Horology.- Mudge (Thomas) Thoughts on the Means of Improving Watches, And most particularly those for the Use of the Sea, first edition, 16pp., trace of small ink stamp to title, modern library half calf, 8vo, 1765.

⁂ Extremely rare with no copies traced at auction and ESTC locating 5 copies, of which only 2 are in this country (though the National Maritime Museum also holds a copy). Mudge was the foremost horologist of his time and is still recognised as having contributed the single most important invention to watch-making - the lever escapement. In this short paper he acknowledges John Harrison's achievement in winning the prize for his watch for ascertaining the longitude of a ship at sea and says his work's publication "cannot be supposed to be done with a View to prejudice him; indeed his mechanical Merit is too great to receive any Hurt by the Publication of any Thing upon that Subject by me, or any Body that I know."