HIS SISTER CAROLINE. 263 



laborious vigils to the Royal Society of London. These 

 results are contained in his memoirs ; they constitute one 

 of the principal riches of the celebrated collection known 

 under the title of Philosophical Transactions. 



Plerschel belonged to the principal Academies of Eu- 

 rope, and about 1816 he was named Knight of the Guel- 

 phic order of Hanover. According to the English habit, 

 from the time of that nomination the title of Sir William 

 took the place, in all this illustrious astronomer's memoirs, 

 already honoured with so much celebrity, of the former 

 appellation of Doctor William. Herschel had been named 

 a Doctor (of laws) in the University of Oxford in 1786. 

 This dignity, by special favour, was conferred on him 

 without any of the obligatory formalities of examination, 

 disputation, or pecuniary contribution, usual in that learned 

 corporation. 



I should wound the elevated sentiments that Herschel 

 professed all his life, if I were not here to mention two 

 indefatigable assistants that this fortunate astronomer 

 found in his own family. The one was Alexander Her- 

 schel, endowed with a remarkable talent for mechanism, 

 always at his brother's orders, and who enabled him to 

 realize without delay any ideas that he had conceived ; * 

 the other was Miss Caroline Herschel, who deserves a 

 still more particular and detailed mention. 



Miss Caroline Lucretia Herschel went to England as 

 soon as her brother became special astronomer to the 

 king. She received the appellation there of Assistant 

 Astronomer, with a moderate salary. From that moment 



* When age and infirmities obliged Alexander Herschel to give up 

 his profession as a musician, he quitted Bath, and returned to Hano- 

 ver, very generously provided by Sir William with a comfortable in- 

 dependence for life. 



