The Herschel Family. 105 



fessor Wallace, for it was by his arrangement that 

 we spent a day with Sir William and Lady Herschel, 

 at Slough. Nothing could exceed the kindness of 

 Sir William. He made us examine his celebrated 

 telescopes, and explained their mechanism ; and he 

 showed us the manuscripts which recorded the 

 numerous astronomical discoveries he had made. 

 They were all arranged in the most perfect order, 

 as was also his musical library, for that great genius 

 was an excellent musician. Unfortunately, his sister, 

 Miss Caroline Herschel, who shared in the talents 

 of the family, was abroad, but his son, afterwards 

 Sir John, my dear friend for many years, was at 

 home, quite a youth. It would be difficult to 

 name a branch of the physical sciences which he 

 has not enriched by important discoveries. He has 

 ever been a dear and valued friend to me, whose 



advice and ^criticism I gratefully acknowledge. 

 ***** 



I took lessons twice a week from Mr. Glover, who 

 painted landscapes very prettily, and I liked him on 

 account of his kindness to animals, especially birds, 

 which he tamed so that they flew before him when 

 he walked, or else sat on the trees, and returned to 

 him when he whistled. I regret now that I ever 

 resumed my habit of painting in oil ; water-colours 

 are much better suited to an amateur, but as I had 



