make invocation, he did so; nothing appeared,
or would: three or four times in my company he was put upon to do the
work, but could not; at last he said he could do nothing as long as I
was in presence. I at last shewed him his error, but left him as I found
him, a pretending ignoramus.

I may seem to some to write incredibilia; be it so, but knowing unto
whom, and for whose only sake, I do write them, I am much comforted
therewith, well knowing you are the most knowing man in these
curiosities of any now living in England; and therefore it is my hope,
these will be a present well-becoming you to accept.

_Praeclara omnia quam difficilia sint, his praesertim temporibus.
(Celeberrime Armiger,) non te fugit_; and therefore I will acquaint you
with one memorable story related unto me by Mr. John Marr, an excellent
mathematican and geometrician, whom I conceive you remember: he was
servant to King James and Charles the First.

At first, when the Lord Napier, or Marchiston, made publick his
Logarithms, Mr. Briggs, then reader of the astronomy lecture at
Gresham-College in London, was so surprized with admiration of them,
that he could have no quietness in himself, until he had seen that noble
person the Lord Marchiston, whose only invention they were: he acquaints
John Marr herewith, who went into Scotland before Mr. Briggs, purposely
to be there when these two so learned persons should meet. Mr. Briggs
appoints a certain day when to meet at Edinburgh: but failing thereof,
the Lord Napier was doubtful he would not come. It happened one day as
John Marr and the Lord Napier were speaking of Mr. Briggs; 'Ah, John,'
saith Marchiston, 'Mr. Briggs will not now come:' at the very instant
one knocks at the gate; John Marr hasted down, and it proved Mr. Briggs,
to his great contentment. He brings Mr. Briggs up into my Lord's
chamber, where almost one quarter of an hour was spent, each beholding
the other almost with admiration, before one word was spoke: at last Mr.
Briggs began.

'My Lord, I have undertaken this long journey purposely to see your
person, and to know by what engine of wit or ingenuity you came first to
think of this most excellent help unto astronomy, viz. the Logarithms;
but, my Lord, being by you found out, I wonder no body else found it out
before, when, now known, it is so easy.' He was nobly entertained by the
Lord Napier, and every summer after that, during the Lord's being alive,
this venerable man, Mr. B