HERSCHEL. 



WILLIAM HERSCHEL, one of the greatest astronomers 

 that ever lived in any age or country, was born at Han- 

 over, on the 15th of "November, 1738. The name of 

 Herschel has become too illustrious for people to neglect 

 searching back, up the stream of time, to learn the social 

 position of the families that have borne it. Yet the just 

 curiosity of the learned world on this subject has not 

 been entirely satisfied. We only know that Abraham 

 Herschel, great-grandfather of the astronomer, resided at 

 Mahren, whence he was expelled on account of his strong 

 attachment to the Protestant faith ; that Abraham's son 

 Isaac was a farmer in the vicinity of Leipzig ; that Isaac's 

 eldest son, Jacob Herschel, resisted his father's earnest 

 desire to see him devote himself to agriculture, that he 

 determined on being a musician, and settled at Hanover. 



Jacob Herschel, father of William, the astronomer, 

 was an eminent musician ; nor was he less remarkable 

 for the good qualities of his heart and of his mind. His 

 very limited means did not enable him to bestow a com- 

 plete education on his family, consisting of six boys and 

 four girls. But at least, by his care, his ten children all 

 became excellent musicians. The eldest, Jacob, even ac- 

 quired a rare degree of ability, which procured for him 

 the appointment of Master of the Band in a Hanoverian 



