rilAi'TKi: ix 



i m: si \ 



carefully and pereiiitently waH the sun studied by 

 that, for the sake of clearness, it is advisable 

 arrange his work not in the ord. no, but 



ling to the subject he treats of. He began at 

 period to watch the sun's face, and to make 

 ts with tli.- \ i.-w of discovering its history, 

 and future. Could he but read that history or 

 ;ipter of he would be able to 



the history of other suns as well as ours, and 

 ips to lay a foundation for fellow-labourers in 

 same cause to build a temple to science on. II 



beyond his wishes, or at least his hopes. 

 The first thing he endeavoured to ascertain was, 

 rhether the sun was stationary or nearly stationary 

 the heavens. Astronomers had already discovered 

 its immense fiery globe had a day like our earth, 

 is, that it turned round on its axis precisely as 

 earth does. The time it takes they found to be 

 7* 48 m of our reckoning. This is the length of the 

 day. But Herschel asked if the sun had not a 

 aa well as a day, a time vast, immeasurable, 

 -iu which it iwolves round a centn-, hidden 

 man's know led <; >t from man's sight, if he 



1 v knew where to look for it Herschel looked for 



MI 



