I got a rough disc of glass, from St.Helens, of ten inches diameter.

It took me from nine to ten days to grind and polish it ready for parabolising and silvering.

I did this by hand labour with the aid of emery, but without a lathe.

I finally used rouge instead of emery in grinding down the glass, until I could see my face in the mirror quite plain.

I then sent the 8 3/16 inch disc to Mr.George Calver, of Chelmsford, to turn my spherical curve to a parabolic curve, and to silver the mirror, for which I paid him 5L.