Letter from John Flamsteed to Reverend John Smith

To the Rev Mr
John Smith
Rector of Gate Burton
In Lincolnshire

The Observatory June ye 6th 1700

As to the place of ye Earths Revolution at the Time of
ye deluge. There are no old observations of the Suns
places from which it may be determined. When I read
my solar Tables about 20 years ago [looks like agone?] I supposed it fixed
under the fixed Stars, & that the recess[?] of the earth’s equino
-tiall points was [exactly?] 50 seconds & [?]

The same I thought of the Aphelions of the rest of the
Planets.
But now from 20 years continued observations of the
Motions tis evident to me that the Aphelion of [astronomical symbol for Saturn]’s orbit
moves under the fixed stars and the Aphelion of [symbol for Mars] too but
not so swift as [Saturn]’s which makes me thinke that the
Earths in like manner is carried forward under them
Annually.

I am also apt to think ye time of ye Deluge was some
centurys more remote from us than Mr Whiston makes
it for I rather credit ye Septuagint account of the Ages
before and after the flood than the Hobsians [?]. Both [because?]
the quotations from ye Old Testament mentioned in the New[? - reference to Whiston’s New Theory of the Earth?] are taken
from the Septuagint so that all the Ancient Church historians
use it, as also for Some Other reasons yn may [seem?] [from?]
Chronology entitled Antiquity[underlined] de [underlined] Temps [underlined] which I doubt not
but some of the Ingenious Gentlemen & Neighbours may furnish
ye with.

As for Mr Whiston’s Theory tis only a contrivance to help out
his friend Dr Burnets whose shell not long like to break[?] (as he
sillily [conceited?]) of its selfe[?]. Mr Whiston makes a bulky Comet to pass
near the Earth at the time of the deluge first to fill the Atmosphere
with Vapors and cause waves to [soften ?] his [shell?], & next by its gravit
-tation to burst ye [shell] [asterisk to marginal note: by softening[?] the[?] waters[?] on] on the side next the Comet. Mr Whiston might
have employed his time a great deale better than in supporting a theory [?]
it has no rationall grounds at all nor any clear principles. The [Drs?]
[Center?], and gravitation, are both [bogus?]; he ought to have showed how
they came to be at first: his Theory has no room for the great sights
which ye [Septuagint?] says God made; it affirmes the Earth’s Age not
to be [?] [followed by an insert symbol to text between the lines: to be placed ? ?] before the deluge whereas God affirmes Noah on his
coming out of the Ark afor[?] the future Winter [underlined] & [underlined] Summer [underlined] Spring [underlined]
& [underlined] has [underlined] not [underlined] and [underlined] should [underlined] not [underlined] cause which plainly means they had been arguam[?
-?] [?] before the flood & that the Earth’s [Apse?] was then
[?] as now it is, directly contrary to the Drs Theory of which
only our [enemies?] to providence assert because it plainly contradicts
the Mosaicall[?] account of the Creation& I[?] give[?] up[?] those short[?] hints[?] of the
faults of Dr Burnetts Theory yt ye may[?] for ym have no cause to be sollicitory[?]
about. Mr Whiston who has copied all that he understood of Mr Newton’s Principia[?]
into his book to make a show of Mathematical Demonstration, but in the conclu
-sion bonds[?] only his own Chimeras. I tell ye my opinion of him freely[?]
yt ye may not be deceived & in so doing I hope I approve myselfe[?]
Your [?] Servant
John Flamsteed A.R.