342 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



with relish, but did not particularly distinguish himself in them. 

 W hen fifteen years of age, on the 1st of January, 1799, he began his 

 apprenticeship to the merchant's career in a large commercial house 

 of Bremen, with a good-will. No one, and himself least of all, would 

 have dreamed then of his ever becoming celebrated. He was not at 

 all ambitious, and did not even seem to care to put himself in advance 

 of his colleagues. The only thing to remark about him was the con- 

 scientiousness with which he did his work. After this was done, 

 he would recreate himself by poring over old books, trying to make 

 himself familiar with all branches of commerce, and studying particu- 

 larly maritime commerce, in which he was specially interested. He 

 was thinking about his future, and perceived early that, to make his 

 fortune, he would have to try his lot across the sea, for he had no 

 means wherewith to establish himself. 



The object of his desire at this time was to be able, as agent of one 

 of the great houses of Bremen or Hamburg, to direct a commercial 

 expedition to the Indies or China. With this purpose he diligently 

 studied English and French, and then bethought himself of what else 

 might be useful to him in the career he wished to embrace. Till this 

 time we see in his conduct no evidence of a disposition toward as- 

 tronomy. He was simply seeking to become a good merchant, and 

 all his efforts, day and night, were directed to that end. He was in 

 heart a merchant, and in course of becoming one, and yet we can not 

 doubt that there was developing in him at the very time the tendency 

 which was to lead him to the science of the sky. 



In the course of the studies of which we have spoken, it occurred 

 to him that a ship-factor, such as he was going to be, undertaking 

 long voyages, and playing so prominent a part on the ship, ought to 

 know a little of the way in which it was to be directed. He had 

 heard that a new art had been discovered that of sailing in the open 

 sea by observation of the stars, the moon, and the sun. Although the 

 sailors of the period cared to learn nothing of this new art, Bessel 

 hoped that by becoming master of it he might make himself respected 

 by his future captain. It was necessary to procure a sextant ; but 

 that was beyond the means of our clerk, so he made one for himself, 

 and assiduously took observations of the stars with it. He determined 

 the latitude and longitude of Bremen, as if he had been on board his 

 vessel. Thus, at nineteen years of age, he had set foot in the astronom- 

 ical field. He never left it, but delved in it more and more, though 

 without neglecting his commercial studies. He made his astronomical 

 recreations the occupation of his evening hours. It is with astronomy 

 as with love the smallest spark is enough to kindle a lasting fire, if 

 only the subject is inflammable. This was what happened with Bes- 

 sel, and the flame that was lighted in his spirit was never extin- 

 guished. 



The young man had read in his new book how, from the observa- 



