PREP 



pram! to tin and work of a 



powerfully in!lu nc^l the progress of astronomy a 



century ago, and stamps I <n his own ago as well a** 



ours a loft:- i Creation and its Author than was 



ever before entertained, may be best (loin hy allowing 



him mi. I hi- contemporaries to tell their own story, 



ni'l (< r. l.tt. thtir MWII impressions. \V. -all 



hear them speaking, to see them ) r part* in 



md to watch the drama \vn<l<T, and 



IMII unfolding itself in ih- ir written or printed 



page*. Ill - c succeeded in my endeavour to tell 



the story on these lines, I shall h.i\ .- attained the end 



h I lia.l in vi.-w \vh.-n I undertook this work. 

 William 11. i^rh. ! was not a mathematician of the 

 Older of Newton, Laplace, or even of his own son. Hi* 

 made tence to h honour His fields of 



research were much s not less laborious, 



-t> h. iv;i|- -yed by mankind 



i in .n ti : which vt-r\ 



>y age are capable of. A popular expc 

 \reer aivi hi- dSmrariw Kfl ! ^ht of more 



