SIB WM. AND CAROLINE HERSCHEL. 91 



not discouraged. Caroline soon saw " almost every 

 room turned into a work-shop. A cabinet-maker 

 making a tube and stands of all descriptions in a 

 handsomely furnished drawing-room; 77 this could 

 be so occupied when the music scholars had left 

 Bath in their vacation ; " Alex putting up a huge 

 turning machine in a bedroom, for turning pat- 

 terns, grinding glasses, and turning eye-pieces, 

 etc. 77 



The longed-for time to see more of her brother 

 never came to Caroline, except as she finally grew 

 into his life-work, and became his second self. 



He had one unalterable purpose, the study of 

 the construction of the heavens. Nothing ever 

 drew him from it. Nothing ever could draw him. 

 And herein lay one of the elements of his great 

 power. As an English writer has well said : " So 

 gentle and patient a follower of science under diffi- 

 culties scarcely occurs in the whole circle of biog- 

 raphy. 77 Yes, he was " gentle and patient, 77 but with 

 an untiring and never ending perseverance. Too 

 poor to buy telescopes, he made them. With 110 

 time to read books during the day, he took the 

 hours from sleep. With little opportunity for 

 education, he educated himself. 



In 1774, the music teacher made for himself a 

 five-and-one-half-foot Gregorian telescope; and a 

 year later, a Newtonian, with a four-and-a-half-inch 

 aperture, which magnified two hundred and twen- 

 ty-two times. The making of these instruments 

 showed great mechanical skill and accurate knowl- 



