SIR WM. AND CAROLINE HERSCHEL. 95 



ror for the thirty-foot reflector was never out of 

 his mind, and if a minute could 'but be spared in 

 going from one scholar to another, or giving one 

 the slip, he called at home to see how the men 

 went on with the furnace, which was built in a 

 room below, even with the garden." 



The next year, 1782, Herschel went to London, and 

 met with a gracious reception from George III. 

 He wrote back to his devoted sister : " Dear Lina : 

 All my papers are printing, with the postscript 

 and all, and are allowed to be very valuable. You 

 see, Lina, I tell you all these things. You know 

 vanity is not my foible, therefore I need not fear 

 your censure. Farewell. 



" I am your affectionate brother, 



"WM. HERSCHEL." 



Again he wrote, 



"I pass my time between Greenwich and Lon- 

 don, agreeably enough, but am rather at a loss for 

 work that I like. Company is not always pleas- 

 ing, and I would much rather be polishing a specu- 

 lum. ... I am introduced to the best company. 

 To-morrow I dine at Lord Palmerston's, next day 

 with Sir Joseph Banks, etc., etc. Among opti- 

 cians and astronomers nothing now is talked of 

 but what they call my great discoveries. Alas ! 

 this shows how far they are behind, when such 

 trifles as I have seen and done are called great. 

 Let me but get at it again ! I will make such tele- 

 scopes, and see such things that is, I will 

 endeavor to do so." 



