II 



THE PROGRESS OF MODERN ASTRONOMY 



ANEW epoch in astronomy begins with the work 

 of William Herschel, the Hanoverian, whom Eng- 

 land made hers by adoption. He was a man with a 

 positive genius for sidereal discovery. At first a mere 

 amateur in astronomy, he snatched time from his 

 duties as music-teacher to grind him a telescopic mir- 

 ror, and began gazing at the stars. Not content with 

 his first telescope, he made another and another, and 

 he had such genius for the work that he soon possessed 

 a better instrument than was ever made before. His 

 patience in grinding the curved reflective surface was 

 monumental. Sometimes for sixteen hours together 

 he must walk steadily about the mirror, polishing it, 

 without once removing his hands. Meantime his sister, 

 always his chief lieutenant, cheered him with her pres- 

 ence, and from time to time put food into his mouth. 

 The telescope completed, the astronomer turned night 

 into day, and from sunset to sunrise, year in and year 

 out, swept the heavens unceasingly, unless prevented 

 by clouds or the brightness of the moon. His sister 

 iys at his side, recording his observations. 

 re in the open air, perched high at the mouth of 

 the reflector, and somrtinu's it was so cold that tlu- ink 

 froze in the bottle in Caroline Herschel's hand ; but the 

 two enthusiasts hardly noticed a thing so common- 



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