The fame of Dr Bradley was widely extended during his life, and gained him the particular notice of most of the learned societies of Europe. The Academy of Sciences at Paris enrolled him among their number, in 1748. In 1754, he was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences at St Petersburgh. In 1757, he was chosen a fellow of the Academy of Sciences at Boulogne ; and he obtained the same honour from the Academy of Sciences at Berlin.
The private character of Dr Bradley was marked by all those virtues which are estimable in domestic society. He was mild and gentle in his temper, compassionate and liberal to the poor, and kind and generous to his relations. Though he spoke well, and expressed himself clearly, yet his silence was so proverbial, that he was said never to have spoken but when it was absolutely necessary. The attention and kindness which were shewn to him, from persons of the first rank and talents in the kingdom, were not extorted by that bustling activity and self applause, with which some philosophers have attempted to force themselves too rapidly into public notice. Bradley was tun modest for this species of philosophical em piricism, and too sure of fame to take the trouble of courting it.
The writings of our author were extremely few. A valuable paper of his, on Micrometers, was publish ed in the Transactions of the Royal Society for 1772. His catalogue of 389-fixed stars appeared in the Nau tical Almanack for 1773. His numerous and accu rate observations on the moon led to the perfection of the lunar tables. He constructed, from his own observations, new tables for finding the places of Ju piter's satellites ; and he determined, with great accu racy, the atmospherical refractions, and gave an ele gant formula for computing the corrections due to a variation in the density and temperature of the air. His observations, which occupy no less than thirteen folio volumes, were presented to the university of Ox ford in .1776, on condition that they should be print ed. The first volume has been recently published by Dr Hornsby ; but, in consequence of his ill health, the remainder are now in the hands of the learned Mr Abraham Robertson, to whom they have been en trusted for publication. (13)