numerous attendance, and proved highly successful. Other courses followed which were equally well received; and, in 1768, he printed a synopsis of the principles of the science, under the title of 'Institutiones Metallurgicæ.'