Obituary. — Sir William Herschel. 237 



the county of Durham, and the opening thus afforded contri- 

 buted so far to uicrease his reputation and connexions, as to 

 induce him to spend several years after the termination of this 

 engagement in the neighbourhood of Leeds, Pontefract, Don- 

 castei-, &c., where he had many scholars, and led the public 

 concerts, oratorios, &c. 



In 1766 he was chosen organist at Halifax, a situation he 

 soon after resigned for the more advantageous one of organist 

 at the Octagon Chapel at Bath. In this great and gay resort 

 of fashion, his extraordinary musical talents procured him 

 ample emplojTnent ; and the direction of the public Concerts, 

 and his private teaching, produced him a considerable income. 



But though fond to enthusiasm of his profession, his ardent 

 thirst for knowledge had begun for some time past to open a 

 nobler field to his exertions. While at Halifax, he had com- 

 menced a course of mathematical reading; and m spite of the 

 difficulty of such studies, acquired without assistance a consi- 

 derable familiarity with the principles both of pure and mixed 

 mathematics. The sublime views disclosed by the modern 

 astronomy had powerfully attracted his attention; and when he 

 read of the noble discoveries made by the assistance of the 

 telescope, he was seized with an ii'resistible desire to see with 

 his own eyes the wonders he read of. Fortwiately the price 

 of an instrument capable of satisfying his ciu'iosity was beyond 

 his means, and he resolved to attempt the construction of one 

 for himself. In this arduous task, after encountering endless 

 difficulties, he succeeded, and in 1774? first saw Saturn in a 

 five feet reflecting telescope made by his own hands. Encou- 

 raged by this success, he now attempted larger telescopes, and 

 soon completed a seven, a ten, and a twenty feet reflector, 

 labouring with such obstinacy as to have actually finished no 

 less than 200 object mirrors before he could satisfy himself 

 with the performance of one. 



Astronomy now occupied so much of his attention, that lie 

 began to limit his professional engagements, and restrict the 

 number of his scholars. 



About the latter end of 1779, he commenced a regular re- 

 view of the heavens, star by star, with a seven feet reflector; 

 and liaving already continued this u))wards of 18 months, he 

 was at length rewarded on the 13th of March, 1781, with the 

 discovery of a new ))rimary planet, to which he afterwards 

 gave the name of Gcor^^iuvi Siihis, now more generally di- 

 stinguished by that of Uranus. 



In consequence of this memorable discovery, the attention 

 of the scientific world became fixed upon him; and His late 

 Majesty, with a promptitude of liberality which must ever be 



recorded 



