Part of a Letter from the Reverend Mr. Geo. Costard to Mr. John Catlin, concerning a Fiery Meteor Seen in the Air on July 14. 1745

Ground work, are almost entirely rotted away. The Windows and Mouldings, which were built at the same time, of Freestone, are nearly in the same Condition. But these Flints have hitherto defied the devouring Teeth of Time, and will, probably, continue untouch'd for many Ages; being, perhaps, the most durable Way of Building that ever was yet invented. These beautiful Flint-stones are squared to such a Nicety, that the thin Edge of a Knife cannot be insinuated between the Joints without a great deal of Difficulty; and it is no easy Task to make out that they were laid with Lime. Most of them are about three Inches square, and as smooth and level as if they had been ground. They are also laid with such great Exactness, that no Brick-work, or Hewn-Stone, appears more regular in its Courses. I am, SIR, London, Octob. 30. 1745. Your most obedient, and Faithful humble Servant, H. Baker. VI. Part of a Letter from the Reverend Mr. Geo. Costard to Mr. John Catlin, concerning a fiery Meteor seen in the Air on July 14. 1745. SIR, * * * Read Nov. 7. I have this Minute brought into me the last Transaction, No. 473, in which I find an Account of a Phenomenon seen May the the 27th, 1744; I shall now inform you of another, seen by myself on Sunday, July the 14th, 1745. As I was coming from my Living, just before I reach'd a Place called Stanlake broad, and a little before 8 o'Clock in the Evening, I was on a sudden surprised to see a long Stream of Fire, of a Colour resembling molten Glass, and of a Figure like that in the Margin, which shot down from $A$ to $B$, in Length, I guess, about twenty Degrees, and seemed immediately to run up again from $B$ to $A$; where it turned to a sort of Smoke, or rather to a fine lambent Flame like that of an Aurora borealis; which continued for some time in a sort of oblong Shape, but afterwards by degrees, changed into this, and at last into this other Form, under which, parallel to the Horizon, it grew fainter and fainter, till it intirely vanish'd about nine o'Clock. There was a fine gentle Breeze all this time; but I could not observe that it affected the Phenomenon so far as to make it change its Place, which was to the Eastward of the North. Perhaps this Change of Figure might, in some measure, be owing to it. Being on Horseback, I saw it from the Beginning to the End; but having no Watch with me, I only guess'd, by my Riding, that it continued about an Hour. I heard afterwards, from some who had their Watches, that it lasted an Hour and one Minute. When I came home, I put down what I had observed; it being, as I thought, a very singular Appearance. I am, SIR, Oxford, Aug. 2, 1745. Your faithful Humble Servant, G. Costard. VII. As I was returning home from the Royal Society to Westminster, on Thursday, Dec. 16. 1742. h. 8. 40'. p.m. being about the Middle of the Parade in St. James's Park, I saw a Light arise from behind the Trees and Houses in the S. by W. Point, which I took at first for a large Sky-Rocket; but when it had risen to the Height of about 20 Degrees, it took a Motion nearly parallel to the Horizon, but waved in this manner, and went on to the N. by E. Point over the Houses. It seemed to be so very near, that I thought it passed over Queen's Square, the Island in the Park, cross the Canal, and I lost Sight of it over the Haymarket. Its Motion was so very slow, that I had it above half