OPINION ON HERSCHEL'S MERITS 85 



Public opinion outside of scientific circles had also 

 something to say about Herschel, for he had become 

 a power and a wonder in the country. " Mr. Herschel's 

 astronomical papers," it said, "have justly excited 

 peculiar attention; and his account of a comet, or, 

 perhaps, a new planet, hath procured for him the 

 honour of Sir Godfrey Copley's Medal. Mr. Herschel, 

 who is a musician at Bath, is one of those extraordin- 

 ary men, whose genius for astronomy and whose talents 

 for the improvement of instruments have enabled him 

 to break through every disadvantage of situation, and 

 to make discoveries which, as they call for the warmest 

 approbation of mankind, ought to obtain for him a 

 more than common encouragement and patronage." 1 

 A year later the same organ of public opinion wrote : 

 " Mr. Herschel, of whom we spoke in our last volume, 

 hath carried on his astronomical researches with amaz- 

 ing success. He hath discovered a great number of 

 double and triple stars, which are surprisingly and 

 beautifully diversified in their appearance and their 

 colours. The new star or comet, for the discovery 

 of which he obtained the Gold Medal in 1781, is now, 

 without controversy, ascertained by him to be a regular 

 primary planet, beyond the orbit of Saturn. He hath 

 given it the name of the Georgium Sidus, in honour 

 of the King, who hath settled a handsome salary upon 

 him and taken him into his immediate service. This 

 instance of Royal patronage and munificence to eminent 

 scientific merit is equally glorious to His Majesty and 

 to Mr. Herschel." 2 



The instincts of the writer were correct, but his 



1 Annual Register for 1781 [118]. 



2 Annual Register, 1782 [219]. 



